“I doubt that.”
“No, it’s true. I can’t draw. I’m terrible at arts and crafts.” She’s quiet for a moment and I continue playing with her hair, fighting off sleep. She’s only wearing panties and I’m sporting a halfhearted erection, but I don’t think we’re going to have sex tonight. I’m too tired, and she doesn’t seem into it either.
Which is fine. This relationship doesn’t have to be all about sex. I don’t want it to be, even though I can’t deny my attraction to her. But I have to show some restraint every once in a while, right?
“Were you able to get Saturday off?” I ask.
“I talked to one of the girls I work with and we’re going to trade shifts,” she answers. “So yes, I’ll be there.”
“Addie will be happy.” And so will I.
“I like her a lot,” Jensen says.
“She likes you too. She texted me earlier, telling me how great she thought you were,” I say.
“Really? That’s so sweet.”
“Yeah.” My eyes are closed. My breathing slowly deepens. I could fall asleep like this so easily…
“I should apologize to you for this morning too,” she finally says, her voice quiet. “I said some shitty things.”
“Don’t worry about it. We were both on edge,” I reassure her.
“No, I was super defensive. I just.” She hesitates and I wait, all the air lodged in my throat. This moment feels big right now. Like she’s going to reveal something. “I was feeling really low. I get that way sometimes.”
“I think we all do.”
“I couldn’t stop worrying about your brother seeing me touch you like I did at the dinner table. I don’t want him to think I grab your dick all day long.” I chuckle and she lightly slaps my chest. “I’m serious. I don’t want him to have the wrong impression of me.”
“Don’t worry about Park. He’s an asshole. My dad likes you, and that’s all you should care about.”
“Your stepmom didn’t like me at all.”
“Why do you care what she thinks? No one else does.”
“For some weird reason, I want all the Montgomerys to like me.” She sighs, nuzzling her cheek against my pec. “Do you remember what you said to me last night, when I told you about my bad dream?”
I scrunch my eyebrows, trying to think. The quick change of subject is throwing me off. “Not really.”
“You said I’m not a whore because I don’t get paid to have sex with guys.”
“Okay,” I say, drawing the word out.
“I have something to tell you.” She takes a deep breath. “I tried it once.”
My eyelids snap open and I stare up at the ceiling, my gaze zeroing in on the ceiling fan. “What do you mean?”
“Having sex for money. I tried it once.” She ducks her head into my chest and I glance down to see nothing but her blonde ponytail. I gently yank on her hair and she lifts her head, her expression full of shame and embarrassment.
“So what you’re telling me is, you had sex with a guy and he paid you for it after it was over.” I can’t wrap my head around this. I can’t, I can’t, I can’t. I’ve dealt with enough bullshit today from Park. “What the hell, Jensen?”
“No, wait.” She scrambles so she’s sitting cross-legged on my bed. I scoot up so my back is against the headboard and I can see her better. Plus, there’s distance between us now, and I kind of need it. “Let me explain.”
Instead of explaining herself, she’s silent, pressing her lips together, her eyes extra wide, until I can’t stand the suspense any longer. “I’m waiting.”
“Hold on! I’m trying to figure out how to tell you this.” She rubs her forehead before lifting her gaze to mine. “Okay. I’m broke, right? I mean, I make good money there, but it all goes to my college expenses, or to rent and bills and stuff.”
Rent. Her house. “Whatever happened to your little house?”