Page 70 of His Temptation

“Why are you giving me shit, Foley?” I was getting pissed. “You were more than ready to drag him to the bathroom and bend him over when you saw him.”

“Yeah, before I found out his age.” He tossed back his beer and slammed the bottle down on the table once it was empty. “And I wouldn’t have fucked him in the bathroom. I would’ve at least taken him to a hotel first.”

“Classy.”

“Like you have any room to talk,” he said. “Don’t forget I know all about the guys you’ve fucked. We used to pick them up together.”

My heart raced a little faster. That had been right after Amber and I separated. I had still been closeted, and Jay had taken me under his wing and showed me one hell of a good time. It didn’t hurt that he had guys falling at his damn feet everywhere he went. We’d had many crazy nights in hotel rooms.

“That was then,” I said. “This is now.”

“Yeah, now you’ve moved on to teenagers.”

“I don’t need this from you.” I stood and tossed some bills on the bar to cover my two beers.

“Be careful, Cross,” Jay said, as I started to walk away. “You can be as pissed as you want, but if it was really something you saw no problem with, you wouldn’t have kept it secret.”

The bastard was right.

And I could’ve punched his lights out because of it.

After leaving the restaurant, I moved down the sidewalk toward the parking lot. I didn’t know why I was so involved with Cason. Didn’t know why out of all the guys I could fall for, it justhadto be my son’s best friend.

Wait.

Fall for?

I shook my head at the thought and kept walking. There was no way in hell I had feelings for Cason. Sure, I liked him and the sex was the best I’d ever had. But that’s as far as the attraction went.

Rain began to fall, tapping on the concrete in random patches. I walked faster to my SUV and got inside right as it turned into a downpour. I started the engine and turned on the windshield wipers but sat inside for a minute, taking deep breaths.

My emotions were out of whack. I was concerned about Cason, hating the flash of betrayal I’d seen in his eyes before he’d left. I was angry at Jay for judging me so harshly instead of being a damn friend and talking me through it. Most of all, I was confused and disgusted with myself.

Knowing I couldn’t sit in that parking lot for forever, I pulled myself together enough to drive home. I fell into bed even though it was too early to sleep.

Cason’s scent lingered on my sheets.

I turned to my side and pressed my face into his pillow.His pillow.Funny how I thought of it that way. He’d been part of my life for almost a month, and the ache in my chest told me I wanted him for much longer. Because I hated the emptiness when he wasn’t there, sprawled out in my bed and giving me that adorable crooked smile.

I need to talk to him.

After grabbing my phone from the bedside table, I found his name in my contacts and nearly called him. But if he was with Ryan, I didn’t want to risk outing myself, just in case Ryan was close enough and recognized my voice. I texted him instead.

Me:Hey. We need to talk.

His response came instantly.

Damsel:Have fun on your date?

Me:It wasn’t a date. Come over so we can talk about it.

Damsel:Not sure I wanna see you.

The place right above my stomach ached, and that ache shot up to my chest like branches on a streak of lightning.

Me:Stop acting like a child and get over here.

Damsel:A child? Good to know that’s how you see me. Is that why you went out with a guy more on your level?