Page 28 of Veiled in Brick

His eyes glanced down to my chest, which the bedding was no longer covering. “It was, um—late—”

“Don’t look at my tits right now, Jay—”

“They’re nice tits—”

“Yeah, I know they’re nice,” I retorted. “Get up.”

He let out a disbelieving laugh and said, “What?”

“Get. Up,” I reiterated, this time with more bite.

“Zoey, what’s the big deal?”

“What’s the big deal?!” I asked, my voice hitching up high.

“Zoey—”

“Jay—”

“I don’t get it, I fell asleep here after we had sex, what’s wrong—”

“I don’t sleep with men, James,” I told him firmly.

“Huh?”

“I have never,” I spoke as I stood from my bed, punctuating my words for maximum impact. “Slept. With. A. Man.” I snatched his boxers and pants in one fell swoop and threw them at him. He flinched as they landed on him, and I stated, “Until fucking…this. Get up.”

“I—” James stammered, skittering to his feet and yanking his clothing on. “You’ve never slept with someone?”

“No.”

He found his button-down shirt on the floor, and he pulled his arms through the sleeves. Button by button, the gears visibly cranked in his mind before he asked, “No sleeping partners, ever?”

I rushedly dressed myself in flannel pajamas that were placed in my dirty laundry bin from the day prior.

“No.”

I started to point at my door to show him where his exit was, but he just held up two hands in weak defense.

“Okay,” James spoke slowly, as if I were a frightened animal. “Easy. Take a breath.”

“I do not need to take-a-breath!”

“I’m sorry, Zoey. I didn’t know I was crossing a line…”

His words faltered when I let a long breath out of my nostrils.

“That,” I pointed to my bed, “made me feel very…betrothed.”

“Betrothed?” he questioned.

“Yes, Jay,” I snapped. “That was too much, I don’t want—”

“Zoey,” he chuckled, eyes wide now, “I don’t want to be betrothed. I’m still in the process of getting un-betrothed.”

I paused, his reply causing my initial panic to ebb away. “Okay, well—”

“Well,” he interjected, “we had sex and I mistakenly slept in your bed with you. That is all.”

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