Page 34 of A Real Goode Time
I took the phone back. “There. That’s my friend who I’m with, and now you know.” I made a face of significant meaning—shut up, don’t ask any embarrassing questions, DON’T YOU FUCKING DARE. “I really will be heading out for Alaska tomorrow, though. And I will check in tomorrow night.”
“I just have one question,” Leighton began.
“Ley, no. Donot.” I glared at her. “The answer is no, and not another word out of you.”
“How do you know what I’m going to ask?” she said, pretending to sound wounded.
“Because I know you.”
“I was just going to ask—”
“LEIGHTON.”
“—why a guy as hot as Rhys is still single,” she finished.
Argh. “Dammit, Leighton, do you have to be so embarrassing?”
Rhys laughed, sounding a little self-conscious. “Well, I’m really busy. I work a lot, and I have goals I want to accomplish by a certain time, and that doesn’t really leave time for…romance, I guess.”
“What are those goals?” Leighton asked.
“Rhys and I have to finish eating our lunches, now,” I cut in. “So question and answer hour is officially over. I’ve checked in, you got the story, you know I’m fine, I’ll talk to you both tomorrow…”
“Torie, wait,” Leighton started. “I have so many questions—”
Jillie just rolled her eyes and laughed. “Let it be, Ley. Bye, Torie! Be safe, love you.”
“Bye, girls. Love you both.” I ended the call, powered the phone off, and stuffed it back into my pocket. I glanced at Rhys. “Sorry to ambush you like that.”
He just laughed. “Leighton isn’t shy, is she?”
I cackled. “Um, no. If I hadn’t shut it down, she’d probably have asked you for a dick measurement and if you have any illegitimate children out there.”
“I don’t have any idea, never measured, and absolutely not.”
I blushed, not expecting him to answer either. “That was meant to be rhetorical, but…” I tilted my head to one side. “I guess I figured with guys being as obsessed as they are with dick size, that every guy has measured his dick at some point.”
He rolled his eyes, shrugged. “Nah. Not all guys areobsessed. If a chick has made a guy feel insecure, maybe. If he feels like he’s insufficient, maybe.” An awkward pause, as he tried to figure out how say what he meant without sounding arrogant. “I guess I’ve never gotten any complaints, so no, I’ve never felt compelled to measure. And, I mean, everybody is different. So what would knowing do for me? I’d have to know the average size so I would know where I fall within that range and, depending on the answer, either end up feeling like I’m Mr. Big Dick, or feel shitty about myself because I’m below average. No thanks. I’ve got what I’ve got, and I’m happy with it. As long as my partner is happy with my performance with what I’ve got, then that’s all that matters to me.”
I felt my blush deepening from pink to as crimson as the thong he’d picked up off the floor this morning. “Oh, I’m definitely no expert, but I’d say you’re well above average. Just…based purely on my limited observation.”
“Thanks,” he murmured. “I’ll try not to let it go to my head.”
“Because you’ve already got a big head?” I heard myself say, and then, gobsmacked at myself for saying such a thing, I clapped a hand over my mouth. “I can’t believe I said that.”
Rhys scraped his hat backward off his head and scratched his scalp. “So, anyway.” He was grinning, somewhere between flattered and embarrassed. “The road trip idea.”
“If you really want to do it, because you want to and not because you’re trying to just be nice to me, then I’m down.” I leveled a look at him. “No charity, or any of that garbage.”
He frowned. “Doing something nice for someone doesn’t have to be charity or pity. It can just be a matter of that person being…a decent human being.” He grinned at me, then. “That being said, I’ve never taken any time off. I’ve worked every spare moment of my day, seven days a week, since as long as I can remember. And there’s no telling when, if ever, I’ll have a moment between jobs like this again, so I’m gonna take it. And, in the interest of being up front, I’m choosing to spend this rare free time with you, because you’re cool, and I like you, and also you’re hot and a road trip with a hot chick is always a great idea. Not that I would know from experience, but it sounds like a great time.” He paused, cleared his throat. “And I’m gonna shut up now.”
I bit my lip to stop myself from laughing. “So we’re going on a road trip.” I was excited. More excited than I should be. “Just promise me one thing—you won’t go any farther than you’re comfortable with.” I laughed awkwardly, realizing how that could be taken. “Farther on the road, meaning you don’t have to take me all the way to Alaska. That would be ridiculous. Just…tell me when you’re ready to turn around and I’ll go the rest of the way on my own. That’s what I meant by not going farther.” I covered my face. “This is getting awkward. I mean, you’re not awkward, I’m awkward. You’re gorgeous. Wait, what?’”
He laughed. “We’re both awkward. It’s cool.”
I sighed. “That last part was a quote fromFrozen. But also true.”
Marty ambled up to us, then. Snagged our empty beer glasses. “You kids want another one?”