“A relationship between us would be new,” she clarified. “We both need to just back off and focus on ourselves, on being healthy.”
“Sex is healthy,” I pushed back, happy to irritate her. I knew this wouldn’t be just sex between us, I knew she was going to be much, much more. “You of all people should know that. I think it even says that on King Chang’s website.”
“Fair.” She narrowed her eyes and slid from the bed to find her clothes. “Sex is healthy. Sex with random people for fun is very healthy when you aren’t healthy enough to commit to someone, which is why going to a festival tomorrow with Brady is a great idea for me.”
It took a minute for her words to sink in. I’m pretty sure that by the time they did, my jaw had dropped. “Are you insinuating that you’re going to go fuck around with some other guy after what we just did?”
She shrugged into her shirt after pulling on her pants and crossed her arms like it would ward me off. “I’m just saying neither of us can commit to anything right now and you’re right: sex is good. It’s a way to release stress. So…”
“So, you’d be fine with me inviting Sandy?” I sat up and threw her game back in her face.
“That would be a great idea.” Her voice was high with her retort.
“Bullshit.”
“Jay, let’s just focus on having fun over the next few days. We’ll help Lorraine make her pies and forget about this, okay?” Suddenly, she looked so tired. I wanted to wrap her up and pull her back into bed with me. She needed to unwind and I knew more than a few ways to get her to do that. “Baby, look at me.”
When she did, her dark eyes held mine with determination in them, but behind it was fatigue. “Yes?”
“We’re not forgetting.”
She sighed and I had to tell myself it was with relief.
“You’re doing great, little one. It’s only been two days since you broke things off with him. Breathe and know it will get better. We’ll get better together.”
“And you know this how?” she whispered.
“Because the first few days without using were the hardest. Then it got better and better. Addictions fight you; they claw at your insecurities. Then they become these rabid, feral, fucking vicious monsters when you try to ignore them. It’s their way of fighting their hardest before they die. If you’re hurting, it’s because your addiction to saving your relationship with him or your addiction to being with him—I’m not sure which—is dying.”
She wrung her hands and then nodded. She made her way out the door, but before she closed it behind her, she turned to say, “It’s the first. It was always the first. I figured that out the second you kissed me. I’ve never felt with him what I do with you.”
She closed the door before I could reply. I started after her but then stopped. We needed the night or a couple to work things out.
I already knew what conclusion she’d drawn.
We were addicts, and addicts didn’t overcome addiction, they just found new ones. If someone could find a new habit, a new healthy obsession, they’d found their way out. There were the thrill seekers who would find a new adrenaline rush: rock climbing or swimming with sharks. There were the holistic ones who obsessed about their new organic lifestyles. There were the ones who even found their niche to be healing. They’d been healed and they could now heal others.
Then, there was me, the one who found myself obsessing about another person.
I didn’t commit to much in my life, especially not women. Mikka, I was going to commit to. She’d always been the one, even when I thought she wasn’t. I wasn’t going to be able to quit her even if I tried.
Since the moment I’d kissed her, she’d intoxicated me. She would be my new addiction, and I was never ever going to rehab for her.