Watch Me Walk Away (3 page)

“Well you look beautiful,” he says as he dips his head and kisses my cheek. As it happens I look at Bobby. His eyes scrutinize our interaction like he is trying to figure out something.

Stuart turns to him and says, “I guess you two know each other.”

Bobby and I both say at the same time, “Yes.”

“Wow in stereo,” Stuart says laughing. Yeah okay I had told him about Brad. I also told him why I had been with Brad, about the ex that broke my heart and left me wanting, but I failed to mention the ex’s name. He has no idea he is standing next to the guy he called an asshole not so very long ago. What’s he going to say when I tell him? Should I tell him? This just got very complicated.

Bobby smiles. “Lisa and I used to be close but we haven’t seen each other in six years.”

Ok he knows how long it’s been. He looks directly at me. “We lost touch, but I can see she has done well for herself.”

“Oh she has.” Stuart beams at me. “She just got a VP position at Harris Reardon, the hottest agency in town. I’m so proud of her.”

I squeeze Stuart and tuck my head onto his shoulder. “Thanks, even without your account I am doing okay.”

Bobby looks at us questionably, “Your account?” he asks.

“Yeah, she wouldn’t date me and handle my account at the same time so when she left to come here, I told her my account would not be coming with her,” he says. “I think I made the right decision, even though our sales have been down in the last week. I will just have to find another agency if they don’t pick up again. Or I will just have to try harder to persuade her to be my girl both professionally as well as personally.”

“I already told you,” I say. “I will not mix business and pleasure. So you’ll just have to stay where you are account wise that is,” I smile at him. “Anyway I don’t really need your three-million dollar account, I will bill over ten-million this year and I am sure I can pick up a few new accounts as well. New York is a big city. All I have to do is network a little bit.”

My phone goes off at that moment with a text from Jodi. “Looks like we need to get back to the table, the appetizers are being delivered. Nice seeing you, Bobby. Will you be joining us at the club?”

“Yes, I will be there, Lisa,” he says to me. The look in his eyes causes that tingle again. I nod and turn to walk away leaving Stuart to catch up with me. I hear him say, “See you later, glad we met.”

I don’t hear Bobby’s response. I don’t really want to. I can feel his stare on my back. He is watching me walk away from him. Again that damn tingle! Just ignore it and enjoy your night, Lisa. You are with Stuart, this is supposed to be all about being with him tonight. Bobby does not fit into this night. He doesn’t fit into this life. You will not think about him while you are with Stuart. Maybe if I repeat it enough it will happen.

I sit in my seat at the table. Stuart sits next to me and puts his arm on the back of my chair, “Why didn’t you ever tell me you knew Bob Harber?” he asks.

“It was a long time ago and as he said we lost touch. I didn’t even realize that he was Harber Security until Jodi told me in the restroom.”

“So that’s what took so long? I am surprised if she knew you didn’t. It sounds like you two like to talk about all your old classmates all the time,” he says.

“Let’s just say that Bobby and I did not get along well. So she never thought to update me on him,” I say quietly. I really don’t want the rest of the table to hear this conversation. They all know what happened and how it broke me. Hell I didn’t go to a party for three months after New Year’s. I barely socialized with my friends. It left me seriously and clinically depressed. I even saw a psychologist to help get me back into the world. Putting myself back there again is not an option. Bobby gets no more chances to screw up my life. I am stronger now and will resist the pull. I will be with Stuart tonight and will have fun.

Luckily the food starts to be served and everyone at the table draws us into their conversations. I sit through about a hundred pictures of Barbara’s baby. He is really cute but come on enough is enough. I excuse myself to go to the restroom. Jodi and John are in a conversation with Patty and I don’t want to interrupt them so I go by myself.

Going to the bathroom, check my make-up and am on my way back when I hear his voice, “You really have grown more beautiful. All put together and confident.” He comes up right behind me. I feel his hand on my arm turning me toward him. “I missed you.”

The tingle is gone, now it’s a shiver. It travels from where his hand is on me all the way to the toes starting to curl in my shoes. I look at him and steel myself, “Well I haven’t missed you, Bobby. I would appreciate it if you kept your hands off me and leave me alone.” I pull my arm away from him and walk back to the party.

He laughs behind me and calls out, “Not on your life, babe.”

Shit, shit, double shit! Why is this happening now? Alright keep it together. It is only one night, after tonight I won’t see him again. I can go back to the not knowing anything about him. I can go back to not thinking about him. I won’t dream about him. I can do this.

Dessert has arrived when I get back and the talk is about the club we are going to. Earlier I had told Stuart we could skip it if he wanted to but now I think I need to work off some frustrations on the dance floor. I turn to him and say, “Do you mind if we stay for a little while? I really want to hang out some more.”

“Whatever you want, Lisa. As long as we don’t stay too long, I can’t wait to get you to my place,” he says directly in my ear. My ear tingles, this one I can handle. I put my hand on his thigh under the table.

“Neither can I,” as I look into his eyes. I can see the heat there.

He puts his hand on mine and squeezes, “And dancing with you will be great foreplay.”

Ok I am ready to go now! “Let’s get this party started!” I say loudly to the table. “Who’s up for shots when we get to the club?”

I get a few denials but more cheers and nods. “What are we waiting for?” I ask starting to get up. I look over at Joe’s table and Bobby is staring at me with those intense eyes. I ignore him and take Stuart’s hand, “Let’s go everybody,” and start to walk away.

Chapter Four

Joe comes up as we are getting to the front door, “Wait a minute everyone. We have vans to take us all to the club that way we will all get in together. They know we are coming but I don’t want to leave anyone behind to have to stand in line to get in.”

The vans are a good idea but now we will be stuck here until everyone makes their way out. I turn to Joe, “Are the vans outside waiting?”

“Yeah they are. You can get into them if you want to wait there but it might be a while,” he says.

I take Stuart’s hand and start walking out the door. Bobby is standing within a few feet of us following us with his eyes. He cocks an eyebrow as he hears me ask Stuart, “Wanna go make out in the back of the van with me?”

I get pulled out the door as Stuart says, “Hell yeah!”

There are six of those big vans with four rows of seats. Luckily they all have tinted windows. Stuart pulls me toward the first one and I pull back. He looks at questionably as I say, “That will be the first one people pick when they come out. If we take the last one we will have more time.”

“I like the way you think,” he says changing directions.

We get to the last one and the driver looks at us strangely as we slide open the side door. As I scoot my way into the last row Stuart hands the driver some money and says, “Would you mind standing outside and letting us know when people are coming?”

The driver looks down at the money in his hand and just salutes Stuart as he exits the van. I see him lean up against the front grill and hope he doesn’t turn around to look in.

Stuart makes his way back to me and pulls me in for a kiss. “This was the best idea.” The kiss starts out gentle and light. Stuart doesn’t really do intense. Every time I kiss him it is like building a fire, it slowly ignites. He runs his tongue over my lips asking for entrance. I open my mouth and let him in. He is tentative with his tongue, darting in and pulling out quickly. Not really giving me enough time to savor his tongue, I really like to savor.

He moves his mouth to my ear and licks my earlobe then moves down my neck grazing with his lips and tongue, making me moan. I tilt my head to give him better access. Reaching up, I hold his head there and put my other hand on his back. I run my hand up and down his soft wool suit jacket. Need to get this off of him. I reach around to the front and unbutton it and start to push it off his shoulder.

His hands are on my sides, his thumbs caressing the undersides of my breasts, “I can’t wait to get you naked,” he moans. “Do you really want to go to the club?”

He turns me and starts to push me back onto the seat when I hear a loud knocking. We break apart, “What the hell,” Stuart swears.

The side door opens and Joe and Fred get in followed by Bobby. “We aren’t interrupting anything, are we?” he asks with a smirk on his face.

“No,” Stuart practically barks out. He starts to fix his jacket, “We will continue later.” He eyes Bobby like he wants to hit him.

I know the feeling. I really want to slap that smirk right off his face. I have wanted to slap him so many times in the past. Hell I have slapped him in the past. But I remember his reaction to being slapped too. Grabbing me and kissing me senseless, explosions of heat in my core. The shiver is back just thinking about it.

I close my eyes and I can feel the heat on my face. Hopefully they will think it is just embarrassment from getting caught. I open my eyes and look straight into Bobby’s. He knows. Dammit! He can read me just as well as I can read him. He knows exactly what I am thinking. What I am remembering. How it feels to have his hands on me.

He is thinking the same thing. I can see the fire in his eyes the way they burn right through me to the puddle now in my panties. I can’t look away, how can I be frozen when my body is on fire? How can he still affect me this way?

Joe breaks the tension, “So are we ready to dance the night away?”

I’m finally able to tear my eyes off Bobby. “You have no idea how ready! I need to burn up some calories from that great food. Great party so far. Are you sold out for months? This must be costing your producers a pretty penny.”

“I don’t mind spending my money,” Bobby answers.

My eyes fly to him. “You’re paying for all of this?”

“Yeah, it’s my dime. It’s worth it. I am re-connecting with old friends.” Turning to Stuart he adds, “And making new ones.”

Oh no! I do not want Stuart and Bobby to be friends. I want Bobby as far away from my life as I can get him. I should have just gone home with Stuart. This is not going to end well. Nothing does when Bobby is involved.

Fred turns around and says to Stuart, “Looks like you and I are the odd men out. These guys all have a lot to catch up on.” To me he says, “How long is it that you were away?”

I take a calming breath. “I went to school at University of Florida. I only came back for a few weeks at the holidays and those were mostly spent with family in PA, so I haven’t seen anyone in more than five years. I got a job in Atlanta right out of college so I didn’t even come home after graduation.”

“She ditched us for warmer climes,” says Joe. “Didn’t even invite us down.” He sticks his tongue out at me making me laugh.

“You know that’s not true. I was always trying to get you guys to come down, at least the first year or two,” I say. “No one ever wanted to come. So I gave up trying.”

Jodi and John climb in at that moment. “Jodes, how many times did I try to get you to come down to Florida?”

“All the time! I just could never swing the airfare when I had the time.” She adds, “I did get to see you in Atlanta though. Your apartment was huge! Good luck trying to find that in the city, you’re gonna feel like you’re back in a dorm.”

John shuts the door and says, “And you were so close to everything. You will probably have to either live near NYU or up by Columbia.”

“Thanks, John, so either way I’m with the co-eds, is that what you’re telling me?” I want to reach over the seats and hit him but to get to him I have to go over Bobby.

“Nah, Jodi will put you up until you find something nice. Of course you get the added pleasure of seeing me every day.” He laughs.

“Jodi, smack him for me,” I call out. “I would do it but there are bodies in my way.”

Jodi hits him. Bobby turns to me, “You can reach over me anytime, babe.”

Stuart looks at him, then me with a question in his eyes. I look him straight in the eye and say, “Yeah, he’s the asshole.” Stuart looks at me like I’ve lost my head then it dawns on him what I’m talking about.

“Asshole?” Bobby asks.

“Asshole,” I say at him. He starts to say something but Joe puts his hand on him.

“Stop, both of you. This is my night and you are not going to ruin it,” Joe says. “We are going to have a good time and then we will all go home and you guys can ignore each other for another five years.”

“Six, but who’s counting,” Bobby says looking straight at me. We ride in silence the rest of the way to the club.

The van stops and everyone starts getting out. Stuart offers me his hand as I exit and I take it. Bobby takes my elbow, leans down and says, “We need to talk about this.”

I look up at his beautiful face and see anguish. I am a little surprised he looks almost haunted. Stuart pulls me and says, “Let’s go, Lisa. I don’t want to be here long.”

I turn around and see Bobby watching me walk away. The shiver is back but this time it feels more like dying.

Chapter Five

The club is loud, dark and packed. We are ushered into the VIP section where we have our own bar and dance floor and a full view of the rest of the club. I could get used to this. Not having to feel like a sardine while dancing and no waiting ten deep at the bar, what more could you ask for?

Well maybe not having your ex at the same party in the VIP section with you. Bobby’s eyes are smoking. He is pissed! At me! Which I don’t really get. He was an asshole. He left me. Then he came back and left me wanting. He turned me on and then stopped. Why does he get to be mad that I called him on it?