Beneath This Man (This Man, #2)(145)

‘Oh, darling!’ Tom crouches down to help me gather my scattered possessions. ‘He’s still hot!’ he whispers to me on the floor.

‘He is not.’ I screw my face up. I find Matt anything but hot now. He makes my skin crawl. I rise to find Matt walking away, holding his hand up in a catch-you-later gesture.

‘Oh, where’s he going?’ Tom exclaims, stamping his foot.

‘Hopefully, to jump off a cliff.’ I mutter uncharitably under my breath. I finish my wine in one foul swig. After seeing Matt, I could do with another.

‘Matt’s in here!’ Kate throws herself on the barstool. ‘And he has a black eye. High five Jesse!’

‘Well, it’s been a pleasure girls, but I need some action tonight and it doesn’t look like I’m going to get it in here,’ Tom throws a disgusted look in the general direction of all the blatantly straight men, ‘I’m going to Route Sixty. Want to come?’ he asks hopefully.

‘No!’ Kate and I shout in unison, leaving us laughing and Tom stropping out of the bar in search of action.

‘Did the snake speak to you?’ Kate asks when she’s stopped chuckling.

‘He tried.’ I’m just about to volunteer bar duties when Tom flies back into the bar and collides with the table. He’s huffing and puffing all over the place. Kate and I point frowns at him.

He gets his breathing under control. ‘You will not believe who I’ve just seen.’

‘Who?’ Kate asks before I have a chance to engage my mouth.

‘Sally.’ His face breaks out into a big grin and he glances over his shoulder before returning excited eyes to us. ‘Sally…wearing a miniskirt and low cut top – a very tight, short miniskirt and a very low cut top. She has a date!’

‘Oh?’ I say, a little surprised, but not because of the apparent outfit. I’m surprised because she looked suicidal on Thursday.

‘What? Wallflower Sally? Boring office girl Sally?’ Kate asks.

‘Yes.’ I confirm. ‘Tom, leave the girl alone.’ I return to my glass, promptly remembering that I want another.

‘I might get a picture!’ Tom dances out of the bar, getting his phone from his pocket.

‘I’ll get the drinks.’ I slide off the stool and grab my purse. ‘Same again?’

‘Do you need to ask?’ She rolls her eyes and waves her empty glass at me.

I fight my way to the bar and wait my turn, attracting the attention of some muscle pumped, ponytailed slime-ball. I ignore his leering stare and order our drinks.

‘Hi, can I buy you a drink?’

I glance around and smile sweetly. ‘No, thank you.’

‘Come on, just one drink.’ he presses and moves in closer.

‘No, really. I’ve got it, but thanks.’

The barman places one glass of wine on the bar. ‘I’ve just got to pop down the cellar. We’re out.’ He leaves me stood at the bar with ponytailed guy dribbling all over me. I roll my eyes, not that the barman notices.

‘Maybe I could take you out sometime then?’ He is really close now.

‘I’m involved with someone.’ I say over my shoulder. He can’t have missed the gigantic diamond on my finger. I take a swig of my wine.

‘And?’

I turn towards him. ‘And…I’m involved with someone.’ I flash my ring and he nods, but not in an accepting way. I think I’ve just made the challenge more interesting.

‘He’s not here, though, is he?’

‘No, lucky for you, he’s not.’ I reply curtly, turning back towards the bar. I’m immensely relieved when I see the barman approaching.

He places Kate’s wine down and I pass him a note, willing him to be quick. My skin is prickling under the leery eyes of the overinflated man stood next to me. I take another long sip of my wine and try to blank him out. I’m beyond exasperated when the barman signals no change. He walks off to the end of the bar and starts faffing about in various tills.

Ponytailed creep moves in closer. ‘If you were mine, you wouldn’t be out of my sight.’

Oh good God! ‘Listen, I’ve tried to be polite. Back off!’

‘I think we could show each other a good time.’ He runs his fingertip down my arm.

I jump, instantly furious with myself for appearing anxious, but then I’m distracted by the barman returning. Thank God! He hands me my change and I grasp Kate’s drink quickly, keen to escape this toad. Turning a bit too hastily, I drop my coins everywhere.

Fuck!

I place the glasses back on the bar and retrieve the coins within grabbing distance and leave whatever else there may have been. I’m not that desperate. I grab the drinks and catch my heel awkwardly causing me to stagger slightly.

‘Shit!’ I curse. Now he’ll think I’m pissed and easy.

I’m met with the twat again when I turn back around. ‘A bit drunk, sweetheart?’ he sneers.

‘Fuck off!’ I’ve tried to be patient.

‘Oh, feisty.’ he laughs, as I push my way past him, thinking how grateful he should be that Jesse isn’t here. He would be flattened by now.

I make it over to Kate and place the drinks down a bit too sloppily, spilling a considerable amount. I shake my head mildly and take my position on the barstool, staggering again. Kate frowns at me.