Lets Not And Say We Did

Thirty Nine

"Thank you for your time."

Taylor smiled as she walked away. Patrick liked her. She seemed genuinely interested in the art. Not once did she even mention Pete or the rumors.

Speaking of Pete, where was he now? Patrick's eyes searched the room. Not spotting him anywhere. He walked through the crowd of people. Nodding and thanking them as they complimented his work. He felt someone grab his arm.

He turned. Hoping it was Pete. It wasn't. It was a woman.

She was tall. That's the first thing Patrick noticed. The next thing he noticed was her face. She was, for lack of a better word, perfect. Perfectly angled bone structure and nose. Perfectly plumped lips. Piercing brown eyes.

And her body was another story. So fit yet so feminine. The small, red dress she wore left nothing to the imagination. Her stilettos making her already long legs look miles longer. This woman was selling sex. She arched a perfect brow and flipped her long, curled hair.

"You're Patrick, right? This is your art showing?" Even her voice was perfect.

"I- uh. Me? I mean, yes. Yes, I'm Patrick."

"Hey, Patrick. You're a really good artist." She smiled.

"Thank you." Who the hell was this girl?

As if she read his mind, she giggled self consciously.

"I'm sorry." She flipped her hair over her bare shoulder and held out a manicured hand to him. "I'm Meagan. Meagan Camper."

The name rung a bell. But not well enough for Patrick to place it. He knew he'd heard the name before. maybe on television. Or from a magazine. A magazine! That was it. She was on the cover of some magazine. Was she a model? Or a-

Holy smokes. Meagan Camper. Pete's lying ex girlfriend. Patrick glared at her hand. Refusing to shake it. She lowered her hand.

"Either you know who I am or you're just a really rude painter."

"Both."

Why'd she have to be so attractive? In the magazine photos she was always crying or stressed. It never showed her as the picture perfect woman standing in front of him now.

This was the type of woman Pete was used to dating? Perfect models? Patrick was nothing like that. He wasn't pretty. He wasn't tall. He definitely didn't have that body.

"Well, I just wanted to see the man who turned the Pete Wentz gay."

"You can't turn someone gay. If he's gay, he was always that way-"

"Blah, Blah." She rolled her eyes and waved her hand dismissively. "So, this is what Pete is into now a days."

She began circling him. Inspecting him from head to toe. Patrick felt the same way he felt that day in Pete's office. Like a puppy in a window.

"Do you need something?" He tried to keep his voice confident.

"I just wanted to talk to you." She stopped circling him when she was standing in front of him again.

"Why?"

"To warn you. You seem like a nice guy, Pat-"

"Don't call me Pat."

She giggled. "Patrick. You seem like a nice guy. An innocent guy." She said the word like it had a dirty meaning.

"What's your point?"

"That's the opposite of Pete. He likes dirty. He likes bad. He likes... Rough."

"I-I know what Pete likes."

She laughed again. Patrick decided he hated her laugh.

"I'm sure you do. But he'll get bored with you. It always happens. Eventually he'll like something or someone else."

"Just because he left you, doesn't mean he'll leave me." Patrick was feeling brave. But the look she gave him made him want to take the words back.

"Look at me." He did. "I'm perfect. I'm a model. And then look at you." Patrick glanced down at his feet. "You're not half of what I am. Of course he'll get bored with you."

"I'm done listening to you."

"I'm just trying to help you. The secret to Pete's heart is sex. So I hope you're doing that right. Or he's as good as gone. Because as soon as you slip up, someone else slips in."

She glanced over Patrick's head and smiled. Patrick followed her gaze. There was Pete. Speaking intently to a man Patrick had never seen before. The man leaned in flirtingly. Rubbing his fingers on Pete's arms. Patrick had to look away.

Meagan smiled wider. She turned her evil smile to Patrick.

Patrick swallowed the lump that was forming in his throat.

"Thanks for the warning."

"Thanks for showing me that Pete could never do better than me."

Patrick wished he could hit her. But his mother always told him never to hit a lady. Then again... Meagan wasn't exactly a lady.

Patrick felt an arm circle his waist. And he knew it was Pete. He didn't even have to look up. It smelled like Pete. It felt like Pete.

"Ms. Camper, do you need something?" Pete's voice was deeper than usual. More formal.

"Ms. Camper, am I?" He felt Pete shrug. "I wasn't Ms. Camper when you were begging to be inside of me."

Patrick almost whimpered at the thought. Quickly thinking of something else to keep the mental image away. Pete was unfazed.

"We all make mistakes." He gave her outfit a once over. "Some sluttier than others."

"Oh fuck you, Pete." She hissed. "I know you're the reason my agency dropped me."

"You were dropped?" Pete gasped. "I had nothing to do with that. But," He lowered his voice and leaned in closer to her. "You did gain a little weight."

She looked angry. But she controlled her expression very quickly. Smiling at them. "I meant what I said before, Pete." She ran her finger along the side of Patrick's face. "It was nice meeting you Patrick, don't forget what I said."

"What did she say?" Pete asked.

Patrick watched her walk away. His stomach twisted with envy. She was right. She was perfect. She was a model for crying out loud! Patrick was just... Patrick. If someone like her couldn't keep Pete, he didn't stand a chance.

He thought back to Pete flirting with the other guy. He was only away for a few minutes and Pete already found someone more interesting. He couldn't let that happen. He-He loved Pete. At least he thought he did. He couldn't risk losing him.

"Patrick," Pete turned him so that they were facing each other. "What did she say?"

And if sex was the way to Pete's heart then sex was what Pete was going to get. Patrick just needed a little boost of confidence. He knew exactly what would give that to him.

"I need a drink."