Page 105 of Cuffed By Love

Why,oh why, did I agree to come to this dinner date? Seriously, what the hell was I thinking? As if meeting Devin’s girlfriend wasn’t bad enough. I’m sitting here bearing witness to them slobbering all over each other. Devin’s deliberately provoking me, and like the fool I am, I’m taking the bait. I’m not playing these stupid games with him. What’s the point? Yes, maybe we’re succeeding in making each other jealous, but then what? Is he going to leave his girlfriend and business partner of five years and be with me? I don’t think so. I can’t explain what this magnetic pull is between us. I like Levi, and I’m having such a great time with him, and despite what Devin seems to believe, we’ve not actually slept together… yet.

After what happened between us at my place, we’ve not really had the opportunity to go further. When he convinced me last night to sleepover at the penthouse, I was apprehensive about Devin’s reaction, but there was absolutely no way in the seven kingdoms of Heaven I would sleep with him under Devin’s roof. That would have been disrespectful to Devin and me too. I was raised better than that and thankfully have an acute sense of morality.

When we got into bed, Levi and I talked and made out for a bit before falling asleep. That was it.

A part of me is enjoying torturing Devin a little. I mean, truthfully, what woman wouldn’t? Knowing a man wants you but can’t do anything about it and is burning with jealousy because another man gets to do the things he wants to do with you. If I was selfish and had no standards, I could have slept with him. I’m single, he’s the one that’s not, but that’s not me. The guilt I felt after barely kissing him was eating me alive. That’s why I’m doing what I’m doing with Levi, so I’m distracted and not tempted to fall into a shitty situation with Devin. Levi and I aren’t hurting anyone—except Devin, maybe—but we’re both unattached and attracted to one another. We agreed to be just friends... with benefits, and that’s it. We’re not exclusive; we’re not looking for a relationship.

I need Levi to keep my mind occupied so I don’t think about Devin. And so far, he’s doing a great job. Sort of. Like I said before, I locked my heart away, and the next person I choose to give it to will be the man deserving of it.

“How about we grab some proper food after we leave this place?” Levi murmurs in my ear behind his dessert menu. “I’m fucking starving.”

I snicker and give him a nod. I’m so happy he said it because the food in this place—gourmet chef or not—was not me at all. Give me a Chinese or a burger any day. I don’t have an appetite for pretentious food in a luxury restaurant whose chef studied culinary art with blah de blah blah blah. I almost fell asleep listening to her gush about it. There’s fine dining, and then there’s this crap. Two forkfuls, and the meal is done. And they have the cheek to charge over fifty pounds for a couple of hors d’oeuvre. Escargot which is snails… snails! A French delicacy, apparently. I almost heaved when they set it down on the table. I observed and couldn’t contain the disgust consorting my face while watching Devin and Megan eat them.

While Devin and Megan decide what dessert they will order, Levi turns to look at me. His fingers brush my wavy hair over my shoulder so he could see my face better. “Penny, for your thoughts.”

I turn my head and look at him. “Cheapskate.” Levi grins, his chestnut coloured eyes almost identical to his brother’s gleam.

“What’s going on in that beautiful mind?”

I shake my head and offer him a smile. “Nothing, just feeling a little burnt out.”

“We don’t have to go to the club if you’re not up to it. I would not oppose to taking you back home and indulging in you as my dessert.” He expresses to me quietly, his long fingers skimming along the nape of my neck, sending a mass of tingles cascading through my body.

“While that sounds amazing, I promised Wy and Lex I’d be there,” I explain, reaching up to brush a strand of his hair that fell out of his bun behind his ear. Levi’s eyes close at my touch, and he sighs before opening them again to gaze wantonly into my eyes.

“Are you pissed that I invited them to the club?” Levi questions, his eyes narrowing a little.

I shake my head, my fingers circling the stem of my wineglass. “No, not at all. I mean, she was fishing for an invitation.”

Levi nods and massages the back of my neck soothingly. “I know we agreed to keep it cool over dinner in front of them, but now they’re coming with us to the club; I can’t promise my hands and lips won’t wander,” Levi admits, licking his lips slowly. “I’m already contemplating dragging you to the bathroom and ruining that lipstick you’ve got on.”

“Levi.” I utter quietly, my cheeks aflame. I sneak a look at Devin and see his eyes on me, and gulp.

“What?” He smiles wickedly. “I’m just giving you fair warning of what to expect, so you’re not surprised.”

I laugh and shake my head. “You have a one-track mind. You know that?”

“You wasn’t complaining last night at the cinema when I was fingering you.”

My eyes almost bulge out of my head. “Shh.” Levi bites his lip and chuckles amusedly.

“Yeah, that’s what I had to keep telling you when you were coming.” He whispers in my ear. My face was burning, and that wasn’t the only thing. I squirm in my seat while the git laughs at me. I blame Lexi and Logan. They started making out wildly a couple of seats beside us. And the film really wasn’t interesting in the slightest, so we started kissing too and before I knew it Levi’s fingers were inside me and I was riding them till I came with a shudder. Levi brings out the nympho in me. I can’t control myself around him, don’t help that he’s so effing hot.

“I’m sure we can find a dark corner somewhere in the club,” I tell him suggestively, and he grins. Those eyes are burning with lust while he looks at me. My thighs quiver, and my stomach flips with anticipation.

After we ate dessert, we left the restaurant, and Devin arranged a car to take us to the club. Megan doesn’t enjoy travelling in ubers or taxis so Devin hired a town car. I rolled my eyes so hard they almost fell out of my head. Preppy little princess is too posh for cabs. I can see why Devin is the way he is now… it’s because of her. She took the fun, blithe, dorky Devin and turned him into a pompous jerk. The Devin I knew would have taken the piss out of the ‘meal’ we just consumed demanded we go get some actual food. We’re wealthy too, but we still stayed humble. I hate that he’s changed so much.

We got to the club just after ten. Wyatt, Lex, Logan and a couple of Wyatt’s friends partying up in the VIP lounge. “Fucking hell, peach!” Wyatt exclaims, taking my hands and looking me over. “You look unreal. If I weren’t gay, you’d be in my bed tonight.”

I laugh when he spins me, “I’m in your bed most nights.”

“Don’t you forget it, you sexy betch.” He expresses with a wayward grin and kisses my cheek. “Hold it, am I seeing things? Is that Devin and his girlfriend?”

I nod, glancing back at said couple and resist the urge to roll my eyes. “Yes, Megan wanted to come along.”

“Are you okay?” He asks considerately, leaning in to speak in my ear over the loud music. I nod and gesture toward Levi, standing behind me.

“I’m trying not to let it get to me. Wy, she referred to herself as his future fiancée. I almost lost it.” Wyatt pulls his head back, his brown eyes searching mine. In the darkness and neon lights of the club, his usual brown eyes almost looked black.

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