She grins. “Why yes, I do, almost every day.”
He claps his hands and leans back in his chair. “Fantastic. My good friend also happens to partake in evening dining activities.”
She whips her head around with interest. “Oh, do you?”
Fuck, she has me grinning. “The rumors are true.”
Bear continues to ooze charm. “Would you be interested in consuming a meal together in the twilight time?”
She opens and closes her mouth. “Perhaps, if he were the one asking, and we could do this without the aid of a chatty friend.”
He presses his hand to his chest. “You wound me,” he smirks. “But I am willing to push through the pain if it means my bestie doesn’t starve.”
They both stare at me, waiting for an answer, a witty retort. Something. Instead, I give them, “Do you like food?”
She beams. “Yes, all types. I can find something on just about any menu.” She pauses. “Just don’t judge how I eat a salad. They’re impossible to eat without unhinging your jaw to an ungodly degree and still be attractive.”
This is it. This is my one opportunity. “I’ll pick the place, you pick the time.”
She bounces on her toes a little. “Okay. I’ll be expecting a text.” She wiggles her fingers and walks back in the door she came through.
My arm feels an explosion of pain. Bear flashes me his most annoyed look and grumbles, “You’ve been underselling her.” He reaches across the table. “Give me your sex-club phone.”
“Jesus, that’s not what I call it.”
“Don’t care. Do it.”
I slide it over to him and Bear starts typing. “Problem solved.”
Snatching the phone out of his hands, I’m horrified to read:
Me: Physical only. If you want more, find it with someone else.
My heart stops when I read it. Swells of panic and old fears consume my brain, and I choke out, “What the fuck did you do?”
“Breaking up with Fox and giving Ryan a chance.” He’s so fucking smug with his little shit-eating grin.
He doesn’t get it. He never did. “I don’t want to hurt her. I don’t want anyone to go through what I did.”
Bear dips his head to his chest and leans forward. “You’re going to do it to us anyway. I don’t want to see my best friend’s final days being miserable. Whenever those days may be.”
Fuck. My heart rate skyrockets as I try to stave off the headache. The phone buzzes in my hand.
Kitten: Boundary set. Got it.
Me: Are you ok?
Three dots dance, vanish, and bounce around again.
Kitten: I’m fine.
I doubt that.
Kitten: But if I get an offer for dinner or the movies, I’m taking it.
Panic sets in. The dark recesses of insecurity battle for supremacy in my head. Ryan could have her. I could cut Fox out completely. But what if Ryan is a huge disappointment? I don’t want to lose her.
Me: Don’t fuck him the same nights you fuck me.
I hate myself as soon as I text it. But she’s seen the message
Kitten: I can agree to that. For now.
Bear is staring at me, shaking his head. “Why the hell are you making your life so much more difficult?”
I can’t tell him. If Fox is still in the picture, she’ll never truly fall for Ryan. If Ryan falls for her, it would be real—and a betrayal on the deepest level. At least if Fox is still around, then we both can still have the fantasy.
