Page 31 of Can't Kiss the Chef

“Mr. Puro, Jess didn’t tell me you were working tonight.” The man in charge of the door bends down and gives me a hug. Mr. Puro is my childhood best friend’s dad. He was a detective with the Philadelphia Police Department before he was forced to retire a couple of years ago. He now works security for all the pro sports teams in the city and occasionally works the door at some of the clubs.

“She’s got some dress-up party the entire athletic department is going to.” Jess is on the crew team at Syracuse. Let me tell you that the school knows how to party.

We’re ushered in and I wave goodbye to Mr. Puro and wait inside the door for Dalton and his friends. The rest of the guys follow the cocktail waitress through the flashing lights to our table. Dalton grabs my hand and pulls me down a dimly lit hallway.

“Let me buy you a drink.”

My eyebrows pinch as I look up at him. “We have bottle service at the table.” I know he knows how this all works. He’s from a wealthy family who lives in New York City. We’ve had very spirited debates about what’s the best club in the city.

“Yeah, but I didn’t pay for those and I don’t want to mooch off you guys.” I take his hand, which is draped over my shoulder, and squeeze it. This is all I’ve ever wanted, someone that does the little things just because.

“Let’s go to the table first. I don’t want my friends to think that I ditched them”

When I look over to where our friends are, they are all taking shots. “It looks like we are missing out.”

I unwind his hand from behind my neck and guide him through the dancing bodies, dodging people left and right as we make our way to the platform our friends are sitting on.

“Did y’all save us a shot?”

Margo pulls two shots out from behind her back like she’s some kind of magician. I hand one to Dalton before I let the clear liquid warm my throat. It happens before I have time to process it, Dalton takes an open spot on the couch and pulls me down onto his lap.

An uncharacteristic giggle escapes my lips as I fall. I shimmy my dress down my legs before I run my hand through Dalton’s short hair. I catch him looking at my lips.

We’ve had a strictly flirtatious relationship up until now. If my relationship with Byron has taught me anything, it’s that hiding your relationship doesn’t mean you’re protecting it. Plus, this thing with Dalton is just meant to be fun.

I wrap my hands around the back of his neck and pull his lips to mine. I may have been the one who started the kiss, but Dalton deepens it. Cheers break out around us and I look up thinking some celebrity has just come into the club. The cheers are for us. Our friends are celebrating like we were the last in the friend group to get our first kiss.

When the flashing lights from the DL stand find Dalton, his eyes haze over. He runs his palm up my thigh. I place mine on top of his when he reaches the hem of my dress.

“Get another round of shots ready, and when I come back from the bathroom, we are going to dance.” He grabs the bottle of tequila before I’m even off his lap.

Indy is the closest friend to me so I grab her hand, not giving her a chance to decide if she wants to come.

When we are both comfortably settled in our respective stalls, Indy lets it free, “That was some kiss, Lo.”

“You know that’s the Dalton I met this summer, right? It’s not like I’m making out with some guy I pulled off the street.”

“I’m just saying for someone that kept a multi-month relationship from her friends, that was a little out of character.”

Even though she can’t see it, I roll my eyes as I step out of the stall and wash my hands.

“Well, that didn’t end well, did it?” When she doesn’t answer, I add, “Maybe it’s time I try something new.”

My purse vibrates, and while I’m waiting for Indy to wash her hands, I pull it out to see Byron’s name on my screen.

Byron:

We can’t wait to see you tomorrow!

Attached is a picture of him and Mia in bed. Byron is shirtless. Very shirtless and very good looking.

Indy peers over my shoulder, which isn’t very hard for her to do. I can feel the judgment radiating off of her.

“Are you sure you’re ready to try something new?”

I really wish I decided to take that shot before the bathroom. I hope Dalton made it a double.

I nod and let my faux confidence radiate off me. Nonna always said fake it till you make it. Well she actually saidmake it till it’s fake,but we cut her some slack, english being her second language and all.

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