Page 36 of Keeping it Casual
I sit back down on the edge of the couch. “Okay. But as soon as the movie finishes, we’ve got to leave straight away. It’s late.”
I can feel Jeremy eyeing me, but I don’t meet his gaze.
As soon as the closing credits are on, I’m back on my feet.
“Come on, Lachie,” I say.
Jeremy glances up. Lucy is still asleep on him.
“Thank you for all your help today,” he says softly.
“Any time,” I reply.
He gives me a small, intimate smile, and yet again, I have an urge to stoop down and kiss him. Instead, I take a step back.
“See you later,” I say.
I walk so quickly on the way home that Lachie has to break into a half-trot to keep up with me.
But no matter how fast I walk, I don’t think I’ll be able to escape this feeling.
I don’t want to identify it. And I definitely, definitely, don’t want to give it a chance to spread.
Chapter 10
Jeremy
It’s Wednesday lunchtime, and I’m standing on Dustin’s porch.
For the last two days, he’s claimed to be too busy and has blown me off.
And it’s not been the fun type of blowing I’m used to from him.
But he’s still been messaging me back when I’ve texted him. In fact, we had an epic conversation back and forth last night about our favorite memories from growing up in the nineties in small-town New Zealand. Any man with a strong opinion on the tactics for four square is my kind of guy.
Today I decided to front-foot it and come to him. I mean, he has to stop for food sometime, right? Nourishment is a fundamental requirement of life.
It’s only when I ring his doorbell that I start to think about how there’s a fine line between being keen and stalking, and there’s a chance I’m flirting with it.
As soon as Dustin opens the door, words pourfrom my mouth.
“I know you’re busy, but I brought you lunch as a repayment for all the lunches you brought me.” I wave to the bakery paper bags I’m carrying. “And it doesn’t come with the expectation of sex. Although you have trained me to expect an orgasm every weekday lunchtime, just saying.”
His lips quirk up. “I’ve trained you to expect an orgasm every lunchtime?”
I nod. “Yes. So it’s slightly unfair that you’ve withdrawn my supply unexpectedly. You’ve got to at least give a guy a warning that he’s going to have to go cold turkey.” I deliberately keep my voice upbeat, hopefully hiding the hurt buried not too far beneath the surface.
Dustin scrapes a hand through his hair. “Sorry, I’ve been crazy busy trying to get this report finished.”
“Is it that harbor extension one you were telling me about?”
He nods.
“Did you get the council regulations to work with the government’s new environmental guidelines?” I ask.
He blinks at me. “You actually listened to the ranting monologue I gave you about that?”
“Well, I can’t guarantee I comprehended every word. But I probably gleaned enough I could write the CliffsNotes,” I say.
