I carefully construct my next question. My voice is quiet when I say, “I hadn’t realized you two had gotten so close.”
Then I brace myself for her answer, my hands gripping the steering wheel tightly.
“See, that’s just it,” she says with exasperation. “We weren’t close at all. We’d gone out maybe a handful of times, the conversation was always awkward, and he would never do more than give me a kiss on my cheek.”
Then she adds on angrily, “So how in the hell could I have broken his heart? It’s so dramatic, right?”
All the muscles in my body relax in unison, and I let out a relieved chuckle. “Yeah… sounds a bit dramatic to me.”
But in reality, if this guy felt even one ounce of the way I feel for Cady, I could understand why this would have hurt him a bit.
“So, you’re swearing off men, huh?” I ask as I turn the car on and slip it into drive.
“Definitely,” she says with confidence. “They’re too much trouble.”
Laughing, I pull out of the parking lot and start the short drive to my house, which is only a few blocks away. It’s only mid-afternoon here in Phoenix, and I’m regretting having spent a part of my day off holed up in some bar.
“So, do you ever have that problem with the women you date?” Cady asks hesitantly. “You know… they feel more for you than you feel for them?”
I ponder her question for a moment, but the answer is easy. “I don’t exactly date, so that’s never really been a problem.”
I hear Cady faintly suck in her breath as she understands what I’m saying. “Oh,” she says with… is that sadness in her voice? “I guess a guy like you doesn’t have to worry about that, huh?”
I navigate through my neighborhood, one hand casually on the steering wheel, the other holding the phone and Cady’s insecurities up against my ear.
“A guy like me?” I ask in a teasing tone.
“Yeah, you know… a player. Mr. One-Night Stand.”
Ouch… okay, hard to argue against that since that’s how we met.
“I’ll admit… I’ve always sort of thought monogamy was a little overrated.”
I pull in my driveway, shut the car off, and listen to Cady’s soft breathing on the other line. She doesn’t say a word, and I can actually feel her brain on overdrive trying to comprehend what I just said. She remains silent though, and my conscience gets the better of me.
“But… Cady,” I reassure her in a low voice, “I haven’t been with another woman since our night together.”
“Really?” she asks, and is that… happiness I hear in her voice? Definitely awe, but maybe a little bit of happiness.
“Really,” I affirm. “Haven’t wanted to.”
“So what does that mean?” she asks hesitantly.
“Fuck if I know,” I tell her as I open my car door. “But what I really want to know is… what are you wearing right now?”
Chapter 9
Cady
Opening my eyes, I reach my arms above my head and stretch my body long, arching my back slightly. I punctuate it with a huge yawn and then rub at my eyes. A quick glance at my alarm clock shows I’ve slept in a bit late, but no worries. I don’t have any classes today and no other obligations, but there is something I’m feeling compelled to do at this very moment.
Sitting up, I fluff my pillows behind my back and then reach over to grab my laptop off my nightstand. I wait impatiently for it to boot up, feeling the whir and grind of the processors against my legs where it rests.
When my email is pulled up, I immediately start a new thread with Zane. Because as of this morning, things are different between us.
To: Zane Kavanaugh
From: Cady Dunne
Subject: Good Morning
Date: November 13, 2014
I just woke up and even though I know you’re still sleeping, because it’s only 4AM there, I just wanted to let you know that I think you may have ruined me. I know you’re a morning person, and that you’ll probably be getting up in a few hours. I also know you have a home game today, and I plan on watching it at The Hibernian. Thus, you are busy and I don’t expect a response back, so just take this email for what it is… simply a way to say… Damn… that was fun. Can we do it again sometime?
Don’t feel compelled to answer back right away. As I said, I know you’re busy today and your head should be in the game, not thinking about the things we did last night.
I, on the other hand, think I shall just lay here in bed (I’m still naked, you know?) and think about all the things you said to me last night, the way you made me feel, and the things you made me do.
Yes, those are my plans for today.
Yours,
Cady
I read quickly back over my email, blushing at my forward nature, and feeling my blood warm up from remembering what Zane and I did last night. Hitting send, I put my laptop down beside me on the bed and burrow back under the covers.
Yes, I’m still naked, because I had stripped down to nothing last night. I did that because Zane demanded I do that, and how could I say “no” to that rough-timbered voice and husky tone?
Zane threw me off-kilter for a moment when he had asked me what I was wearing. I was lying back on my couch and cast my eyes downward, taking in the black leggings and long, cream-colored sweater along with my purple Doc Marten’s.
Definitely not sexy but I told him exactly what I was wearing. He replied, “Get naked and get in bed. I’ll call you back in five minutes.”