Page 5 of Choke

Her sharp eyes narrow, scanning my face slowly and deliberately, like she’s dissecting me. I brace myself for whatever insult she’s conjuring up, then after a moment, she shakes her head and mutters, “Figures.”

I should go back to my beer. Find the rest of the guys. Get the fuck out of this awful bar. But I don’t—I can’t. Instead, I tilt my chin, motioning toward the bar.

“Can I get you a drink? You look like you could use one after—that situation.” I gesture toward the guy behind her, mopping puke off the floor.

She looks over her shoulder, reminded of the mess, and suddenly, she looks green, as if she may contribute to the pile. She exhales, fingers threading through the loose strands of hair that frame her face. For a second, I think she’ll say no, that she’ll walk away, but her gaze returns to mine, her eyes searching mine, and she steals my fucking breath.

“Anything to get me away from that mess.”

She steps around me, heading for the bar. That scent is everywhere. Vanilla. Sugar maybe? Milk? I watch her walk for a few moments, herhead held high, back straight, a slight sway to her hips, and hair so long that it brushes the midpoint of her ass. Too long and twisted into a thick braid that sways back and forth with each step. For a moment, I imagine what it would be like to wrap it around her neck, to watch her eyes fall closed and those lips part. Blinking myself back to reality, this isn’t like me. This sudden hunger in this grimy bar, in a town I’ve never been to before.

Every other emotion leading up to this moment is gone.

Every other patron in the bar disappears from view.

There is only that scent, that sway.

Something in my chest loosens, and I realize I was waiting for her to decide. For the first time tonight, my mind is free from the weight of my job, team, and expectations.

All I see—all I need—is her.

Too Much

Lex

Present Day

My heels click-clack down the corridor, and the pep in my step is unmistakable. I swear the office knows when I win just by how I prance around. I smile at the employees I pass, but don’t stop. There is no chance. I am a sore loser and probably an even more unbearable winner.

And today? I won.

I reach the door to Kendall’s office, glancing inside to confirm she is alone and not on a call before opening the door and rushing in. I’m winded by the time my back hits the now-closed door.

God, I need to get to a gym.

Startled, she looks up from the papers she’s been focused on.

“Jesus Christ!” She exclaims. “You scared the shit out of me! What’s wrong? Where is the fire?”

I laugh, the sound light—victorious. The second she registers the sound of that laugh, she knows. She knows it’s over. I won.

“Oh, you have got to be kidding me. You bitch!” She rolls her eyes and chuckles, dropping her pen to the papers. I slide into the chair at her desk opposite her.

“You barely beat me—I was just signing these to get to Bateman.” She signals to what I can now see are contracts she was working to complete.

“It doesn’t matter if you win by an—” I start.

She cuts me off, “If you quote Fast & Furious, I swear to God I’ll call HR.” Laughing, she adds, “You are buying lunch.”

“Obviously—but we need to go now. I have a call with RC&C in an hour and am starving.”

I snag a candy off her desk and lean back, getting comfortable so she can wrap up her contract. As I wait, the high of the win wanes, and I grow impatient, my stomach growling loudly.

I shift forward and I can’t help but say, “And this is why I won. You’re always so slow.”

Kendall’s dark eyes meet mine, and I may have fucked up. I smile as wide as possible, trying to show her I am playing around. “Come on, Ken, I am so hungry… please!”

She snaps, “Then go without me.”

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