Page 31 of Affliction

Chapter Sixteen

Mia

“This is weird, you know?” Ally said as we were waiting for the bartender to deliver our drinks.

I shrugged my shoulder.

“Come on, admit it. It’s weird. Hanging out with Terry and Bryce at the same time? Whose idea was that, anyway?” Ally’s hands were on her hips, and she was regarding me with suspicion.

“It was mine. Just stop berating me about it. I never said it was a good idea. It was a five-and-a-half-glasses-of-wine idea that drunk Mia had,” I admitted.

“I hate when that bitch makes your decisions,” Ally said with a laugh.

“Yeah, me too,” I said, joining her.

“You look hot tonight, by the way.” She looked over my sleek black dress and red heels. My short brown locks were in sexy curls, while my makeup was kept light. I certainly had enjoyed the hungry way both Terry’s and Bryce’s eyes had roamed my body.

“So do you,” I told Ally. With her blonde locks and skinny figure, she always looked gorgeous. But tonight, in her magenta minidress, she looked absolutely stunning. “Are you hoping to pick someone up?” I wiggled my eyebrows at her, causing her to giggle.

“No, I don’t think that’s my role tonight. I think I’m here to make sure the three of you don’t end up in some weird threesome. Or that they don’t start a fight over you,” she said with a wink.

“Whatever.” I rolled my eyes.

“You had to have seen the way they’ve been staring at you all night. And if I’m being honest, I’m not expecting the threesome outcome. I think you’ll end up in the middle of some fight between the two of them.” Ally turned back and watched the table where Bryce and Terry sat. Neither man was talking to the other; they were both studying the throngs of people on the dance floor. “I’m actually surprised that Bryce didn’t pee on you the minute he saw the hungry expression on Terry’s face.”

“He did not have a hungry expression,” I said, rolling my eyes at her again. He may have agreed to come out with us, but he was definitely not hungry for me.

“He totally did!” Ally exclaimed.

Thankfully, I didn’t have to say more on the subject because the bartender placed our drinks in front of us. Ally paid him with a wink, and we made our way back to the men.

Ally passed out our beers, and we all took a sip.

“You don’t like beer,” Terry remarked as he watched me sip mine.

It took me a second to realize his statement had been directed at me. “I, uh—”

“She’ll drink this kind. It’s more like a cider—I believe Raspberry Riesling is what it’s called. Right, baby?”

I flushed at Bryce’s nickname for me. Turning toward Terry, all I could do was shrug. Ally snickered in her seat at the table. She was enjoying this, and I hated that.

“Huh,” Terry uttered in response.

“How’s everything going for the fall catalog?” Bryce asked.

“It’s going to look great,” Terry answered. Bryce’s head whipped in his direction. My heart sank as I realized Terry wasn’t done talking. “Yeah, she’s working so hard on getting the right shoes lined up. I’m working in Art on the shots and Creative is putting together some great descriptions to go with it. I’m floored. It’s going to be beautiful.”

It should have been a simple question that would have had Ally and I talking. We would have gotten around to saying what Terry did, but we would have dished on the latest drama surrounding it. Like how Terry was helping because one of my art directors was having boyfriend trouble and he had fled to Nantucket to spend some quality time with his grandma. Or how the model that we brought in to do the initial modeling of some of the heels had to be changed out for a new one because she had corns on her feet, and it wouldn’t have made for appealing pictures.

But none of that was said. Terry had seen an opportunity to one-up Bryce the way Bryce had with the beer and he took it. I looked over at Bryce apologetically and just shrugged. There wasn’t anything else I could say.

We settled into an awkward silence, and Terry was the first to break it.

“Dance with me.” Terry extended his hand to me, a sexy smirk on this face. It made my panties wet just looking at it. I hated myself for it. “Come on, Mia. What’s the worst that could happen?” Terry added when I didn’t immediately reply.

“I—” Words were failing me. It was a simple question, but it wasn’t. Would we touch on the dance floor? Would I be able to handle that?

“She’d love to!” I heard Ally say.

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