Page 69 of Between Now and Forever
Everyone stares at me, waiting for me to say hello. I slowly bring my eyes to Jay’s. Our gazes collide so hard that I flinch.
Jay’s jaw flexes. He works it back and forth while gripping his glass so hard his knuckles turn white. Even though he’s pissed, he’s so damn handsome that none of these men even come close.
But what does it matter how attractive he is? Or how strong the connection is between us? He’s made it clear: he may want me, but he’ll never give in.
“Good to see you again,” I say, my voice even.
“Is it?”Jay asks, the words cold and clipped.
His indignation angers me. He has no right to be mad. My choices are none of his business.
“Yeah,” I say, lifting a brow. “It’s always nice to run into neighbors when we’re out and about. How else would we see each other?”
Bryant scoots closer. “If you were my neighbor, you’d be seeinga lotof me.”
Jay pins me to my seat with his stare. The intensity makes me shiver.
“Do you want to see a lot of me tonight, mama?” Bryant asks, giving me a cocky grin. “Say the word and we’ll get out of here.”
I pull my eyes away from Jay and land them on my seatmate. Knowing Jay’s watching my every move, I lean toward Bryant.
“You certainly seem like a man who knows what he wants,” I say, coyly.
I can almost feel Jay bristle from across the table.
Bryant leans so close he nearly touches me. “I wantyou.”
“Tell us, Gabrielle,” Jay says, his voice eerily calm. Everyone at the table quiets. “What do you want?”
My heart thunders as I absorb the heat in his eyes.
“Hey, man,” Bryant says. “Fuck off.”
Lark hops to his feet, positioning himself between Bryant and Jay.
Jay lifts a brow at the man sitting next to me. “Choose your battles carefully, little boy.”
“Who the fuck do you think you are?” Bryant asks, getting up. A vein throbs in his temple. “Why don’t you go back to wherever you came from and leave my date alone?”
What?
Lark holds one hand on each of their chests. “Let’s not do this here.”
“Bryant, what are you talking about?” I ask, disbelief at his audacity mixing with frustration. “I met you ten minutes ago.”
“That’s not the point,” he says, squaring his shoulders to Jay.
Jay takes a step back. He looks Bryant up and down, then turns to me. He says something to Lark that I can’t hear before disappearing into the throng of bodies that now pack the bar.
A collective sigh rushes around the table moments before chatter breaks out again.
Bryant starts to sit back down, but I shimmy to the end of the booth.
“Excuse me, please.” I get to my feet. “I’ll be back, Della.”
“Gabby ...” she calls after me, but I’m already two layers deep in the crowd.
My breathing is ragged as I pick my way through the bodies. I don’t know why I’m chasing him. It’s probably not a good idea, especially if he’s as angry as I think he is. But I’m angry, too, damn it. He doesn’t get to waltz in here and act like a jealous boyfriend.
