again- no thanks.”
“You’re not a consolation prize, Jake. Really.” But that’s exactly what it felt like. I wondered, if Jake had called first, would things be different? Or would I still have dropped everything to meet up with Evan? “I like being with you.”
“Just not more than you like being with him.” He sighed. “Call me tomorrow.”
I sat and stared at the phone for ten minutes, wondering just what I had gotten myself into and how I was going to sort out this mess.
I exited Evan’s elevator two hours later with knots in my stomach. I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but Evan greeted me with a big hug and a long kiss.
“You look even better than I remember.” He looked me up and down. “Wine? I brought some back from Italy.”
“Okay.” I had already made a promise with myself on the way over that I wouldn’t have more than one glass of wine. Any more than that and I couldn’t guarantee that I would be able to make rational decisions.
Evan immediately started telling me about all of the restaurants he had gone to in Rome, complete with graphic detail of food and beverage. I tried to feign interest as I watched him fill a wine glass nearly to the top before handing it to me.
“When do you leave again?” I asked, simply to change the topic.
“Tomorrow afternoon. Quick turnaround.” He didn’t seem too bothered by the brevity, however. “Let’s get comfortable in the other room.”
That was easier said than done. Evan sat next to me on the couch, arm around me and rubbing my shoulder. I was surprised by the affection, but I can’t say it was entirely unwelcomed.
Even though I had been second guessing things with Evan, it still felt nice to be with him. He was attentive and sweet, and I was a sucker for a man with a great smile. But when he leaned over and kissed me, I immediately thought of Jake.
“Is everything okay?” Evan asked, astutely picking up on my lack of enthusiasm.
No. Everything wasn’t okay.
“Sorry. I’m just a little distracted tonight.”
Evan grinned. “I can help take your mind off things.”
Despite all of the promises I had made to myself about not acting rash tonight, I convinced myself to let him try. It would be nice to turn off the thinking part of my brain. But when Evan started to take off my shirt, my brain turned on again, instantly going back to Jake.
“Evan, stop.” I pushed his hands away. “I’m sorry. This just isn’t working.”
He looked at me with wide eyes, astounded. “What do you mean?”
“I think we should spend some time getting to know each other before we jump into bed again.” I shrugged helplessly. “Maybe try actually dating?”
“Dating?” His lips twitched, either from humor or annoyance. I couldn’t tell which. “I thought that’s what we were doing.”
“Are you being serious?” I really couldn’t tell. “So far, our time together has consisted of me coming over at night, drinking some wine, and then having sex.”
Evan nodded. “Yes. Exactly. Dating.”
I froze. Was he being serious? He was smiling, but I could tell from his eyes that he meant what he said.
“I should go.” I put down my wine glass and stood up, smoothing down my shirt. “This isn’t a good idea.”
“Camryn, relax. I was kidding.” Evan stood up and grabbed my elbow. “Don’t go. We can just sit and talk.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I really think I should go home.” I tried to politely extract my arm from his grip.
Evan stared hard at me, debating. Finally, he nodded. “Okay. I’ll call you cab.”
When it arrived, he walked me to the elevator, kissed me on the cheek, and told me to have a good night.
I expected that to be the end of things with Evan. I had shot him down and he hadn’t seemed too pleased about it. But he texted me the next day and said that it had been great to see me again and that he would call when he was back in Paris next week. The text certainly didn’t help with my
“You’re not a consolation prize, Jake. Really.” But that’s exactly what it felt like. I wondered, if Jake had called first, would things be different? Or would I still have dropped everything to meet up with Evan? “I like being with you.”
“Just not more than you like being with him.” He sighed. “Call me tomorrow.”
I sat and stared at the phone for ten minutes, wondering just what I had gotten myself into and how I was going to sort out this mess.
I exited Evan’s elevator two hours later with knots in my stomach. I wasn’t really sure what to expect, but Evan greeted me with a big hug and a long kiss.
“You look even better than I remember.” He looked me up and down. “Wine? I brought some back from Italy.”
“Okay.” I had already made a promise with myself on the way over that I wouldn’t have more than one glass of wine. Any more than that and I couldn’t guarantee that I would be able to make rational decisions.
Evan immediately started telling me about all of the restaurants he had gone to in Rome, complete with graphic detail of food and beverage. I tried to feign interest as I watched him fill a wine glass nearly to the top before handing it to me.
“When do you leave again?” I asked, simply to change the topic.
“Tomorrow afternoon. Quick turnaround.” He didn’t seem too bothered by the brevity, however. “Let’s get comfortable in the other room.”
That was easier said than done. Evan sat next to me on the couch, arm around me and rubbing my shoulder. I was surprised by the affection, but I can’t say it was entirely unwelcomed.
Even though I had been second guessing things with Evan, it still felt nice to be with him. He was attentive and sweet, and I was a sucker for a man with a great smile. But when he leaned over and kissed me, I immediately thought of Jake.
“Is everything okay?” Evan asked, astutely picking up on my lack of enthusiasm.
No. Everything wasn’t okay.
“Sorry. I’m just a little distracted tonight.”
Evan grinned. “I can help take your mind off things.”
Despite all of the promises I had made to myself about not acting rash tonight, I convinced myself to let him try. It would be nice to turn off the thinking part of my brain. But when Evan started to take off my shirt, my brain turned on again, instantly going back to Jake.
“Evan, stop.” I pushed his hands away. “I’m sorry. This just isn’t working.”
He looked at me with wide eyes, astounded. “What do you mean?”
“I think we should spend some time getting to know each other before we jump into bed again.” I shrugged helplessly. “Maybe try actually dating?”
“Dating?” His lips twitched, either from humor or annoyance. I couldn’t tell which. “I thought that’s what we were doing.”
“Are you being serious?” I really couldn’t tell. “So far, our time together has consisted of me coming over at night, drinking some wine, and then having sex.”
Evan nodded. “Yes. Exactly. Dating.”
I froze. Was he being serious? He was smiling, but I could tell from his eyes that he meant what he said.
“I should go.” I put down my wine glass and stood up, smoothing down my shirt. “This isn’t a good idea.”
“Camryn, relax. I was kidding.” Evan stood up and grabbed my elbow. “Don’t go. We can just sit and talk.”
“I appreciate the offer, but I really think I should go home.” I tried to politely extract my arm from his grip.
Evan stared hard at me, debating. Finally, he nodded. “Okay. I’ll call you cab.”
When it arrived, he walked me to the elevator, kissed me on the cheek, and told me to have a good night.
I expected that to be the end of things with Evan. I had shot him down and he hadn’t seemed too pleased about it. But he texted me the next day and said that it had been great to see me again and that he would call when he was back in Paris next week. The text certainly didn’t help with my
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