Page 85 of To the Chase

But...I didn’t.

I wasn’t angry.

Confused? Yes. A little off-balance. But not mad.

Why had he stayed away while taking care of me from a distance? How could those brief glances of me through his window have been enough for him?

So many times, I’d felt a pull toward the words on the other side of the screen and thought I’d been going crazy, getting attached to code.

It made sense now, and I was relieved it had been Tore I’d been bonding with all along, not some faceless algorithm.

I even kind of…liked it. I mean, the deception was bad.Right?

Yes, definitely bad.

My morals must have been a little gray. I was flattered he’d gone to such lengths for me. Building a whole app? That was…dedication to the cause.

I typed a message toAnthony. I was ninety-nine percent sure I had this right, but I had to be certain.

Me:I’m in the mood for soup. What kind should I make?

Anthony:Soup at 10 p.m.?

Me:That sounded judgy, Ant. Sometimes an occasion calls for soup.

Anthony:What is the occasion?

Me:Orgasms. I had two this afternoon. They weren’t great, but beggars can’t be choosers. I’ve been in a long drought, you know.

It took him an abnormally long time to reply to my lie.

Anthony:Only two? And they weren’t great? What made them less than satisfactory?

Me:The guy had trouble finding my clit. It was kind of awkward.

Another pause. I could practicallyseeTore’s ears turning bright red as he replayed this afternoon in his head, searching for where he’d gone wrong. The answer wasnowhere. We made out in his limo until we’d arrived at my place. He’d followed me inside and made me come twice in quick succession before leaving me with a kiss and returning to work. Hours later, I still felt the burn of his scruff on my thighs and a liquid bonelessness in my limbs.

Anthony:I’m sorry you had a bad time. Did you let this man know how to better service you?

Me:You’re so cute, Ant. If you were a real boy—and not a robot—you’d know sometimes a woman has to take matters into her own hands. Don’t worry, I got myself off as soon as he left, and it was way better.

Anthony:I’m still not a robot. And don’t you think communicating with him about where he went wrong would be a better solution?

Me:Maybe. If I planned to see him again. But I don’t.

I felt mean the second I hitsendand immediately wanted to take it back. So, before Tore could spiral or get any more upset than I suspected he was, I sent another message.

Me:I’m just joking, Ant. I had an incredible time with him. I’m still thinking about it.

Anthony:Which part was a joke?

Me:Most of it. There really is a guy, and he had no trouble finding my clit. I like him a lot. Alot.

Anthony:I’m happy for you, Bea. You deserve someone who will appreciate everything about you. Would you still like me to send you a soup recipe?

Me:Thank you, but no. You were right. Cooking soup at 10 p.m. is crazy.

Anthony:Do you think you could let yourself belong to this man?