Page 29 of Rum & Coke

“They did.” She took a sip of her drink. “So, there isn’t a woman?”

I grinned again. “Well—”

“See. Told you. Who is she? A client?”

I shook my head. “No. Just a friend. Met her a little more than a month ago at my buddy’s bachelor party.”

“You didn’t seem this glowy the last time I saw you.”

I shrugged. “We’ve gotten closer.”

“Tell me about her.”

“You want to know about another woman?”

She took a sip of her vodka and cranberry. “I want to know about the woman who has gotten into your heart. I’ve never known you to have a girlfriend before.”

“Well, she’s not my girlfriend,” I corrected.

“But you want her to be?”

I shrugged and took a sip of my drink. I wasn’t sure if I wanted a girlfriend, but I knew I wanted more with Tessa. “I’m not sure,” I replied.

“What’s holding you back?”

“My buddy who’s getting married quit S&R—”

“And this girl will make you quit?”

I lifted a shoulder again. “I’m not sure.”

Shelby took a sip of her drink, and after a few moments she said, “I hate to say this, but if I was interested in a guy and found out he was an escort, I don’t think I’d be okay with it.”

I bobbed my head. “I know that. I’ve seen it through the years with friends of mine.”

“Maybe she’ll be different?”

“Maybe,” I replied, but I knew better.

Even if I was a straitlaced escort and only gave them dates, I wasn’t sure if Tessa would be okay with medatingother women and I wasn’t sure if I was ready to give up the game for someone I’d only known a month.

Even if she was all I could think about.

The weekendwith Vinny was amazing. The Giants won two out of the three games, I won the bet between Vinny and me, and I was on cloud nine. Something was changing between us. I’d always been attracted to him, but now, with Vinny was making me fall for him.

But I was still keeping it to myself.

I wasn’t okay with him working for S&R and starting any kind of romantic relationship with me. He hadn’t mentioned anything about his clients, but I had to assume he was still escorting. I was scared to bring it up to him because I wasn’t sure if he wanted more with me, and if he was still working for S&R, I couldn’t bring myself to be okay with him sleeping with other women. I knew he was attracted to me because of how turned on he was when I gave him a lap dance, and because he’d tried to kiss me twice. But that didn’t mean he wanted a girlfriend, and I wasn’t looking for a friend with benefits. I was just going to see what happened.

And that was what I told Melony when she came over on Tuesday while Colton was at school.

“Hey,” she greeted when I opened the door. “Brought you your favorite salad from Peppermill.”

I sucked in a breath, and my eyes bulged with excitement. “I love you.”

She laughed and walked inside my apartment. “I know.”

“Thanks for bringing me lunch. I’m starving,” I stated as I closed the door then followed her into my small dining room next to the kitchen.