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Shelby
“No,” I said the word softly, and his grin shifted so that it sat on his mouth lopsided.
“No? Why not, Shelby?”
I shuffled back a step, “Because it’s not happening, Zeke.” But holy shit, did I want it to happen. I don’t think I had ever heard a man suggest such an erotic thing. What would it be like to pleasure myself while he looked on? An almost stranger playing voyeur? Would that be a turn-on? Holy crap, it already was.
I spun away and turned the water on to cold, shoving my wrist under it like I was washing it, but really, it was to cool the heated blood that rushed through my veins. “Can you grab two plates out of the cabinet to the right of the stove?” Why had I asked him to come for dinner?
I expected to hear his footsteps retreat, but they didn’t. Instead, they came closer and stopped right behind me. His hands appeared in my peripheral vision and rested on the counter on either side of me. I waited for the feel of his chest on my back, but it never came. Did I even want him to do that? “I’ll get the plates if you tell me why not.”
His warm breath brushed over the side of my face as he spoke, and I fought not to shiver. “Zeke, please.”
“Please what, Shelby? Please watch you? Please touch you? Please fuck you?”
My groin clenched at his words, and my breathing hitched, but instead of spinning around and begging him to take me, I whispered. “Please stop, Zeke.”
He remained where he was for another few seconds, and then, he finally moved away. I closed my eyes, prepared for another onslaught from him, but a moment later, I heard the cabinet door open and then the clatter of two plates as he picked them up.
After he set the plates on the counter, I turned off the water, then dried my hands, avoiding looking at Zeke. I plated the meatloaf, potatoes, and roasted vegetables and carried them to the table where he was filling our wine glasses. We could eat, then I would find an excuse for him to leave.
The two of us sat down and silently began to eat. Zeke paused after a couple of bites, and I felt his eyes on me. “Yes?” I asked after I swallowed.
“Are we going to spend the entire meal in silence? Not that I mind it, but I’d prefer to have a conversation with my dinner mates.”
I laughed, the tension immediately evaporating. “I’d prefer to have a conversation, too.”
“Okay,” He grinned my way, “What do you want to talk about? Work? Friends? Family?”
I was surprised by his reply. “You want to talk about family? I don’t know many guys who like talking about family.”
“What did you think I was going to suggest?”
“Um, movies, sports, and sex,” I said without hesitation, and it was his turn to laugh.
“We can talk about any of those too, although I’m pretty sure you know which one of those that I’d put at the top of my list.”
I pointed my fork at him, “I’m not having sex with you, Zeke.”
“Why is that?” He asked very seriously.
“Because of Diane,” I stated and then pushed food around on my plate as I added, “Among other things.”
“Okay, I understand about Diane, but what other things?”
I put food into my mouth, chewed it, and then set my fork down and wiped my lips with my napkin. “I’m not one to beat around the bush, Zeke. It’s obvious that the two of us have sexual chemistry, but I’m at a point in my life where I’m looking for something more.”
Where the hell had those words come from? The last thing I wanted was something serious, or someone serious in my life, but the words had slipped off my lips so quickly that it shocked me, and perhaps him too. Zeke stared at me as if he were waiting for me to continue.
Finally, he asked, “Do you think I’m just interested in sleeping with you, Shelby?”
“Isn’t that what you are doing, Zeke?”
He set his fork and knife down before he leaned back in his seat, “Actually, no. I’ll be frank with you, Shelby. I’m not sure what the hell I am doing with you. I mean, you are right, we do have chemistry, and it’s off the charts. I’m not sure I’ve ever had such a strong attraction to someone before. I’m also not the kind of man you might think I am. I’m not a playboy. I don’t sleep with a different woman to carve notches in my bedpost. I prefer to have one partner. That’s not to say that I haven’t had my share of one-night stands.” He paused and studied me, “But when I find someone I like, I stick with them. I don’t sleep around.”
“Then what makes you want to sleep with me? You’re dating my best friend.”
He pushed his plate back slightly and rested his forearms on the table, “Would you believe that I was going to tell her the other night that I knew that it wasn’t going to work out between us?”
