Page 115 of Love, Luck & Clusterf*ck

“I know.”I will not be sad, I will not be sad. I felt like I’d just gotten him back and now he was leaving again. “Is this the last time I’m going to see you before you leave?”

“Hell no. I just wanted to tell you tonight. I’m going to make sure you’re sick of me before I go.”

“You’d better.”

“Now let’s talk about you. Are you and Stephen knocking boots yet?”

“If you mean having sex, then no.”

“Why the hell not?”

I sighed. I was still trying to figure out exactly what had happened before I left. Did my going out bother him that much? Well, hearing that fucking grating female voice on the other line bothered me too. At least what I was doing was innocent.

Stu held out his arms and tugged me towards him. “Come sit on Papa Stu’s lap and tell me all about it.”

“What?”

“Come on. It’ll be nice and comfy. You won’t even have a sharp object poking into you. Promise. You’re hot but not that hot.”

I laughed.All right, why not.It wasn’t as if I’d never sat on his lap before. We were always affectionate with each other. I snuggled up next to him and he put his hand on my thigh.

“Okay, baby doll. Spill.”

“Hey, shouldn’t you at least tell me your full name before you leave?” I’d never been able to get that out of him. I knew it was short for something, but it wasn’t Stuart.

“Just Stu.” He winked. “And I think you’re evading.”

“We’re just friends. Really great ones. Would I like to have sex with him? Uh, yeah. But he’s already admitted that he tends to lose interest after sleeping with someone, and I don’t want that to happen with us.”

“Why not? You lose interest too. He sounds perfect for you.”

“Because I don’t want to lose him. We’ve grown so close, and he’s an incredible person. I’m sure if I would have met him in this bar a year ago things would’ve been different, but now that I’ve gotten to know him, I’d rather have him in my life platonically than not at all.”

“And it’s not hard being around him all the time, living in the same house without wanting to jump him?”

“Of course it is. Sometimes it feels like I’m struggling every second, but I’m moving out in a few days, so hopefully, it’ll make that part easier.”

“Hmm. Interesting.”

“What?”

“You’re in love.” I didn’t respond. I wasn’t going to deny it, not to Stu. “Oh my fuck, Perry. I’ve never even heard you say you were in love with Dre. Which I don’t blame you there. Fucking idiot.”

“You didn’t hear me say it with Stephen either.”

“But you didn’t say you’re not. You didn’t even laugh. That’s basically admitting it.”

“Okay, you’re right.”

That was all I had to say to make him squeal and shake me around in his arms. “Holy shit, girl. We’re actually in love together? How awesome.”

“For you, yeah, but it’s a little more complicated for me.”

“Complication’s your forte. You’ll figure it out. You’ve got this nailed.” I was just about to tell him about Stefanie when he brought his mouth to my ear. “Don’t look but I think that’s your viking over there at the bar.”What?I turned my head. He turned it back before I could get a chance to see anything. “I told you not to look.”

“Then how am I supposed to know if it’s him or not?”What the hell? It can’t be.

“I already know it’s him. You think I wouldn’t recognize that gorgeous hunk of man?”

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