Avoiding Intimacy (Avoiding #2.5)(16)

“I’ll text you when I’m done,” he said, grabbing his big sketchbook and walking toward the door. “Are you still going out?”

Chyna shrugged as if it was an actual question. She had nothing better to do, and she and Adam had been planning to go out that night anyway. She might as well hit a club while the night was young. Maybe when she was thoroughly sloshed, Adam would be home, and she could jump his bones. It sounded appealing.

“I figured,” he said, wrenching the door open. “Maybe you can meet up with John later tonight. I know he was supposed to be hanging out with some friends from work, but I’m sure he’d like the company.”

“Have you always babied him?”

Chyna asked with a smirk. Really, she wouldn’t mind hanging out with John.

“He’s too busy for many friends, Chyna, and you have all of New York City.”

She shrugged. Point taken . “How will I find this brother of yours?”

“I’ll give him your number. Maybe you can pick him up, so he’ll actually loosen up a bit,” Adam told her.

“Sounds like a plan. I’ll just wait for his call,” she said, pushing down any and every thought she had about his brother.

“Please be safe. I wouldn’t want anything to happen to you. You’re far too precious.”

She smiled warmly at his telltale good-bye. “I’ll be as safe as always,” she responded.

His smile caught her right in the gut at his exit, and she remembered why she had fallen so hard for him.

As soon as the door closed, she retreated to her bedroom to change. She stripped out of the navy skirt and sweater she had been wearing all day and pulled on a black minidress over her head. It was sleek and form-fitting. She knew it would draw attention, especially when paired with her favorite leather Manolos.

She didn’t know who was going to be out tonight. It was still too early to find her friends, if she even wanted to call them that. They rarely frequented the clubs until well past midnight. She didn’t care though because she was certain to know someone wherever she went. Either way, she just wished Adam was going with her.

He wasn’t the biggest party animal, but sometimes when she was with him, she didn’t even need it. She could stay home, wrapped up in his arms, watching a movie, and just be.

Throwing her black hair out of her face, she took a deep breath and shut down her brain. This had always been her thing. She had always been the party girl, and she liked that. She wanted to keep it that way.

Chyna continued to shake that feeling as she grabbed her long black wool, belted coat and exited her apartment. She had Carl drive her across town and entered the nightclub. As the pulsing beats hit her full force, she eased back into her persona. The flashing lights and loud music coursed through her veins, and she closed her eyes as she soaked in the sensation of freedom.

A gentleman swept her up to the VIP section a moment later. Soon, she was surrounded by high-end clientele gyrating against one another, and she quickly moved through the mass to the bar.

When she approached, the bartender nodded at her and had two shots of tequila poured before she even had a chance to ask him. She smirked and downed them one after another. How refreshing… A dirty martini landed on the bar next, and she smiled back in thanks. She had earned her bartender’s manners by tipping handsomely. They all appreciated her here, and she appreciated how strong they poured the drinks.

She would have spotted the guy inching toward her a mile off. He was attractive. By all means, he was very attractive, but her taste buds were dull after having just met Adam’s insanely hot brother. Plus, this guy looked like the type that thought his drink meant he should get something in return. She wasn’t up for that anymore, not when she had Adam. It felt kind of nice actually.

“Nice choice,” the guy said, finally moving close enough to her to brave speaking.

Chyna smiled sweetly up at him and tried to imagine what he would look like sweating in gym shorts. Yeah, no, not even close . He wasn’t fat exactly, but he could afford to lose some weight around the waistline and bulk up those shoulders.

God, could shoulders get much better?

Stop!

She wanted to kick herself. She couldn’t think about John like that, and she certainly couldn’t start comparing people to him. Just because he was hot and built and nice and — Stop!

Okay, calm down! Breathe in, breathe out . This was stupid. She clearly needed to drink more. Her mind was all f**ked- up.

“You…uh, come here often?” he asked next.

Chyna almost snorted at him, but she was too busy trying to down her martini to drown away her vision of John’s tattoos.

She had Adam, and Adam was sexy in his own right. Plus, she was dating him. No one else was able to handle her shit.

“I guess that’s a yes,” he responded, answering for her.

“Yes.” She put down the martini and then glanced at her bartender.

“I can get the next round,” he offered.

“That’s really quite alright,” she said, turning him down with a smile.

“You here with a boyfriend or something?” he asked as if that was the only reason it would make sense that she would be turning him down.

“Not tonight,” she said as a dismissal, taking the next martini placed on the bar.

“I’ll have whatever she’s drinking,”