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“Yes.”
“Angela—It’s okay to call you Angela?”
“Sure, since you’ve already called me that several times.”
“Sorry about that, too.”
“No worries.”
“Angela, would you like to go out with me, like on a date? I’d like to get to know you, really get to know you.”
After a few seconds of silence, she said, “I’d love to, but I don’t think we should do that.”
What?
“I like to keep business separate from my social life, and since you’re my tenant, you’re business to me.”
The fuck?!
She was curving me? ME? That shit never happened. NEVER!
“I’m sorry I let things go so far last night, but I am attracted to you. I can’t deny that,” she continued.
I finally found my voice, and said, “Wow, okay. I guess I’ll see you around then.”
“I’m sorry…”
“No need to apologize. You’re right. Mixing business and pleasure never works out. So, I’ll let you go. Won’t bother you again.”
“Ryan—”
I hung up. I wasn’t trying to hear another damn word. I headed back to the table, and this time, gave the middle-aged woman my full attention. “You were saying?”
12
I wasn’t looking forward to pretending we were one big happy family or acting like my parents’ marriage was something to celebrate, but it was what it was. I’d cooked up all this food, even made a German chocolate cake as an added bonus that morning, and I wasn’t going to let it all go to waste. I’d just do what I always did, paste on a smile and pretend I was happy to be there. I’d pretend we were the damn Huxtables to make my mom happy. She deserved to be happy.
Staring at the foil pans crowding my kitchen counter, I sighed and tried to erase the images of Ryan Boyé’s intense stare from my mind along with the intense pleasure he gave my body. I didn’t get what Nicky had said at first, but there was definitely a distinct difference between pleasing one’s self, and being touched in that way by a man, especially a man as magnetic and beautiful as Ryan. Just the realization that it was his hand touching me had nearly driven me insane. The men of my past had touched me before, but not like that.
Not like that.
I fell into one of my kitchen chairs, fanned myself with my hand, and thought about how hard it had been to reject him, but it was the right thing to do, wasn’t it? Of course it was. We wouldn’t work out. We couldn’t, could we? He seemed nice and everything, but there was that I-only-fall-for-assholes thing. Plus, he was only in town temporarily, and besides, I was supposed to be having fun, not even thinking about relationships. But the way I felt about him, the way he made me feel, a relationship would happen, because once we got together, I already knew I wouldn’t be able to let him go. There was no way I would.
My doorbell rang, quickly pulling me from thoughts of Ryan, and when I answered the door, a huge smile sprung onto my face. “Damon!”
He grinned, leaning over to hug me. “Hey, Angie!”
He followed me into my apartment, and we both sat down. Damon Davis had basically grown up with me and Nicky. He and Nicky were classmates and best friends, and he hung around our house so much, he became like a little brother to me. He was so sweet and shy, I first thought he might’ve been gay, but it didn’t take long for me to see that he had a crush on Nicky. I’m not sure if she ever realized it, though. Back then, he was lanky and awkward, but the person before me was muscular, tall, and had matured into a strikingly handsome man. Ten years had passed since I’d last seen him, and boy had they done him good!
“What a nice surprise! I haven’t seen you in…forever!”
He nodded as he scooted to the edge of my accent chair, rested his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands together. “Yeah, not since I went off to the Navy.”
“You still in service?”
He shook his head. “Nah, been out for a couple of years now. Been living in South Korea, teaching English.”
“Wow! I remember how into Asian culture you always were.”
