“I did love you, Jamie. I do love you. As a friend.”
“You know it was more than that.”
“To you, maybe….”
“Oh, cut the crap, Charlie! You can lie to the world, you can lie to yourself, but don’t for one fucking minute think you can lie to me. I was in love with you, and you cannot pretend that it wasn’t mutual. I know you loved me, even if you never had the guts to fuck me. And for you to now pretend it was something less? That’s fucking insulting.”
Charlie sighed with frustration and crossed his arms over his chest. “Look, Jamie, I didn’t come here to rehash the past. I came here to see if you’re ok. Obviously I fucked up. Obviously I hurt you. And I’m sorry for that, ok?”
Yeah, he sounded real sorry. He waited for a response, but all I did was cross my arms over my chest, too, and glare at him.
And then he said, “So, is this thing you’re doing with some criminal your way of trying to hurt me back? Or is it an attempt at getting my attention? Ok then: you have my attention. Here I am. Is this what you wanted?” He actually had the nerve to sound annoyed with me.
I stared at him for a long moment. “You always were one arrogant son of a bitch, Charlie Connolly, but that’s over the top even for you.”
“Jamie – ”
“Nothing I do now has the first fucking thing to do with you! Since I’ve been with Dmitri, I’ve barely given you a second thought!”
“Really.” He looked smug, and I again had to fight the urge to punch him.
“I’m not with Dmitri to get your attention!” I fumed. “I’m with him because he’s sweet, and kind, and fun, and sexy as hell, and amazing in bed, and a million other good things. Oh, and he’s fucking gorgeous. I mean drop-dead beautiful. And really, that doesn’t even begin to cover it!”
Charlie sighed, that fucking annoying smug expression still on his face as he said, “Come on, Jamie. It’s so obvious that you’re inventing this perfect guy to try and make me jealous.”
Just then Dmitri strolled into the room, saying, “Hey baby, why don’t you drive me to work today? Then you can use the Maserati while I’m conducting those interviews.” I turned to look at him. He was twirling his key ring around a long, graceful finger – and good Lord, he was dressed only in the little black jock strap I’d set out for him, exposing almost every inch of his absolutely flawless body. He smiled brightly, displaying his perfect teeth and perfect dimples, and said, “Oh! Sorry, I didn’t realize we had a visitor.”
He crossed the room to me and put his arm around my waist, then planted a big, wet kiss on my lips before slipping the keys into my pocket and turning his gaze to Charlie. “Hi. I’m Dmitri Teplov, Jamie’s boyfriend.” His smile increased another few hundred megawatts and he stuck out his hand. Charlie shook it automatically, looking like the proverbial deer in headlights.
“Charlie Connolly,” he managed.
Dmitri turned to me then and said with a smoldering look, “Come join me in the bedroom, baby, when you’re done here.” He planted another ostentatious kiss on my lips before turning and strolling out of the room. As he walked away, his perfect ass was totally exposed in that skimpy jock strap, framed like the work of art that it was by a few well-placed black elastic bands.
I fought with all I had not to burst out laughing. Man, he’d laid it on thick! I turned to look at Charlie, who was staring wide-eyed at Dmitri’s retreating butt.
I managed to say, “Sorry to cut this short, Charlie, but I’ve got to get going. See ya around,” without totally cracking up, and opened the door. He stepped out into the hall, completely dazed, and stared into my eyes like he was seeing me for the first time. I smiled cheerfully and closed the door in his face.
Wow, was that satisfying!
I hurried to the bedroom and found Dmitri standing beside the bed, still dressed only in that jock strap, nervously chewing his thumbnail. “Was that ok?” he asked. “Did I lay it on too thick? You’re not mad at me, are you? It was just pissing me off, the way he was talking to you, so I–”
I grabbed him and pulled him down onto the mattress with me, and hugged him tightly as laughter burst from me. I rolled over on top of him and peppered him with kisses, and told him, “I love you so much, Dmitri. I mean so fucking much!” My lips found his and I kissed him passionately as his hands wrapped around my waist.
When I finally sat up and looked down at him, he was grinning happily. “Oh good. You’re not mad.”