Page 7 of Broken Valentine
I nod, swallowing hard at his mention of being at a frat party. So, he's still in college, or maybe he was and already graduated. Is this only something part time for him? “That definitely counts. You're still young, you have plenty of time to do the other things.”
“I'm not that young, you know.”
“Way younger than I am.”
“Looks like now that you're a free man, you have plenty of time as well. You can't be much older than me.”
“You're so sure of that, huh? I could be turning seventy-two next week for all you know.”
“If that's the case, I may need to borrow that secret serum you've been taking, grandpa.”
“Don't call me that.”
“How about daddy?”
“How about Jamie?”
“Fine Jamie, tell me how old you are.”
“I think it's better to let some things remain a mystery between us.”
“Okay, what do you do for a living?”
“I'm in the science field.”
“Really? What type of science?”
I shake my head, clicking my tongue. “I think I'll leave it at that. You can form your own assumptions in your mind.”
“Hmm.” He taps his finger to his chin. “A chemist?”
“Nope.”
“Something in biology?”
“How about you keep the guessing to yourself. If we give away too much, we won't be strangers anymore.”
“Why would you want to be...oh…you mean…” His words trail off and the next time he opens his mouth, nothing comes out.
“Will you go home with me Taylor, and help me live a little?”
His eyes become heated, causing my skin to tingle with warmth. “Yes.” His fingers caress my arm gently. “Should we go back to your place or mine?”
Still surprised at his response even though it's the exact one I was hoping for, I sit here at a loss for words.
He laughs, pulling away. “Unless you were joking, then I'll just rid myself from the humiliation with a whiskey sour at the other end of the bar.”
Shaking my head, I pull out a few bills and leave them near my empty glass. “How about we go back to my place, and maybe I can play you a song later and show you my piano skills.”
Maybe I'm stupid for asking him to come home with me but judging by all of Rhys’s missing clothes and empty side of the bathroom sink, I think it's safe to say I don't need to worry about him coming back anytime soon…or ever. This is crazy and impulsive and it's exactly what I need right now. I can regret my actions in the morning, but as of now, I’d rather forget about this horrible day by getting lost in the arms of the beautiful stranger in front of me than with a few more shots.
I stand up from the chair and Jamie looks around, unsure of what to do next. “I just need to go get changed and let my friend know I won't need a ride home tonight.”
I nod and point to the door. “I'll be waiting outside.”
He stands up and walks away, disappearing behind the bar. The club grows quiet the closer I get to the entrance and the music disappears as soon as I step outside into the cool air. Winter started a bit late this time around and it only snowed a few days ago. Rhys always hated it and complained about not being able to get warm enough when we would snuggle in the living room for our movie nights. I wasn't much of a fan of the cold either, but I loved the excuse to cover his body with mine.
“You actually waited. I wasn't sure at first.” I turn around and Taylor is shoving a purple beanie over his blond curls and zipping up his thick matching coat. I wonder if his curls are as soft as they look and what he would think about me wrapping my fingers around them later.It's not too late to go back Jamie. You can still go home alone.
