“Why? Because we’re opposites?” she asks, lifting a cheesecake.
“That’s not dinner.”
“Yes, it is. Dessert before boys.” She takes a large bite.
“Yes, we’re opposites, but also because I’m from the wrong side of the tracks.”
“We went to the same school… together,” she points out.
“We did, and not once did we talk or hang out during that time.”
“You never looked my way.”
“No, and it was because I was fucking women, not little girls.” I bite into the pizza while her eyes go wide but she reins herself in.
“Tell me some stories.”
“You want to hear stories about how I fucked the rich mothers?”
“You what?” she says with shock written all over her face.
“Of course I did. I told you I wasn’t good. And those mothers who I was fucking didn’t approve of their kids hanging out with me.”
“Oh, gosh, don’t tell me they were married?”
“And worse.”
“Okay, change of subject, since I know most people in this town. How was prison?” She looks at me eagerly while waiting for me to answer her.
“That’s something I choose to forget. It’s a part of my life I don’t want to relive.”
“Fuck, you’re a hard egg to get information from.”
I smile at her words. “And you have a potty mouth. Does your family know?”
She shrugs. “Only Rhi and Beckham.”
“Do you have other friends?”
“Yes… well, no. I think Shandy is my friend. I like her.”
“The one you work with?”
She nods. “Yep. And you, of course.”
“You want to fuck me. There’s a difference.”
She leans forward. “Is there, though?” Her eyes pinch as she stares at me.
“Would it make you happy if I put you on this table, spread your legs open, and slid right in?”
She pauses mid-bite, resets herself, and then replies, “Yes.” Putting down her cake, she stands. “I’m ready. Throw away,” she says, opening her arms out wide. “I don’t even care if that sounds desperate.”
I can’t help the laughter that bubbles up from inside me.
Who the fuck is this woman?
And where has she been my entire life?
“Sit down, rich girl. I’m eating.” I wave her off.
Her hands fall to her hips, those dark eyes stealing my breath.
“Nope, that’s unfair.”
“Why don’t you ask Anderson to throw you around?” I ask, recovering from her stare.
She huffs and sits. Reaching for some pizza, she bites and mumbles through a full mouth, “Don’t even get me started on him.”
“Now, you do have me intrigued.”
“No, really… don’t get me started. I wonder if I was dumb, blind, or maybe just stupid,” she says while shaking her head.
“Maybe a little of each one,” I offer.
She pauses and throws the crust of the pizza at me. “I’m none of them, thank you very much.”
“If you say so.”
“You can’t tell me you’ve never made a mistake by being with someone before.”
“That isn’t up for discussion.”
“Oh, come on… tell me.”
“No.”
“Fine, whatever. Be a dick, then.”
We finish eating in silence. She checks her phone a few times, then begins to clean the mess. I watch, liking the way she moves around my house dressed in her work clothes, which are too tight for that little body.
“I can feel you watching me.”
I don’t deny nor confirm until she glances over her shoulder and checks me out before she comes back over.
“So, since your sex life and prison life are off the table, what can we walk about?”
“Not me.”
She shakes her head. “This is us, being friends, and me learning more about you.”
“You should really find another friend.”
“But I’ve already invested so much in us.” She tries to fight the smile touching her lips, but she can’t beat it. “What about what you’re working on? Surely you can share that?”
“It’s nothing that would interest you.”
“Oh my gosh, August… just fucking tell me,” she snaps.
“I’ve made four desks for Noah’s office. One for his boss, then a few of his employees, but I have more to make.”
“That’s great. Are they pricey?”
“Noah set the price, and they paid.” I pause. “Three thousand per desk,” I tell her.
“I’m sure they’re worth that and more if those chairs and small table outside are anything to go by.”
I didn’t expect that reaction. I expected maybe I’m not worth that much. But after the first desk, they kept ordering more, and then, well, the doubt started to slowly ebb away, until delivery, that is. It’s then the monster rears its ugly head until the client is happy. And so far, every client has been more than happy, which surprises me more than anything.
“They’ve passed my name on to more businesses. I have a contract with a few of them.” I haven’t told anyone but Noah, trying to keep things more internalized than I probably should. Trouble is, after being inside for so long, everything becomes a struggle, and internalizing is what you do best to keep sane.
“We need to set you up as a business.” Rising from her chair, she heads outside.