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“Good kisser?”
“Yes,” I answered matter-of-factly.
She grimaced in distaste. “Well, not all firemen can be a woman’s fantasy.”
“I didn’t say I didn’t fantasize about him.”
“You didn’t have to. If you really liked him, you would be gushing over the date. And you wouldn’t be home at ten o’clock. Really, darling, it’s sad that you’re putting yourself through this. Why don’t you just go over and see Dash? Take charge!”
“I can’t do that. I was just out with another man!”
“And while you contemplate what that means, think about this. If you show up there and tell him it’s him you really want, do you think he’d turn you away?”
I rolled my eyes. “No, but that would be under the assumption that he wanted me in the first place!”
She yelped and pushed off the couch, throwing her hands in the air. “Youth is wasted on the wrong people.”
Her favorite phrase from her favorite movie. I should have known she would throw it out sooner or later.
“Well, while you wallow in your lack of indecision, I’m going home to my husband and enjoying a passionate night of lovemaking.”
I covered my ears, wishing I didn’t have to hear this kind of stuff. “Goodbye!” I shouted, grateful when I heard the door close. I leaned back on the couch and stared at the ceiling, thinking over what she said. I couldn’t go over there. It would be wrong. Besides, I could survive one night without Dash. It wasn’t like I relied on him for a good night’s sleep or anything. I was my own woman. I was perfectly capable of spending a Friday night on my own.
With a huff, I locked the door and stomped up the stairs. After getting ready for bed, I tossed back the covers and climbed into bed, staring up at the ceiling. It felt cold and empty with Dash beside me. Actually, the whole house felt that way. I rolled to my side andpunched my pillow, trying to get comfortable. But after twenty minutes, I was still tossing and turning. Yelling into my pillow, I tossed off the covers and got out of bed, sliding my feet into my slippers.
When I was downstairs, I thought better of it and stomped back up the stairs. There was no way I was going over there.
“You don’t need him,” I laughed to myself as I climbed back into bed. “You can do this.”
Yeah, if you could do this, you would already be asleep.
Shut up, bitch.
35
DASH
I rolled over,slapping my hand against the imaginary alarm clock. When it didn’t shut off, I rolled to the other side of the bed and tried to hit the imaginary alarm clock on that side, but nothing happened. Peeling my eyes open, I finally came to my senses and realized there was no alarm going off. It was the doorbell.
Picking up my phone, I squinted at the time, tossing it back on the nightstand. “Who the hell is here at two in the morning?”
Groaning, I flopped back on the bed, ready to ignore whoever it was and go back to sleep. But then my eyes flew open and I bolted upright in bed. Could it be her? Would she come over in the middle of the night after her date?
No, that was insane. She wouldn’t do that.
But if she did…
I tossed off the covers and ran out of the room, nearly falling as my socks slipped on the slick floor. I caught myself against the wall, then rushed down the stairs, doing my best not to break my neck in my hurry to get to her. When I was just feet from the door, I stopped and took a deep breath.
“Be cool,” I whispered. “Act tired. No! Act groggy, like she woke you up. Yeah.”
“Who are you talking to?”
I spun around, kicking out at Brock who had the nerve to sneak up on me. He easily stepped back, his arms crossed over his chest in amusement.
“What the fuck are you doing?” I hissed.
“I could ask you the same question. Why are you trying to act groggy?”