Emily’s phone buzzed. Her heart raced as she flipped it over, seeing Lucas’ name on the screen.
Daddy: The feeling’s mutual, baby girl. How about dinner at mine tomorrow night?
Baby Girl: It’s a date.
Emily’s face fell suddenly, her brow furrowing as she stared into her empty glass. The pub’s dim lighting cast shadows across her features, accentuating the tension in her jaw.
“What’s wrong?” Sophia asked, leaning forward with concern etched on her face. “You look like you just remembered you left the stove on.”
Emily exhaled slowly. “I’m going to Lucas’ for dinner tomorrow.”
“Isn’t that a good thing?” Sophia’s eyebrows shot up. “Your face doesn’t say it’s a good thing.”
“Is this just a rebound fling?” Emily blurted out, her green eyes searching Sophia’s face for answers. “I feel like it’s not, but am I just setting us both up for hurt?”
Fuck, am I overthinking this? Emily wondered. The memory of Lucas’ touch sent a shiver down her spine, but doubt gnawed at her gut.
Sophia rolled her eyes dramatically. “Stop being an idiot and live in the moment, for fuck’s sake.” She reached across the table, grabbing Emily’s hand. “See what happens. Right now, you’re enjoying spending time together and having crazy good sex. You’re both adults.”
Emily snorted, a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. “That’s an understatement.”
“Look,” Sophia continued, her voice softening, “he even knows that the night you met, you were drinking to cover up how much of an asshole your ex is. He’s not going into this blind.”
Emily nodded slowly, considering her friend’s words. The weight on her chest began to lift slightly. “You’re right. I’m just… scared, I guess.”
“Of course you are,” Sophia said, squeezing her hand. “But scared doesn’t mean you shouldn’t go for it. Now, are we getting another round or what? I want to hear more about how this dinner date went.”
Emily laughed, the tension finally breaking. “Fine, but you’re buying this time.”
As Sophia headed to the bar, Emily leaned back in her chair, her mind racing. Maybe it was time to stop overthinking and just enjoy the ride.
Emily’s eyes lit up as Sophia returned, precariously balancing two more rum and cokes. The ice clinked invitingly as she set them down.
“So, spill it,” Sophia prodded, leaning in conspiratorially. “How was dinner?”
Emily felt a warm flush creep up her neck. “It was… intense,” she admitted, a coy smile playing at her lips. “The food was incredible. Though I definitely overdid it on the wine.”
Sophia snorted. “Since when has that ever stopped you?”
“Fair point,” Emily conceded with a laugh. She took a sip of her drink, savouring the burn. “But things got interesting when Lucas decided to play dirty.”
Sophia’s eyebrows shot up. “Oh?”
Emily grinned wickedly. “Let’s just say his hand found its way under the table. So naturally, I had to return the favor.”
“You minx!” Sophia cackled, drawing curious glances from nearby patrons.
Emily leaned in, lowering her voice. “By the time we got back to his place, we barely made it through the door before he had me up against the wall.”
She could still feel the cool press of the wall against her back, Lucas’ hot breath on her neck. The memory sent a delicious shiver down her spine.
Sophia let out an impressed whistle. “Damn, girl. Maybe I need to find myself an older man if that’s what I’m missing out on.”
Emily laughed, but her mind drifted to Ryan’s drunk voicemails. She pushed the thought away, focusing instead on the warmth spreading through her body – from the rum or the memories, she wasn’t quite sure.
“Trust me,” she said, raising her glass in a mock toast. “It’s worth the hype.”
Emily chuckled, a mischievous glint in her green eyes. “He’s got crazy ass stamina too. That’s why I was late to the office today.” She smirked at Sophia across the sticky pub table, rum and coke sloshing in her glass. “Unlike the two of us though, he can make pancakes even after drinking the night before.”
Sophia’s jaw dropped. “No fucking way. Pancakes? After a night of debauchery?”
“Mmhmm.” Emily nodded, savouring the memory of Lucas’ skilled hands flipping perfect golden circles on the griddle. “And bacon. The man’s a culinary god.”
“Fuck,” Sophia muttered, shaking her head in disbelief. “I need to find an older man. One who can cook and fuck.”
Emily snorted into her drink. The rum burned pleasantly down her throat as she swallowed.
As the words left her mouth, a pang of uncertainty hit Emily’s chest. Was she getting too attached too quickly? She pushed the thought aside, focusing instead on the warm buzz of alcohol and the infectious sound of Sophia’s laughter.
“Seriously though,” Emily continued, leaning in conspiratorially. “I haven’t been fucked like that since… well, ever.”
Sophia squealed, drawing curious glances from nearby patrons. Emily felt a flush creep up her neck, but she couldn’t bring herself to care. For once, she was living in the moment, Ryan and all his bullshit be damned.
“Details, woman!” Sophia demanded, eyes sparkling with intrigue. “I need to live vicariously through your sex life.”
Emily grinned, memories of Lucas’ touch sending shivers down her spine. “Let’s just say he knows exactly what he’s doing with those hands of his. And that tongue…” She trailed off, biting her lip.
“Fuck me,” Sophia groaned. “I hate you so much right now.”
“No, you don’t,” Emily laughed, raising her glass in a mock toast. “You love me, and you’re happy for me.”
Sophia clinked her glass against Emily’s. “Damn right I am. It’s about time you got some proper dick.”
As they drank, Emily felt a weight lifting from her shoulders. Maybe Sophia was right. Maybe it was time to stop overthinking and just enjoy the ride.
“Don’t look around, the asshole has just walked in.”
The pub’s din faded to a dull roar as Sophia’s words hit Emily like a bucket of ice water. She gripped her glass, knuckles whitening.
“Fuck,” Emily muttered, resisting the urge to whip her head around. “Which direction?”
Sophia’s eyes darted to the left. “By the bar. Don’t look.”
Emily took a long pull of her rum and coke, the burn in her throat a welcome distraction. “Great. Way to put a damper on the night.”
“Want to bail?” Sophia asked, already reaching for her purse.
Emily’s jaw clenched. She’d be damned if she let that cheating bastard ruin another evening. “No. Fuck him. We were here first.”
Sophia grinned, settling back into her seat. “That’s my girl.”
Emily’s mind raced, memories of Ryan’s drunken voicemails clashing with images of Lucas’ skilled hands on her body. She shook her head, trying to clear the mental fog.
“You okay, Em?” Sophia’s voice was laced with concern.
“Yeah, just… processing, I guess.” Emily ran a hand through her hair. “It’s weird, you know? A week ago, seeing him would’ve wrecked me. Now I’m just… annoyed.”
Sophia nodded, her eyes still tracking Ryan’s movements. “Progress, babe. That’s what we call progress.”
Emily snorted. “Progress would be him spontaneously combusting.”
They both dissolved into slightly manic giggles, the tension easing. Emily allowed herself a quick glance towards the bar, catching sight of Ryan’s familiar profile. Her stomach twisted, but it wasn’t the gut-wrenching pain she’d expected. More like mild indigestion.
“You know what?” Emily said, draining her glass. “I think I need another drink. And maybe some nachos. Fuck it, we’re celebrating.”
Sophia raised an eyebrow. “Celebrating what, exactly?”
Emily stood, a wicked grin spreading across her face. “My newfound ability to not want to immediately cry or break his nose.”