Page 16 of Asking For a Friend

“Okay, maybe you should get off.” I let go of his perfect, round, and firm backside.

He kisses me again, swings his leg back over, sits next to me, and reaches for our wine glasses. “I should call for a ride home. It’s getting late.”

“You could stay.” The words slip out before I can control them. “I can take you home in the morning.”

With narrowed eyes, he peruses me like he’s looking for a hidden agenda. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea. Do you think we’d be able to keep our hands to ourselves? I’m not that easy.”

“But you assume I am? That’s not very fair. I don’t jump to sex the first night either.”

“I thought you didn’t date.”

“Nor do you.” I sip my wine. “It’s up to you. I have a spare room.”

He shakes his head and pulls out his phone. “Thank you, but I think I’d better go.”

An awkward silence descends, our easy conversation flown out the window as if it had never happened. I have a feeling this is all I’m going to get from him. He’s tried and isn’t going to arrange a second date. I’m brushed aside. “When will I see you again?”

He finishes his wine and rises to his feet. “I’m sure you’ll be in for your coffee on Monday morning.” Yep, this is it. Damn him.

“Yeah, of course.” I stand too. Shoving my hands into my front pockets, I rock on my heels. His flippant reply hurts. I keep my face as neutral as I can. “Well, Lando, I had a lovely evening, thank you.”

I pick up his glass and march into the kitchen, where I open the dishwasher. I sigh. It’s full of clean crockery. I take the glasses to the sink and turn on the tap, not wanting to see the evidence of a failed date in the morning. As I put them back in the cupboard, Lando walks in, his body tense, eyes blazing. What’s his problem? He’s the one who called the whole thing off.

“Is your ride here?” I ask. Hopefully, he’ll get the message I’m pissed off with him, and leave.

“What’s going on? Why are you acting all pissy?”

I glare at him. Why doesn’t he go already? I move past him into the hallway. “There’s nothing wrong, Lando. We had a good evening, and now it’s over.”

“Okay, I get that. But I don’t get what’s going on now. We go from a really hot kiss, like a scorching-the-skin-off-me kiss, to this, a complete brush-off.”

“You’re the one who did that, Lando. Not me. And you’re right. I’ll probably see you on Monday.”

I hate that this is it, that I was wrong about him. He’s not worth the risk. But it’s a good thing I know before this between us gets any further. I’d rather be pissed off now than hurt later on. I can’t believe I was so wrong about him. After all the lunches we’ve had together, the silly late-night text messages, I thought he wanted to date me. What has happened between us? Tonight must have been a trial run for him, and even though I could feel how hard his dick was, he was just messing around. I never thought he would be like that. It makes everything he's said about his past a load of bollocks.

We both reach for his coat, and our hands touch. As I pull mine away, he grabs it.

“I’m sorry. I’ve fucked up. I was trying to be cool about seeing you again. I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings, Hesketh, I promise. Tonight has been so good, and I stupidly reverted to my old brush-off routine, which I’ve perfected over the years to stop myself from being hurt. That makes me a dick. I’ve truly had a great night, and I do want to see you again.”

I stare at him for a few seconds, then nod. That makes sense. He’s always been surprised when I ask to see him again. Like he’s waiting for me to give him the cold shoulder. I guess I’m going to have to keep coaxing and proving that I’m not going anywhere. “Okay, thank you, I appreciate your honesty. I’ll see you in the coffee shop on Monday, then, okay?”

What should I do now? Does he just put his coat on and walk out? Do I kiss him goodnight? Neither of us seems to have any idea how to navigate this, so we end up staring at each other. Then our mouths are joined again. I don’t know who made the first move, and I don’t care. I’m just happy to be kissing him again.

There’s no finesse, no sweet strokes or gentle nips. This kiss is raw and hot and downright dirty as we claw at each other’s clothes to get to skin.

His phone pings. “The car is here.” Lando pulls back, but his lips are still touching mine.

“Cancel it. Stay here with me.”

Lando leans back, looking straight into my eyes. Shit, he’s going to say no again.

“I can’t. Not tonight. Not that I don’t want to, because it’s been a wonderful evening. It’s just too soon.”

He’s right. I know he is, but damn, I want to be with him.

“Hi,” I say as I get into the car. When I’m sitting in the back seat, I look back at the house. Hesketh is still standing in the doorway. I lift my hand. He does the same.

“I wouldn’t have walked away from him.” The driver looks at me in the rear-view mirror and winks. “Just saying.”

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