Page 65 of The Cask

I needed to expedite the conversation because my mind was going places it shouldn’t. “So, um, have a seat.”

He sat down on the other end of the couch and put the second towel in his lap.

Even with a whole couch cushion between us, I could feel the heat. Clearing my throat, I began, “Sorry if I seemed off earlier. The whole thing with Kim and my car really fucked up my night.”

It wasn’t the smoothest of starts, but the way he was looking at me was throwing me off my game.

He clenched his jaw and ran his hand over his beard. “I’m pissed about it. I just…” He shook his head. “I just can’t believe it. I can’t believe she would do some shit like this.”

“Well she threatened me and my car was vandalized.”

“Yeah,” he sighed. “When I was talking to the tow truck driver, I texted Jonah to see if he could come down to help me tomorrow.”

“This is a big weekend for me as well. I hate that I have to be on edge the whole time.”

He pointed to the table against the wall where he placed his phone. “I called her, but she didn’t answer.”

But did you call to fire her? That’s what I need to know.

Trying to exude the most worried look I could muster, I asked, “Has she ever been violent before?”

“No! That’s what’s blowing me about this whole thing. I’ve never known her to act like this. She’s tough and she isn’t necessarily friendly, but she’s never—”

“Cursed out the owner of the bar across the street or slashed her tires?” I guessed, interrupting him.

He sighed. “Yeah. She’s never done that.” He shook his head. “I don’t even know why she would do that.”

I knew I had to choose my words wisely to get my intended result. “She has feelings for you, and she wants me out of her way.”

He frowned. “That doesn’t make any sense. We’re like brother and sister.”

“Well… I hate to break it to you, but that’s not how she feels.” I saw the confusion and distress play across his handsome features, so I continued. “She’s jealous. She flat out told me that you were never going to be with me because I’m someone who let you fuck me in an office after a few days of knowing each other. She said that I was going to be another Lexi.”

The moment the name fell out of my mouth, I knew I’d hit the jackpot. His eyes darkened and his whole demeanor changed.

Yeah… You know Kim is the only person who could’ve told me about Lexi.I internally rolled my eyes.You for damn sure didn’t. You didn’t tell me about Olivia either so I shouldn’t be surprised.

“Who is Lexi?” I wondered quietly. I was curious, but I also wanted to tug on that thread and watch it unravel. “I thought you weren’t seeing anyone.”

He put his arm on the back of the couch. His fingers dangled off the cushion and brushed my shoulder. “I’m not seeing anyone but you. I don’t want to see anyone but you.”

It took everything in me not pull out that picture of him and Olivia, but I bit my tongue and held that ammunition. I had plans for that picture. Silently, I watched him squirm under my gaze.

Omari’s broad chest rose and fell. “Lexi is a woman who worked near my bar in D.C. She was trying to get to know some of the restaurants in the neighborhood and came into mine. I thought we were on the same page that it was just a physical relationship and apparently, we weren’t.”

“So, you just fucked her and left her alone?”

“No! Is that what Kim said?” He didn’t wait for my response to continue. “No. It wasn’t like that. I just told her I didn’t see a future with her. She got mad, but she accepted it. It ended a few weeks after it started.”

“Why didn’t you see a future with her?”

“We just didn’t click. I didn’t feel a connection with her.” The pads of his fingers skated over my shoulder. “It has to be more than just me being physically attracted to you. I have to be attracted to the way you speak, the way you think, the way you move in the world.” His voice softened. “I know when I feel something is right.”

My heart skipped a beat.

I became hyper aware of his nakedness and our close proximity.

Breaking eye contact, I stood. “Let me give you the tour.”

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