Caught in the Middle

Chapter 5

I gulped in fear as I came to face-to-face with the last person I expected to see. The last time I encountered this man standing before Nathan and me was when he caught me in his arms and directed me to sit down. My heart skipped a beat. Of all places to collide into him again, it occurred in a fancy restaurant that I happened to be on my first blind date.

But there was something wrong with this scene. Those blue glittery eyes momentarily roved over me. He took in the way I curled my arm along Nathan's before moving to my date. Then things went haywire.

"It's good to see you again, Mr. Pierce," his smooth and masculine baritone pierced through the air, causing me to jump and quake a little bit. "And I see you have company no less. Is this another one of your whores you're escorting around."

My eyes widened as I openly gaped at this man. 'Who the hell does he think he is to be calling me a prostitute?'

Nathan, on the other hand, didn't look offended by the remark.

"And you have nothing better to do than to mind other people's business, Mr. Cole."

So these men knew each other....

"No, I was here having a business dinner when I saw you with your...." He glanced over at me with hooded eyes and although this man did insult me, I couldn't help but shiver from his intense stare, "With your companion."

I was about to open my mouth and make a retort about his rudeness when Nathan beat me to it.

"The last time I checked, this is a free country. I can do what I please and so can my date."

I stared up at Nathan with wonder, surprised that he was defending me. We just met each other and I was quite capable of defending myself. 'Besides I'm not a whore! I'm still a virgin!'

"So, she is your date?" the man with the glittery blue eyes named Mr. Cole asked.

"I don't see how what we do is any of your business," I scathingly replied. I shocked myself that I was finally able to speak up.

Mr. Cole blinked his eyes at me as though I thoroughly astonished him as well.

Nathan smirked. "My date is right. I don't see why we have to explain ourselves to you."

Something dark flashed in Mr. Cole's blue eyes. His face-hardened. "You know why I have to watch you like a hawk. I just feel sorry for your date because she doesn't know what she's getting herself into."

"Excuse me," I said.

He looked between Nathan and me. "You don't want to hang around with this man," he warned. His eyes remained on Nathan as his words were directed to me.

"I think Tessa is old enough to make her own decisions."

"You're right. She's woman enough to make her choice."

"Mr. Pierce," someone else called Nathan.

Nathan peered around Mr. Cole and saw another young man dressed in a black tuxedo hailed him over. "I'll be right back. Will you be okay?" he questioned me.

I nodded my head.

"That's my good girl." Something about the way he said "good girl" made me flush and I lowered my head so that Mr. Cole's sharp eyes wouldn't see the affect that Nathan had on me.

He untangled his arm from mine and briefly lifted his hand to caress my cheek. Then, he was gone in a flash. I was left alone with a dark and brooding Mr. Cole.

"You're not going to run again," he said as he smirked.

I wanted to slap that smugness off his face. "No, I'm not running anywhere."