Page 102 of The Jerk in Apartment 1B

“Sex doesn’t fix things. It complicates things.”

She looks down. “Oh shit.”

“What?”

“We didn’t use anything.”

Panic comes over me as I realize she’s right. “Trina, I’m so sorry. I wasn’t even thinking.”

“Me either.” She picks up her towel and wraps it around her. “It all happened so fast.”

“I can’t believe I did this,” I say, rubbing my hand over my face. “I always use a condom. Always.”

“It’s okay. I’m on the pill. Unless you’re worried because—”

“I don’t have anything, but I still should’ve worn one,” I say, zipping up my jeans. “I’m almost 30 years old. I know better.”

“We’ll remember it next time.”

“I don’t know if there’s going to be a next time.”

“Why not?” she says, sounding like I just told her Christmas was cancelled. This is why I didn’t want to do this. I knew it couldn’t just be sex with her. I knew she’d get her emotions involved.

“Because of that. The way you sounded just now. You want more from me, and you know I can’t do it.”

She looks down, then back up at me. “You’re right. Idowant more, but I know you don’t want a girlfriend and I’ve accepted that. I pushed Asher to marry me and look how that turned out. I’m not going to make that mistake again. I’m not expecting anything of you.”

“I still don’t think we should do it again,” I say. “It’s not a good idea.”

“Then we won’t do it.” She glances at the bathroom. “I should get ready for work. I was about to get in the shower when you showed up.”

“Yeah, I’ll get going.” I walk to the door, feeling odd about how this is ending. I feel like we should talk, or go do something, or just hang out at my place.

With other girls, I wouldn’t have a problem leaving, but with Trina, it feels different. It feels wrong.

“What if I stick around?” I say. “While you get ready?”

“I’m sure you have something better to do.”

“Actually, I don’t.” I go over to her mattress and sit down. “You need a chair. You want one of the inflatables?”

“You’d let me have one?”

“You can have as many as you want. Why didn’t you just take one from the storage room?”

“I didn’t know I could.”

“I owned the damn company. Of course you can have one.” I get up. “What color do you want?”

“Can I have the pink one?”

She can have whatever she wants. I can’t believe she thought she had to ask. I should’ve just given her one. Actually, I should order her a new one. The ones in the storage room have been spilled on a million times.

When I bring the chair in, I hear Trina in the bathroom. I move her piles of clothes out of the way and set the chair down in the corner. She really needs a dresser. I have a small one in my third-floor storage room, the one Trina hasn’t been in yet.

“I’ll be right back,” I yell so she’ll hear me.

She pops her head out of the bathroom. “Where are you going?”

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