Page 27 of Sharkbait
I hurry onto the front stoop without looking back at my friends. He presses the cooler out with his foot and shuts the door behind us.
Gotta hand it to the guy, he certainly doesn’t shy away from conflict. He dives right in.
“Did I do something wrong that night?” he asks. “I mean was it not good for you or something?”
“No James, it was great for me,” I say.
“That sounded sarcastic. Are you being sarcastic?”
“No! I’m being sincere. It was fucking fantastic.”
A brilliant smile lights up his face.
“Okay, so what’s the problem?” he asks.
“The problem is, we were supposed to leave it at that. One night. Wham, bam, thank you, ma’am.”
He leans on the wooden post of Mabel’s mailbox. “Shit, so is that like an official term now?”
“Is what an official term?”
He shakes his head. “Never mind. You were saying?”
“It was a fun and unexpected night, and while I thank you for it...”
I thank you for it? What the hell am I saying?
”... I am not interested in a repeat of said night. I don’t want to learn about you, and I don’t want you to learn about me. The nature of a one-night stand is that you don’t have to talk about it afterward. Dramatic discussions are for relationships, and there is no relationship here. There should be no post-game wrap-up. We played the game and scored some goals. Done.”
“Who won, though?”
I sigh. “What?”
“Just playing along with your metaphor. Who won the game?” he asks.
“Has anyone ever told you you can be annoying?”
“Sure. Lots of people. Part of my charm.”
“You sure about that?” I narrow my eyes at him.
“I was.” He takes a deep breath. “Until I met you.”
There’s a vulnerability in his eyes I find totally disarming.
I need to end this and go back inside.
“Please don’t make this personal, James. It’s not about you. It’s men. In general. I’m just not interested right now. Or maybe ever.”
The sudden need to backpedal overtakes me. “I don’t mean it like I’m notinterestedin men. Well, actually, I did try being with a woman once, but that wasn’t really the right way to go about fixing the feelings I was—” I interrupt myself with a deep breath. “Anyway…”
“You’re absolutely right.”
“I’m what?”
“You’re right,” he repeats. “Like I said before, you’ve been extremely clear. Tonight, and also the night we, um—”
He’s distracted by something at the window.
