Page 21 of Necessary Space

“Don’t forget you used to love me,” he teased.

“I could never.”

“Why are you so resistant to this guy?” Rome asked. “Is it only his age?”

“He’s arrogant,” I said, ready to count off all the reasons Miles got under my skin, but Rome interrupted me.

“Arrogant or confident?”

“Smug,” I countered, left eye twitching when I thought about the torturously slow way Miles had kissed me and the conversation between us that followed. “He’s…confident.”

“Not a bad thing.”

“A dangerous one.”

“Could be.” Rome’s response came like a casual shrug. “Or not.”

Rome’s answers all felt logical, and one word at a time he started to chip away at whatever resistance I’d been harboring about Miles.

“It doesn’t matter.” I huffed. “We kissed and then he told me we shouldn’t have kissed. He doesn’t want a relationship, which is fine. Doesn’t deserve one, or whatever he said. I told him we didn’t have to have a relationship and it’s been three days since I heard from him.”

“Oh, that’s why you’re salty,” Rome said.

“What?”

“You offered to fuck him and he turned you down.”

I bristled, mouth pulling into a frown. “He didn’t turn me down.”

“Well, he didn’t take you up on it.”

“You’re doing wonders for an old man’s self-esteem, Rome.” I switched the phone onto speaker and dropped it onto my lap. Letting my head fall back, I stared up at the popcorn ceiling.

I hadn’t thought about the silence from Miles relating to him turning me down. I’d only said that to him because he’d been so cocky and so sure…making decisions for both of us without even consulting me. And I was mad because…

“Shit,” I muttered.

“Hmn?”

I was mad because Miles had been trying to deprive me of something I wanted before I’d even had a chance to realize I wanted it.

“Nothing.”

“Liar.”

“It’s probably for the best,” I said. “He’s young and he’s still all of the things I said about him earlier.”

“You’ve never been one to lie to me, Hendrix. Not even when I’m desperate for it.”

“I’m not lying to you, am I?” I grumbled, the truth of the matter just one more feeling added to the mess in my head.

“You know the right thing to do,” Rome said.

“I’m so glad we had this talk,” I deadpanned, throwing an exhausted glance at the noodles which no longer interested me, the exhaustion of the week and the rejection from Miles finally crashing down all at the same time.

“You know the right thing,” he said again.

“I know. It was good talking to you, Rome.” I scrubbed a hand down my face, letting my mouth fall open.