Page 129 of Prodigal Son

Literature was one thing they had in common which was how they started talking. He’d spotted her in a book store and discovered a common thread.

She shrugged. “I read them, but I’m not into paranormal anymore.” It was easier to fantasize about characters that had the slight possibility of existing.

Louis moved the conversations onto Stephen King and rambled on about how much he disliked scary clowns. Destiny people-watched as happy hour ended and the evening crowd ambled in.

The more her date talked about any and every fleeting thought that crossed his mind, the more she realized why she preferred hanging out with introverts. Getting laid was going to require copious amounts of alcohol, so she ordered another drink and told the waitress to keep them coming.

By eight o’ clock she was wasted. Louis had been listening to himself talk all night. The room spun and faces blurred. Time to go.

She leaned close to him and slurred, “What do you say we go back to my place?”

Louis paused as if it had never occurred to him that she might actually sleep with him. He looked around nervously. “Y-your place?”

“Yeah.” She pressed her hand into his thigh and nearly fell off her stool. Nice, Destiny. Real smooth. She was definitely drunk.

“Uh, okay.” He dug money out of his pocket. “I’ll get an Uber.”

“Before you do, let’s order a shot.” She waved her hand to flag down the waitress. When she arrived, Destiny ordered two Mind Fucks. “And could you make mine a double?”

* * *

She didn’t remember leaving the bar, and worst of all, she couldn’t remember the sex. She was definitely home. Her face pressed into her pillow, and she peeked through her left eye at the familiar stack of books sitting on her nightstand. A hand curled over her bare shoulder, and she tensed.

“Good morning, beautiful.” The hand traveled lower—

“Jesus Christ!” She sprung off the bed, yanking the sheet with her. “Adrian? What the hell are you doing here?”

His satisfied grin faded, and he frowned. “You invited me.”

“When?”

“Last night. You called me and asked me to pick you up. Then you asked me to stay.”

She found it ironic that when Adrian owed her something, he was unavailable, but when sex was on the table, he picked right up. Oh, God…“Did we…?”

“You don’t remember?”

She searched for any memory after leaving the bar. She remembered getting a shot and Louis ordered an Uber. Then…nothing. Wait. Crap. “What happened to Louis?”

“The zombie dork? We left him at the bar.”

Ashamed, she dropped her face into her hands. How was she going to face him at work on Monday?

Adrian stretched, folding his hands behind his head and smiled suggestively when his erection tented the sheets. “Come back to bed.”

She stared at him, wondering how this man represented the most successful part of her dating history. Once a cheater always a cheater, she thought, disturbed by the slight temptation he still stirred.

They would have beautiful babies. He was good-looking, fit, and he still wanted her. God, what was she thinking? How pathetic was she to even consider forgiving him? He couldn’t even make her come. Or could he? The details of last night were still sketchy. Maybe she should go one round with him while sober to see if his bedroom skills improved.

What the fuck happened to her standards? God, she hated how desperate she’d become.

Adrian did love her, though. On some level. Maybe that was safer than sleeping with a guy from work who really didn’t turn her on.

She was pathetic. She was going to do it. Taking a step toward the bed, he smiled and then his cell rang. “Hold that thought, babe.”

Destiny scowled as he held a finger up and reached for his phone. He was seriously going to take the call? Now?

“Hey,” he answered the call and looked away, lowering his voice. “No, baby, it’s not like that. We’re just friends. She was on a date and needed a ride home. It was late, so I just crashed. You know I love you. Don’t be mad…”

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