Page 110 of My So-Called Perfect Life

“Man, could I make you come.”

That’s it. I’m done. There isn’t a moment’s hesitation before I stand from my chair and toss my wine directly into his face. “I doubt you could. I don’t even think you have a rotation. You’re full of shit. Your dick is probably the size of a breakfast sausage. I bet you have performance issues too. Don’t worry; I hear it only happens to assholes. Maybe, one day, you’ll overcome it.”

I don’t realize how loudly I was talking until a few women to the left of me start clapping. Jesse probably gave them the same offer.

Bending down, I snatch my small purse and head toward the front of the room. I will not sit here and let some man talk to me like that.

Funny. Ryan spoke to you about making you come the night you met him, and you didn’t get upset.

That was different. And proves my point that things with Ryan are what I want. It didn’t bother me because it was him. We had a connection before our conversation turned sexual. This guy was a pig. He reminds me of Scott.

“Ma’am . . .” One of the organizers tries to flag me down. “Miss . . . wait!”

Nope. Not a chance.

I need to get the hell out of here.

Right now.

I cannot believe I agreed to do this. If Ryan’s concerned about me seeing what other fish are in the sea, he doesn’t need to worry anymore. I just met enough of them to last me a year. I’m good. I don’t need any more.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Ryan

Game one of the championshipseries is tonight, which is thankfully enough to keep my mind off Danielle. God, I miss the woman like crazy, and it’s only been a week. But this is why we need this. I know she doesn’t understand—hell, I don’t even fully understand it—but I do know it’s for the best. I need to get a handle on my feelings.

I’m all about taking chances in life. Hell, I do risky shit for fun all the time. But for some reason, my mind has me slowing my roll on this crazy train.

I don’t stop and think before I hop down that snowy mountain top or scale the rock wall. I know the risks and I can deal with them. A broken leg or broken arm will heal. Besides the chances of injury are slim when you know what you’re doing. I mean, yeah, I guess I could say that a broken heart will heal. But love is unpredictable. Especially when you’re flying blind with no experience. The rewards are high, but the fall out is painful, a lingering pain that can’t be fixed with medicine.

I told Danielle the truth. I see happiness with her in the future. Not just some hypothetical family and life, but a family and life with her.

There’s no way I can build that without a solid foundation.

And for us to have a solid foundation, I need to know I’m not a rebound.

The Dodgers in the championship and the search for a location for Cohen’s West are enough to keep my mind occupied and prevent me from going insane.

The Dodgers close the inning with a double play, and the bar cheers. All my regulars know of my love for this team, but even those in here for the first time know, considering Roxy decked the place out in Dodgers pennants.

Speak of the devil . . . Roxy heads toward me from the other end of the bar and hands me her phone.

“Did you see this?”

“See what?” I ask looking down then see a photo of Mercy and Danielle smiling.Speed dating: This should be interesting.

My jaw clenches tightly enough that it’s possible to crack a molar. Red darkens my vision. I want to murder someone. I need to chill.

You can’t get mad. You told her to go out and date.

I hand the phone back to Roxy. “I don’t check the social media and even if I did, why would I see that?”

“Are you really not checking up on her?” she asks incredulously.

I turn my back to her and wash some of the stuff piling up in the bar sink. “This isn’t high school, Roxy. Space means space. She’s free to do whatever she pleases. That’s actually the whole point of this.”

Roxy huffs as if I’m annoying her for not stalking Danielle’s social media. “Checking in on her posts isn’t not giving her space. It’s keeping tabs. How are you supposed to know what’s going on with each other? Are you texting? Talking on the phone?”