“Was something different about it?”
“Different?”
“Than the other times you’ve been with him?”
I shift on my seat as the waiter comes over, placing our coffee cups in front of us. He walks off, and I glance back up at Emily.
“Damn. I knew you were aware we had something going on, but you could at least humor me by acting alittlebit shocked by the revelation.”
She grins, taking a sip of coffee. “I would be more worriedif you weren’t hooking up with him. He’s hot, he’s smart, and he’s talented. I know you need an outlet, Logan. I’m happy for you.”
My throat tightens a little as she tells me that.
To say I needed an outlet is an understatement.
“Thank you, Em.”
“Is he working on the photos?” she asks. “We need them for the magazine ASAP.”
“He’s on it. He has your email address to send the files when they’re ready.”
“I promise I’ll cover my eyes and peek through when I see them,” Emily jokes. “Or I’ll hold out my hand only covering the private bits.”
I wave my hand through the air. “Look at all of it. The whole world is going to see, anyway.”
We laugh, and she reaches out to squeeze my shoulder. “I just want to say one thing, Logan. You can tell me to fuck off.”
“Oh, God. I’m scared.”
“I just want you to be careful. Okay?”
“Careful?”
Her smile falls a little. “With Chase.”
I furrow my brow. “What’s there to be careful about? I don’t exactly think Chase is the type to plot my demise.”
“No. But he’s young. He’s… a thrill seeker, as far as I can tell, which is probably why you and I both like him. Well.Youlike him a lot more, I suppose.”
“Right.”
She eyes me closely. “I’m not talking about business here, I’m just talking to you as a friend. I don’t think I could handle you being hurt.”
“Chase could never hurt me.”
The moment the words leave my mouth, I know they’re wrong.
Chase would nevertryto hurt me.
He would never want to do anything like that intentionally.
But I realize, now, that he has the power to absolutely destroy me, by the simple fact of how much I’ve come to want him in my life.
If he moved on it would crush me.
I’ve never thought about how gutting that would be. I’ve come to expect Chase in my world, and if he became bored of me… it would be like last year, but a hundred times worse. When we’re together and he tells me that I belong to him, I believe it so fully.
But sex is sex.
