Page 7 of Boyfriend From Hell
“You?” I asked quickly, hoping to turn the attention onto him and away from my life as an aspiring author.
He gazed into the mouth of his cup as if it held the answer to my question.
“Management of sorts. Mainly just watching over people and making sure everyone's pulling their weight.” He shrugged. “I’m lined up for a big promotion, I don’t necessarily want it, but I’m expected to take it.”
“Shitty, condescending boss?”
He took a sip and huffed. “Something like that.”
There was a brief pause, as if the conversation had been decapitated by my returned curiosity, and I mentally kicked myself in the ass.
“So, tell me Deer. What made today such a ‘shit day’ as you say?” he asked, as he lazily ran his fingers through his hair, pinning me with his crimson stare.
I chewed my bottom lip. I didn’t want to tell him my boyfriend—well, ex-boyfriend—practically ghosted me on my birthday—correction, for the last few years semi-consistently and it was becoming more and more apparent as to how little he had ever actually cared about me. Or, how I had moved here six months ago and still hadn’t unpacked. Or that I had a looming self-imposed deadline for my current manuscript, which I wasn’t even close to on track to meeting.
Now that wouldbe a buzzkill.
This poor woman had heartbreak written all over her. I knew the answer to my question before I asked—it was clear by her red rimmed eyes, the way she regarded me with obvious skepticism (and curiosity, which was appreciated).
She was so animated when she spoke, and I couldn’t help but find her enthralling. Her hands would work the air as if she were putting on a play and her words were the characters. I decided then and there I would do whatever it took to mend that shattered heart of hers. I’d pick the shards up with my teeth if I had to and take every cut as a blessing, so long as I was the one doing it.
I watched her, keeping my expression as plain as possible as she drew her perfectly pillowy bottom lip between her teeth and mulled over her reply.
A part of me wondered what those plush lips would feel like against mine. What would she taste like? I imagine she’d be sweeter than honey and I’d give anything to taste those lips.
The sound of her voice, so filled with caution, slapped me out of my self-imposed fantasy.
What was I thinking? This girl needed love—someone to show her that she was what the universe itself was made of.That she was all the stars combined into one beautiful, mortal package. And I planned to do exactly thatfor her.
We were both tipsy, and I had to admit—I was having a surprisingly decent time with him. I guess you really shouldn’t judge a book by its cover; he was actually nice to talk to. But then again, that could’ve just been the wine and loneliness talking. “Uh, well today’s my birthday and I don’t know, it sounds stupid, but my boyfriend has pretty much ghosted me all day.” It felt so embarrassing saying it out loud to a stranger.
Raios’ eyebrows knitted together again. “Should I be here right now, I mean like sitting on your couch sharing wine with you?” He looked nervous, which was adorable.
“No!” I all but reached for him but stopped myself. “No, sorry.Ex-boyfriend.”
I covered my face with my hand. “Forgot the ex-part.” I murmured into my glass.
Awkward silence filled the air.Welp.
“I mean, like… You don’t have anything to worry about. Not that you’re doing anything—or, not likewe’redoing anything.”
I laughed nervously, my heart kicking into an anxious sprint. I waspainfullyaware I was rambling and couldn’t stop if my life depended on it.
“I’m sorry. I just mean… this is okay. No boyfriend.”Hello, God? I’m going to need you to put me out of my misery.
Raios chuckled as he regarded me.
“So, what you’re telling me, is you’re single.” He leaned forward and set his glass down on the coffee table in front of us. “And it’s your birthday.”
“Something like that.” My cheeks were on fire.
I shouldn’t have said anything. My jaw clenched as the weight of it settled in—I was starting to feel like I’d ruined the night. Not that I’d been having a stellar one to begin with, and not that this was anythingtoruin. But at the very least, I had started to feel a little less miserable.
Raios mumbled something under his breath that I couldn’t quite make out.
“What?” I asked, meeting his eyes. They shined with anger as he shook away whatever the thought was.
“Nothing, I was uh—” He angled his body toward me. His knee pressed lightly against mine and my breath hitched at the contact. “I was just saying, what asshole wouldchooseto lose you?”
