Free Just One Night: Part 2 by Elle Casey Page A

Everyone in the vicinity was giving them room and starting at them, but as the seconds tick by, they begin to fill in the spaces around us.
    “Come on,” the bouncer says. “I ain’t got all night.”
    “Wait here,” William says to me. He’s distracted, not really seeing me.
    I want to respond, but nothing I can think of will come out right, so I shut my mouth.
    Mia is not suffering the same dilemma. “What the fuck, man. Edward, where are you going?”
    “Just cool your jets, love. We’ll be back in a flash.”
    She screws up her face. “Don’t tell me to cool my jets. Who do you think you are?”
    “Do what you want, then. See if I care.” And then he’s gone, following his brother through the crowd that parts to let them through and up the stairs into the darkness beyond.
    Mia spins and turns her anger on me. “What the hell just happened here?”
    My jaw drops open. I throw my hands up and sputter. “How is this my fault?! I warned you about him, didn’t I?”
    Mia grabs my arm and starts dragging me away from the bar. “Come on. We’re leaving.”
    I yank back and stop her. “No, I don’t want to leave.”
    “Oh! Okay! So you’re choosing that limey fruit basket over me?” She throws her hands up and lets them come down to slap her legs.
    “He’s not a limey fruit basket. He’s … nice.” That sounded lame even to my own ears, but it was way better than saying he just went down on me in the hallway and we had plans to continue more of the sexy stuff later.
    “Yeah, he’s nice. But he’s done with you after tonight, remember? And it’s midnight and I’m cranky and I don’t want to be here when that asshat Edward comes out of that office up there.”
    I ignore the harsher part of her grand statement and focus on her hurt feelings instead. “Why not? You seemed to like him.”
    “Him? No way. He’s a cocky jerk who obviously fell in love with himself at a very young age. I was just using him to get away from Malcolm and to help you have some sexy time with your fruit basket. Come on. I’m serious. Let’s go.”
    I cast another glance up the stairs, wishing William would appear to save the day. I totally hate myself for picturing him as a knight in shining armor. Have I not had my heart broken by other people enough times that I need to do it to myself?
    “He’s a one night stand, Jennifer. Give it up. He’s not interested in a relationship.”
    I want to tell her she doesn’t know that, that she doesn’t know him, but I don’t waste my time. She’s right. She’s not candy coating it, but that doesn’t make it not the truth. He answered my ad precisely because he’s that kind of guy. Yes, we are completely compatible sexually and we have a good time chatting, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to turn him into a man he isn’t … the marrying kind. Reality is what it is, and I’m not someone who can change that. No one can.
    “Fine. I’m coming.” Leaving on my own terms is probably way better than being a mamby pamby whiney baby who falls into tears as William drives off into the sunset.
    I slog through the writhing mass of people who quickly went back to their bumping and grinding as soon as the excitement of William’s fight died down. I refuse to look over at the bartender because I know he’ll be smirking in satisfaction. I don’t make eye contact with anyone. There’s no way I can hide the fact that I am totally and completely disappointed in how my life is working out, and the idea of seeing pity in their eyes is too unbearable in a place like this.  
    I wonder if the grocery store that has the pulpy orange juice is open right now.

CHAPTER TWELVE
    William

    I TAKE THE STAIRS TWO at a time, livid with anger not only at the gross violation of my privacy but also at myself. I should have checked for cameras. If I owned this place, that dark hallway is exactly where I’d put one. Or three.
    The bouncer moves around me when we get to the top of the stairs and