Entangled ✔️

chapter 21

The one In which someone becomes Jealous

Adam watched Ahana talking to some coworkers in front of the bar. One thing was for sure—her Institute knew how to give a party. A sixteen-piece band performed a myriad of songs from contemporary to classic. The room was decked out with plush chairs and festive silver tablecloths.

Everyone had just enjoyed a sumptuous meal of filet mignon and lobster roll. The participants were devouring drinks as if they were in the middle of the desert, not in the ballroom of a luxurious hotel. That was, except for Ahana, who enjoyed her soft drinks. Adam grinned with the thought that they no longer suited her.

She looked lovely tonight in a dark green form-fitting dress. It was short enough to reveal her gorgeous legs and hourglass shape, but understated and elegant too. Green was definitely her color, Adam thought, transfixed at the sight of those legs, crossed so seductively and capped with sexy heels.

He was surprised how much he had missed her in the past few days while he was out of town. He’d called her every night and even suggested they have video sex. Ahana declined. She was still shy about some things.

Adam had thought he would have a fling while in New York, but he wasn’t in the mood, despite the invitation he’d received from a wanton brunette in the hotel bar. He chalked it up to being focused on his task. The interviews had been very successful, and Adam’s phone continued to ring off the hook.

He’d met for drinks with an associate who was now with the Times. They’d offered him a position there with a generous salary. He’d always dreamed of working at the Times and living in New York. It would be the pinnacle to his career. That was, until the Pulitzer nominations were announced. There was already buzz about that too. New York and the Pulitzer used to be all he thought about.

Now he was drifting. A month ago, if he’d been offered such a prestigious opportunity, he wouldn’t have asked for time to think about it. He would have gladly accepted on the spot and given his notice. Now he had a list of reasons to stay. He’d rationalized he was just growing up and thinking about the cons of leaving Rachael and his nephews. He also loved here and his apartment.

Moreover, there might even be better job offers now that he was on the road to the Pulitzer.

Part of it confused him, especially when he looked at Ahana. They had no future. Their whole relationship was built on fraud, and Adam would only hurt her in the end. Despite all that, he felt the sharp, lunging pangs of jealousy slicing through him like a million tiny daggers when two men approached her at the bar.

One, a tall, broad-shouldered man with sandy brown hair, was especially aggressive. He laughed loudly at something she was saying and kept leaning closer to her. Adam had never experienced true jealousy until her. A bitter heat rose from the pit of his stomach, and his jaw tightened.

He gripped the wineglass so firmly that it was liable to break. He didn’t like these feelings at all. He had no right to own them. He and Ahana had a friendship forged on some loose, misguided goal on her part and some crazy need to assist on his.

Adam managed to convince himself it wasn’t jealousy, but an innate desire to protect Ahana. After all, she had no idea how desirable she really was. Ahana was a phase that he needed to ride out. He would tire of her eventually. It was just taking longer, much longer in this case. Still, if that guy reached out to stroke her arm again…

“Hi, Adam.” Jason’s chipper voice interrupted Adam’s thoughts, irritating him further.

“Jason, how goes it?” Adam greeted, although he couldn’t care less how Jason was. His presence always annoyed him these days.