Present Perfect(68)

I wanted to slap the smugness off his face. It was as if he knew why I had shown up on his doorstep. I still wasn’t completely sure why I came here. Before, if he had said something like that I would have laughed because I’d know he was teasing me, but now everything out of his mouth had slime all over it.

Amanda, have an ounce of self-respect and leave.

“Something strong would be great,” I said.

“I think I can give you something strong.”

He stood back allowing me to go first. I knew the game room was where they kept all the alcohol in the house. I entered the room and immediately noticed the bar crowded with various bottles of liquor, enough for an entire party. It must have all been for Brittani. Brad didn’t appear the slightest bit drunk. He sauntered behind the bar.

“What can I get you?” he asked.

“Anything. You choose.”

“Those are dangerous words, Beautiful.”

“Don’t call me that,” I snarled.

Climbing up on the barstool, I watched as he pulled a clean pitcher from behind the bar. Eyeing the measurements, he poured alcohol from several different bottles into it, occasionally glancing up at me. He threw some ice in a glass, poured a generous amount of the drink, and handed it to me. He then poured himself a glass and walked over to me.

“What is this?” I asked, glancing up at him.

“Long Island Iced Tea,” he said peering at me over the rim of his glass. “You want to go sit on the sofa?”

“Not really. This is fine.” I paused for a moment. “I’m sorry I ruined your evening.” I put as much sarcasm in my statement as possible.

He shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. Brit was only a three point five.” He was such an arrogant bastard.

“You’re disgusting.”

Smiling, he leaned in close to me and said, “But in a good way.” I rolled my eyes and took a gulp of my drink. “Amanda, are you going to tell me why you’re here? You look like you just lost your best friend. Speaking of best friends…Stewart won’t be looking for me tomorrow ready to kick my ass, will he?”

“You don’t have to worry about Noah anymore.”

I swiveled the chair around to the bar and poured myself another drink. I had downed the first one in record time. I wanted a buzz as soon as possible. I needed to feel numb again.

“Oh, is there trouble with Mr. Perfect?”

“Don’t talk about him.” Brad wasn’t good enough to even have Noah’s name cross over his lips.

I downed drink two just as fast as the first. I was feeling pretty buzzed, but my mind wouldn’t shut up.

I’m a horrible person and don’t deserve anything good and decent in my life. I deserve this disgusting human being in front of me.

“You might want to slow down with those. I don’t want to find another surprise in my trashcan like before,” he said.

I started laughing. “I was so busy having a nervous breakdown, I forgot to enjoy the thought of you finding my puke in your room. Tell me, do the girls usually throw up after you’ve f*cked them? Because if they do that doesn’t bode well for you, buddy roe.” I turned and poured myself another drink.

I hated Brad for what he had done to me, but somehow I was still attracted to him, drunk or not.

I was such a pathetic idiot.

He had on a pair of worn jeans that hung low on his narrow hips. They were ripped mid-thigh on both legs and just below his right knee. His t-shirt fit him like a glove. I had no trouble making out the details of his well-defined chest. He must have upped his workouts because he looked more chiseled than I remembered. The sleeves hugged the muscles of his toned arms, showing off how cut they were. The color was a deep coral which made his golden skin and hair stand out even more. Most guys wouldn’t be able to pull off that color, but Brad could. We stared at each other as I drained my third glass dry. The pain I felt when I first got here had subsided. Long Island Iced Tea was a miracle elixir. I went to pour another glass, but Brad grabbed my elbow. “I think you need to take a breather.”

“What a boy scout you are.” I swiveled back and forth a few times in the chair, glancing around the room. Brad’s eyes remained glued on me. “Sooo…you and Brit-ta-neee? You hit a dry spell or something, buddy?”

“What do you mean?” I could tell he was finding me amusing.

I leaned forward and loudly whispered, “She’s kind of a skank. Besides, you said she was only a three and a halfer.” I leaned back in my chair, laughing. “Even though you’re a vetter birgin. No wait, a better virgin. That’s not it either. You’re not a virgin. Oh well, whatever, you’re a Smurff*cker. What was I talking about? Hey! Why did you let me in if you and Skankzilla were just about to play pool?”

“I’ve missed you.” As if on cue, his trademark megawatt smile crept across his sexy face.

Yep, I had to admit it, Brad was a stack of hotcakes covered in sexy syrup and I wanted to fork him.

Brad is slime, but that’s what I deserve after what I did to Noah.

“Well, a three point five sure thing is better than the memory of a nine point seven five. And that’s all it will ever be with me, just a memory, Smurf fuc-kah.” I raised my hand in front of his face and snapped my fingers, showing him I meant business.