“They shouldn’t.”
“What am I supposed to call them? Mammary glands? Love pillows? Jugs? Hooters?” I burst out laughing and had to hang up the phone because I didn’t want anyone catching either of us talking about other words for boobs.
I hadn’t had this much fun at work in my entire life, and Lucah was mostly responsible for that. Our banter helped the day go faster and when I was working on something I didn’t want to work on, he always found little ways to help out, or make me smile. Not that my job was bad before, but he just took it into awesome territory.
I missed him that afternoon. I kept looking at his desk and he was missing and it kind of made me sad. Not that I was moping. Or pouting.
But I did my work and got through the day and headed to my apartment to spend some time with Sloane before going over to Lucah’s.
“Hey, do I know you?” Sloane said when I walked in the door. Yes, I deserved it.
“I know, I know. I’m sorry.” She put her hand up and turned her head away from me.
“Your words are empty. Here I am, using all my extra time to make the most beautiful dress for you and you can’t even be bothered to spend any time with the person you claim is your best friend.”
“Sloane . . .” Uh oh. She’d been neglected and it was going to take a lot of groveling and doing things for her to get back in her good graces. There would be backrubs and chocolate involved, and probably some sort of girls’ weekend with no boys allowed. I was willing to make the sacrifice for our friendship. She’d done a lot for me, and I did owe her. I’d done what I promised never to do: let a boy come between us.
“I’m sorry I let him take up all my time. You’re important to me, Sloane. Chicks before dicks, right?”
“Well you’re gonna have to show me you mean that,” she said, slowly turning around.
“Name it.”
“Well, firstly you’re taking me out to dinner. Then you’re buying me a massage. And maybe after a shopping trip we can talk. But for right now, you can put on the new piece that I made for you today.” She finally busted a smile out and I knew that I would be forgiven. Sloane wasn’t one to hold grudges, unless they had done something against someone she cared about. Case in point: Royce. I was pretty much over him, but she still wanted to go and let the air out of the tires of his beloved BMW and then key it, in addition to a lot of other illegal things. Sloane had a twisted mind and I never wanted to be on her bad side. Her idea of revenge scared the crap out of me.
“I can do all of that. Tomorrow night for dinner? This weekend for the shopping trip and massage? I’ll make an appointment for both of us. I could use one too.”
“I’m sure your back is worn out from all the sex,” she said, not sounding bitter at all.
“Hey, I’m not stopping you from getting laid.”
“You’re not helping me at all. I work in an industry populated by bitchy women and gay men. You work in a building full of men. Smart men.”
“Yeah, men who are good with machines and coding, but not good with people. I mean, not that all guys who are good with computers are nerds who can’t hold a conversation, but most of them are married, or aren’t single, or guys you wouldn’t want. Don’t you think I would tell you if I knew someone?”
She knew I was right. If there was anyone who I thought would be good for her, I’d be all over it. I wanted her to be happy. I also had a tendency to think that no one was good enough for her. It would take a special kind of man to keep up with Sloane and I hadn’t met him yet.
“I suppose,” she said and I put my arms around her. She let me hug her but didn’t hug me back.
“Okay, okay, get out of here. Oh, but put on what I laid out for you.” I dashed to my bedroom and saw another awesome lingerie set. This time it was green, with a snap on lace panel that was like the first bow outfit I’d worn. Lucah was getting very good at getting me out of them by now. I put the lingerie on under a cute shirt and jeans. It didn’t seem to matter what I had on over the lingerie. Although, I was going to make sure to have my eyes locked on his face when he saw me in the dress Sloane was making. I knew it would be worth it.
“Are you sure you’re not mad at me?” I said before I left.
“No, get out of here, you crazy kid.”
Yup. Best friend ever.
~*~*~
“I am going to have to abandon you to have Girl Time this weekend with Sloane. Oh, I also have to take her out to dinner tomorrow night and I think I should actually spend the night at my own apartment. You know, because I live there.” I made sure I said it after sex.
“I don’t own you, Rory. You don’t have to ask my permission to do anything. Well, I would be a little upset if you had sex with another guy. Just a little.”
Oh, but he did own me.
“I know, but I just wanted to make sure. And I’m not having sex with anyone else. Just you. I wouldn’t have the strength. You’re always wearing me out.” Ain’t that the truth.
“Good. Because if you were, I’d probably find the guy and pummel him into yesterday.”