Someone Else's Ocean

“Handsome, right?” She snickered.

“Beautiful,” I whispered.

“Beautiful, huh? Ask him to sleep with you.”

I rolled my eyes.

“I mean at your house. You have three spare bedrooms. Let him crash there for a few days so we can keep the commission. It’s not like he’s a total stranger. You knew him when you were kids, right?”

“Yeah, we spent a summer together.” I chewed on the idea for a moment. “I think he’s repaired the kitchen. He’s been sawing nonstop for a week.”

A week he had barely acknowledged me. But I promised him space and in turn, he stopped the sawing when the sun set and even offered me a friendly wave when I got home from work.

“Okay, so ask him.”

“Nah, he can stay at a hotel.”

“Do you have the money for a hotel? Because I sure as hell don’t. We need the commission and you have the space.”

I stood and went to grab some coffee. “He’s the one imposing, he should pay.”

“Koti.”

I sighed. “Fine I’ll ask him, but I doubt he’ll go for it.”

“You need sex.”

“How many times do I have to explain this to you. Sex is mostly painful for me. My body doesn’t like it.” I pulled some Chapstick from my pint-sized purse and coated my lips before I lathered on a small layer of sunblock.

“Every time?”

“Almost. I suffer for days and hardly ever orgasm.”

“God, that’s horrible,” Jasmine said, terrified at the thought.

“It’s my life. I’ve been dealing with it since I lost my virginity at a Cheap Trick reunion concert.”

“That’s even more horrible.”

“It doesn’t bother me,” I said before I gripped her around the neck and gave her a hug from behind her chair. “You are loved, my little filifuckingpino.”

“You too,” she said staring up at me. “I want so much more for you, Koti.”

“And I’m happy where I’m at,” I promised. Ian’s comment last night by the bonfire made me smile.

“What?” she asked, trying to read my expression.

“He said I was happy.”

“Who?”

“Ian.”

“Well, if Ian says so,” she smirked. “Bow chica wow wow.”

“Shut up.”

“You like him, it’s okay to tell me.”