Page 4 of Mantus

If you’re serious, I’ll meet you at the bar at Scarpone’s in Somerset. It’s near New Brunswick, at 7:30 on Friday night. If you’re just playing some stupid game, then don’t bother showing up. I have a lot of friends that go there, so I won’t be left in the lurch if you don’t come.

I watch the little dots move for a second and then my phone rings, startling me. It clatters loudly to the desk.

“It’s him.” I may throw up.

“Answer it.” Rachel’s voice brooks no argument.

I hit the green button and put him on speaker. “Hello?”

“Hello, Felicity. I want you to hear my voice. Texting is very impersonal.” His deep voice cuts through the line and shoots directly between my legs as he enunciates every word.

Rachel’s eyes are wide and her mouth is agape.

“I can hear you.” I bite my lip to keep any nerves out of my voice. Though, I’m only partially successful.

“I’m not going to stand you up. I’ll be waiting for you when you get there. You’re all I can think about.”

How is it possible that this is even sexier than when the man was pressing me against a wall? “I don’t believe you.”

He lets out a long breath. “I know, but it’s still true.”

“Why didn’t you call or text?” I may as well ask or I’ll regret it when he doesn’t show up on Friday.

“It’s complicated, but it’s not because I’m playing games with you.” There’s hesitation in his voice, like he wants to say more.

I don’t know if he’s holding back because that’s the kind of man he is or if there’s someone else in the room, listening in, like Rachel. “I guess you’re entitled to your secrets since we don’t know each other.”

“Not secrets, so much as things you probably don’t want to know about me anyway.”

Every word he says makes me want to know him better. “Don’t I get to decide what I want to know?”

“No.” His voice takes on a hardness. “I’m probably not good boyfriend material. Well, I’m definitely not.”

“Then why are we bothering to have this conversation?” I have no idea when I became so bold.

Rachel is silentlyYou go, girl-ingme from across the room with a fist pump in the air.

His chuckle cuts through the blood still rushing through my ears. “Because I can’t seem to stop wanting more Felicity.”

I gasp a little. My cheeks are on fire. “I’ll see you Friday.” I hang up before I say something I’ll regret, like come over now and fuck me hard and fast. I don’t even know who I am since that’s not a thought I’ve had with any man ever. I like to be romanced and seduced slowly and thoroughly, but that’s not how I feel when I think about Mantus.

“Damn!” Rachel slaps her palm on the table. “That was sexy and no one even said anything hot. You need to get naked with that man, girlfriend.”

The thing is, she’s probably right, but I just pretend to go back to working on the proposal on my computer.

* * *

I changed clothes three times before I decided on the tight, short blue skirt and a pale-pink shirt that ties at the waist. It’s too sexy for this date and fancier than the jeans or shorts I would usually wear to the neighborhood bar and restaurant my friends Phillip and Gene own.

It’s within walking distance of my house, so it’s perfect. When Mantus isn’t here in fifteen minutes, I’ll just visit with my friends and walk home. I pull open the door and the noise of a full Friday night crowd hits me. The tables are to the left, so I turn right.

My heart stops.

Sitting at the end of the long bar, holding a whisky on the rocks and looking twice the size of any other person, is Mantus. His blond hair is cropped short, and his frown is foreboding enough to send a sensible woman running, but the way he looks at me, I have to go to him.

He stands as I approach. “You look beautiful.”

My entire body is ready to burst into flames. “Thank you. You look nice too.”

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