Page 41 of Rejected Heart
For the last hour or so, I’d been sitting back and observing everyone around me. Some of my family members were dancing, others were eating, and a few were enjoying the company of members of the opposite sex. I joined in on a conversation or two, but I mostly stayed quiet.
I didn’t know what it was that made it happen, but ever since Layla left, I didn’t have the same desire to socialize. I could only chalk it up to me believing that perhaps I’d done far too much talking when I was with her that I’d missed the signs of her unhappiness. From now on, I thought I was better to sit back and observe.
“Is this seat taken?”
At the unexpected question, I looked up to see a woman had approached. I didn’t know if she was friends with one of my cousins, so I shook my head. “Uh, no, I don’t think so.”
She sat down beside me, a bright smile on her face. She was pretty. On the younger side, too. Around my age, if I had to guess. “I’ll be honest, I kind of already knewthat was the case,” she shared. “I’ve been watching you for the last thirty minutes. Are you here by yourself?”
I shook my head, belatedly flicking my gaze to Tate, who was seated on the opposite side of the table from me. “No. I’m here with family.”
“Oh, I see. Well, there’s only one other guy at this table with you. I wouldn’t be intruding, would I?”
Tate didn’t hesitate to allow the grin to spread across his face. I ignored him, turned to face the woman again, and answered, “No. Everyone is off dancing or socializing. Except for my brother, Tate, and me.”
“Hmm. It’s nice to meet you, Tate.”
One half of his mouth quirked. “Likewise.”
As quickly as he’d responded, the woman returned her attention to me and leaned close. “And what’s your name?”
My brother pushed his chair back and stood, leaving me alone with this woman. I understood he wanted to give me privacy, but it was entirely unnecessary. Shaking my head as he walked away, I looked at her again. “It’s Liam.”
“Lovely to meet you, Liam. I’m Carly. I find it so surprising that you’re sitting here alone.”
“Well, technically, I wasn’t alone,” I reasoned, jerking my head to the side where Tate had just been.
The smile on Carly’s face broadened. “Maybe not. But I would think a guy as handsome as you would have at least one or two women here with him, if not a whole table of them.”
Truthfully, I didn’t want anyone sitting here with me.I tolerated this experience for my family, but we were only two days into this trip, and I couldn’t stop seeing Layla everywhere I looked.
“I’m not sure I’d do well with having so many people here with me.”
Carly tipped her chin down and batted her eyelashes. “So, you’re a shy one.” She placed her hand on my arm, leaned close, and whispered, “I’d be happy to go someplace more private.”
Just like that.
If all I was interested in was fulfilling my physical needs, I could do it that easily. This woman didn’t know me, didn’t seem interested in getting to know me. She just wanted a hookup.
I’d have been lying if I said I hadn’t missed that aspect of my relationship with Layla. To touch and hold her. To kiss and taste her. To sink between her legs and take us both there. She was my first and only.
And right now, the thought of getting over a breakup with anyone else might have been tempting to most other men. Especially when a woman as pretty as Carly was offering herself up to me.
I pulled my arm away. “It’s nothing against you, Carly. What you’re offering, most men would be happy to take you up on. I’m sorry, but I’m not that guy.”
Disappointment washed over her expression. “It’d be fun. We’d have a great time.”
“I’m sure. But I’m not interested.”
Though I refused to take it out on her, I could feel theanger building inside me. Layla had done this. She’d made it so that women could randomly walk up to me and offer up a night of fun.
I blamed Layla for this.
Because if she’d been here, I’d have been so caught up in her, this woman never would have approached me, never would have believed I was available.
Carly accepted my refusal, standing and walking away.
But I sat there seething.
