Matched

"I'm staying home," I say and stand my ground. "You go ahead."

"Aww, come on," he says and steps even closer. I glance around, looking for some kind of weapon. I'll use it if I have to.

He sees me staring at the butcher block filled with knives.

"India," he says and puts his hand over his heart. "I'm crushed. I'd never force myself on you."

"I hope not," I say and relax a bit. "You should go. Please tell Marina I'm sorry but I'm not coming tonight."

"I was already there. Her party's a bust. There were no unattached women so I decided I'd come by here and stay for a while. We could have a drink, talk."

I shake my head, wanting him to leave as soon as possible.

"No. Please leave."

My heart is racing that he had the nerve to come in the house on his own while I was in the shower.

Sure, we were lovers. Maybe if Jon and I weren't together, I might have been open to having coffee with him or even a drink. But to have him violate my personal space like this…

It's totally creepy.

"Don't look at me like that," he says, and now he looks angry. "I'm not a rapist."

"I didn't mean to imply –"

"But that’s exactly what you’re implying. Do you think I have to resort to forcing women to have sex with me? I don’t have to, India. They practically throw themselves at me."

"Women are raped all the time by men they know, Blaine." I back away a step; I can almost feel his anger radiating off him.

"I don’t have to force women," he says, his eyes moving over me from head to foot. "They volunteer."

Then my cell rings. I glance at where it's sitting, on the island in the kitchen. He does as well.

"You gonna get that?"

I nod and go over, glad to be able to do something. It's Marina.

"Hey, there," she says, sounding all chipper.

"Hi," I reply. "What's up?"

"It's really dead here so I thought I'd call it a night and come over with some beer and we can watch some Netflix like old times."

"What about all your dates?"

"They're all matched up and gone."

I glance over at Blaine. "Sure," I say, glad that she'll come to my rescue. "Blaine is here for a visit but he was just leaving."

"Oh, he's there? He was here for a while and I told him you weren't coming so he left. I didn’t realize he was going to your place. Do you want me to leave you two alone?"

"No, no," I say quickly. "Come on by. We can munch on popcorn and watch Netflix."

"Okay, I'll be right over."

I end the call and Blaine is standing there, his arms crossed, smiling.

"I'm crushed you prefer Marina over me. Have you turned to pussy instead of cock?"