Page 58 of Resisting the Temptation
His opinion on what I wear doesn’t matter.
“What were you two talking about?” I ask, straightening my spine.
Ben and Jordan share a look I don’t like. How could they have bonded already in the five minutes it took for me to finish getting ready?
“Just introducing myself. Ben didn’t know I was nonbinary or that we’ve been best friends for over two decades,” Jordan answers with a smile. That helps my nerves, it means Ben wasn’t being a dick about their gender identity.
“Surely I’ve mentioned it at work,” I say to Ben.
He shrugs. “I know you referred to your roommate as ‘they,’ but I thought it meant you had more than one. It never occurred to me Jordan was nonbinary.”
“Is it a problem for you?” I ask, ready to defend if necessary. I won’t tolerate an ignorant asshole.
“Not at all. I’m just happy to have finally met them.” Ben gives Jordan a small but rare smile, and they beam back at him.
I don’t like this…camaraderiethey seem to have.
“Okay… Well, we better get going. I don’t want to be late and make a bad impression.” I grab the bouquet of peonies I picked up this morning from the counter and march to the door.
“It was great to meet you, Jordan. I’ll be in touch,” Ben says with a nod to Jordan.
“Nice to meet you, too, Ben! Looking forward to it. Have fun, Mimi! Love you!”
“Love you, too. Hate that you two are apparently friends now,” I reply, which just makes Jordan grin and Ben chuckle.
Ben follows me out the front door and leads me to his car. He opens the door for me, holding the flowers while I get in, then handing them back before shutting the door and rounding the car to get in the driver’s side.
“What did you mean you’ll be in touch with them?” I ask as Ben pulls out of the driveway.
“They’re helping me with something.”
“Oh, good. You’re finally going to therapy?”
Ben scowls at me. “I don’t need therapy.”
I snort. “Right. I forgot. They’d have to surgically remove the stick from your ass first.”
“Where was this side of you yesterday at the bar,Dulzura?”
Fuck, I forgot how sweet that nickname sounds.
My body responds like we’re in a scene. My needy vagina chantingfuck me, fuck me, fuck mewhile my brain tells her to calm the fuck down.
“I was caught off guard last night,” I reluctantly admit.
“What about the rest of the week? Hmm? You’ve been avoiding me.”
“I’ve been busy. My life doesn’t revolve around you. Sounds like you need to get your ego checked out along with that stick.”
I sure as fuck hope he can’t see through my bullshit answer. I’ve been avoiding him because of the flowers. They flipped the attachment switch in my brain and made me start to wonder what it would be like to spend Saturday nights at the club and Sunday mornings eatingbreakfast in bed. They made me start to wonder if he’d make room for my clothes in his closet, what our toothbrushes would look like together, and if the scent of my shampoo would mix well with his.
Things I have no business wondering because this thing isjust sex. That’s all it can be. I can’t risk my job, and I can’t risk my heart.
Ben pulls into a parking lot for a city park, and I look around at all the families scattered about, but I don’t see the Rossis.
“Is this where we’re having… lunch?” I trail off when I turn and see the intense way Ben’s staring at me.
“No,Dulzura.I needed to ask some questions.”
