“I guess. I hate hearing you say I’m like fulfilling his sexual needs that someone else may or may not have been taking care of.”
“I know. I’m sorry, babe.” She takes one of her onion rings and puts it on my plate, giving me an extra one.
“Honestly, I thought the conversation was going to come up that this might be a bad idea. To mix these things.”
“But not from you.”
“You know, for a second, I thought it, but then it was so intense. I’ve never had this rush of feelings for someone, and I didn’t want to shut it down, so I was going to let it play out,” I admit.
“Really?” Rae's eyes go all soft. She’s turning into the same mush ball we both can turn into when we talk about books.
“The text threw me off, along with him going to work today. I know he’s work-obsessed, but it kind of stung. If you ask me, it looks strange to go to work the day after you get married.”
“Good point.” Rae shoves a ketchup-covered fry into her mouth.
“He’s not in a rush to get home, either. Maybe I’m just getting things confused in my head.”
“It’s 'cause we’re romance girls at heart. Flings and scratching an itch will never be us. We equate anything deeper than a kiss to love or the possibility of it growing into love.”
“You’re so right.” It’s not only the romance books. It’s the lack of love in our lives as a whole growing up. Someone tries to show you some, and you either freak out and run or cling to it.
“You might need to have that talk, JJ. Before you get your heart crushed.” I know she’s right.
“Then what? We stop and he goes back to screwing whoever he was but comes back home to sleep in bed next to me? Will my crush go away somehow? I mean...” I lean in so only she can hear me. She does the same. “He’s done something to me. When I saw his text, one of my first thoughts was I’m not going to get off tonight. He’s made me horny, and now I want orgasms. Ones only he can give me. Not the lame ones I give myself.”
“They’re different?” I nod my head. “Like really different?”
“You have no freaking idea.”
“Damn.” She drops back in her seat. “What does stand out to me, though—and I’m not trying to give false hope or anything—is his jealousy. The way you said he was with the movers and I don’t know if you realized it, but he didn’t want Travis hugging you yesterday. Plus the whole dating thing in that contract was in giant bold letters. He’s clearly possessive of you.”
“He actually told me that. I told him he’s bossy, and he said he is but he’s more possessive.”
“Like in a general I don’t share my toys kind of way?”
I shake my head. “No, he said when it comes to me.”
Rae’s brows lift. “That has to mean something. I don’t know. I know as much about dating as you.” We’re so lame when it comes to boys.
Scratch that. Vinny is no boy. That’s part of the problem. I never played in the minor leagues, and now I’ve been tossed into the majors. Not even the majors. Vinny would be on the all-star team. I shove another fry into my mouth.
“Oh.” Rae drops her head, looking down at the table.
“What?” I must have missed something.
“There was this guy. He came in last night. So freaking sexy. I thought he might be into me or something. He stared at me for over two hours. He was in Roxy’s section, but when it was closing time, he just got up and left without a word.”
“Two hours?” That’s a long time to sit around a diner. “He was alone?”
“Yep.” Damn, I kind of want to know what this man looks like. I’ve never heard Rae call any man hot. “I was super disappointed that I might not see him again, but he’s back.” I start to turn to look, but she kicks me under the table. “Don’t look,” she says between clenched teeth so she doesn’t move her lips.
It takes everything in me to not look. Instead, I focus on my food that I don’t want anymore. My appetite is gone.
“Damn it, he left,” Rae huffs, her shoulders dropping. Wow. She's really into this person. I try to see if I can catch a look but must miss him. She waves Roxy over.
“Your break over?” Roxy asks with a pissed look on her face.
“In a little. Why did the suit come in and leave?” Rae asks her. Roxy’s face grows pissier.