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He gives me a conceited smirk. “I’m sure you don’t mind. It’s not like it’s a chore. There are plenty of women who would love to be in your position, Reagan.”
“Is that what your father says to women? No means no unless your last name is Daulton? I guess the apple didn’t fall far from the tree after all.”
His face completely drops.
“We made a deal that mutually benefits our careers. That’s it. I told you that I had two steadfast rules - nothing physical and no bullshit. I may not be the Virgin Mary, but I’m no one’s whore, Carter. Least of all, yours.”
“Reagan, I’m…”
I point my finger at him. “No. I don’t want to hear another word from you. I want you to leave. I’m not sleeping in a bed with you. I don’t trust you anymore. The deal is off. It’s not worth it. I’ll figure out a way to save my business that doesn’t involve you groping me without invitation.No onetouches me without my permission.”
“I’m sorry, Reagan.”
“Too little, too late. I know you have a business relationship with Jackson. I’m not looking to burn you. I’ll tell them that you have an emergency business situation and need to leave. In a few days, I’ll tell them we amicably broke up. Now pack your shit and get the fuck out.”
He doesn’t say another word. He packs and leaves while everyone is still in the rooftop hot tub. I give myself about thirty minutes to calm down.
No one has returned, so I head back up to the roof and get back in. “Carter had to leave. His father called with an emergency business situation he had to attend to. He said to say thank you.”
Mom rubs my arm. “I’m sorry, honey. You two seem very sweet together.”
I give her a look. “Mom, I don’t like sweet, and I don’t do sweet.” She rolls her eyes.
I need to get the focus off me. I turn to Harley. “Jasmine said she saw Angelina with a new guy at a bar last week. Did she and Ryan break up?” Angelina is a long-time friend of Harley’s.
“Yes, fortunately. Though I don’t think the new guy is much better. Angelina has a gift for picking the biggest losers in existence.” Harley and Brody look at each other and start quietly chuckling.
Trevor notices too. “What’s so funny?”
Harley looks at Brody in question. He rolls his head and nods. Harley has a huge grin. “Angelina wanted Brody and me to meet the new guy. We were planning on having dinner at his apartment, and Angelina was going to cook. She forgot one of the ingredients, so she and I left to make a grocery store run. About fifteen minutes later, I got a frantic text from Brody begging me to come back immediately. We quickly headed back, and I’ll never get the image of what I saw out of my head.”
Trevor and I look at each other and smile in anticipation.
Harley’s giggling. “Brody, you tell them. I can’t say the rest of the story with a straight face.”
He takes a deep breath. “As soon as the girls left, the dude asks me if I want to check out his new 3D television. I told him sure. We sit down on their couch and put on the glasses. I assumed we’d watch some action movie or something else that would be cool in 3D. Nope, instead he turned on porn.”
Trevor looks confused. “He turned on 3D porn? Is that a thing?”
“I never saw it before, but, apparently, it’s a thing, and he thought it was a good idea to bust it out with just the two of us sitting there alone. It was so fucking weird. I don’t know what he was expecting from me.”
We’re all laughing now.
“Don’t laugh. I’m a straight, married man sitting there with some guy I just met, watching 3D porn. I’m traumatized for life. I don’t think I’ll ever look at porn the same again.” He turns to Harley and smiles. “Not that I ever watch porn, baby.”
She smiles back. “I still can’t get the image of walking into that scene out of my mind. Brody was practically falling off the couch to get away from this guy. The two of them had 3D glasses on, and porn was on the TV. I wish I took a picture.” She’s in hysterics now.
“There were literally dicks flying in my face. What straight man wants to see that?”
We’re all hysterically laughing.
Aunt Cass chimes in. “Out of curiosity, can you get homemade porn made into 3D?”
* * *
The next morning,Aunt Cass asks me to go for a walk. I’m pretty sure I know what’s coming, but I agree, nonetheless.
We head out and chat about work for a bit. She eventually asks what I knew she’d ask. “What’s the deal with you and Carter? Something is off with you two. You looked uncomfortable with him touching you last night, and you’re still not sleeping with him which is unusual for you. It’s something beyond the post-pregnancy concerns. Spill it.”
