“Good?”
“The best. Ever.”
“Ever?” She pauses filing my nails, surprised. “Better than that photographer in the Bahamas?”
I nod.
“Better than the drummer when we were shooting in New York that one summer?”
I cringe. Geez, I don’t need to be reminded of all the guys I’ve had sex with. “The best.”
“Is it the best every time?” she asks skeptically.
“Of course not.” I roll my eyes. “But it’s always intimate, even when it’s rougher, you know?”
“I do.”
“And he always makes me feel sexy. He says I’m sexiest when my hair’s a mess and I have no makeup on.”
“Keep him,” she says immediately, making us both laugh. “Seriously, Addie, when was the last time you were with a guy who even wanted to help you?”
It’s true, I’ve never dated the white knight before. “Probably never.”
“It’s okay for the guy you love to want to defend you.”
I pause, frowning. “Who said anything about love?”
“Oh come on,” she says with a snort. “I’ve known you all of your adult life. Love is written all over you in permanent marker. And also, he kissed her cheek, Addie. You don’t have photos of him fucking some chick.”
I bite my lip and watch as she paints my nails. “Loving him scares me.”
“As it should.” She screws the brush on the bottle of polish and sits back in her chair. “Love is fucking terrifying.”
“It’s fucking bullshit,” I mutter.
“No it’s not.” She smiles and pats my arm. “But I understand the sentiment.”
“I wasn’t very nice to him earlier.” I cringe and blow on my fingers. “He was just trying to get Jeremy off my ass.”
“You skipped that part,” Cici says. “What did Jeremy want?”
“A free ride,” I reply. “Under the disguise of I want you back, I was stupid, blah blah blah.”
“Idiot.”
“Big-time. And everyone tried to warn me, but I didn’t listen.”
“That’s pretty typical for women whose loins are attracted to someone.”
“Loins?” I smirk. “My loins were attracted to him?”
“Seriously, was there anything else there?”
I think back on my time with Jeremy and shrug. “No. You’re right.”
“And what do you find attractive about Jake?”
“Well, my loins are certainly attracted to him.” I giggle. “But it’s more than that for sure. I love watching him work. He’s seriously good at it, and he loves it. It’s not just what he does, it’s who he is.”
I tilt my head to the side, thinking. “He’s thoughtful. He’s nice to my friends. And when he smiles, I’m telling you, my panties burst into flames.”
“You must spend a lot of money on lingerie,” she says with a laugh. “I like him for you, Addie. You deserve to be with someone that makes you happy.”
“We all do.” I chew my lip. “I may have overreacted this afternoon.”
“It happens. At least you know it, and you can work on making it up to him.”
“I think a blow job is in his very near future.”
“I think you’ll be forgiven quickly.”
Chapter Fourteen
Jake
What just happened?
I stare at the door that Addie just slammed, and am dumbfounded. We just had our first argument, and she walked away.
She walked away.
I sigh and push my hand through my hair in exasperation, just as Riley walks back into the office.
“Oh, sorry. I thought you guys left.”
“Addie left,” I reply. Riley tilts her dark blond head to the side and frowns.
“Is everything okay?”
“I think they will be,” I reply honestly, shoving the vial of coke into my pocket, then chuckle in frustration. “We argued, and she left.”
“Ah.” Riley nods and walks behind her desk. “Typical Addie.”
I simply raise a brow, waiting for her to continue.
“Addie’s great at confrontation, when it comes to strangers or people she doesn’t love,” she says carefully. “But when her heart is invested, whether it be family, or friends, or a man, she’s not good at confrontation at all. She never has been.”
“An argument isn’t confrontation,” I reply and shake my head. “It’s a heated conversation.”
“For some,” she says simply. “For others it’s scary. Not that she would ever, ever admit that. She has abandonment issues.”
Of course she wouldn’t admit it. “Who abandoned her?”
“Her parents. They’re good people, but they’re pretty selfish. Not really around when she needs them. She grew up and they pretty much washed their hands of her. Men don’t stick around when they don’t get what they want from her. She’s learned to guard her heart, Jake.”
She and I need to talk. “I guess I’ll head home and get some work done.”
“Don’t worry, she’ll cool off, and by this time tomorrow, she won’t even remember that you fought.” Riley offers me a supportive smile. “But that photo of you with Karina? Not cool, man.”
“I didn’t fuck Karina!”