“I started taking Pilates because it makes me feel good.” And also because I needed to limber up for all the sexy times. “And yes, he’s amazing in bed. He’s in really good shape. Not just for a guy in his forties, but in general. He still has a six-pack. Well, it’s more like a four-pack, but still. And he’s definitely got it going on.”
“You mean he’s hung?” She props her chin on her fist again.
“Oh yes.”
“Is that why you’re walking all funny?” she asks.
“I’m not walking funny!” Although I was yesterday. And the day before that.
“Come on, Han, give me some details! You’ve been sitting on this for months! Is he so hung you were uncomfortable the next day? Or does he have the kind of penis you’d like to get more of on a regular basis. You know, boyfriend dick. If he wasn’t your daughter-in-law’s father and Ryan’s father-in-law, that is.”
“Oh, he definitely has a boyfriend dick. And he’s very skilled at oral.” I point under the table. “And multiple Os.”
“Multiple Os?” She slaps the table. “Oh man, are you sure you want to stop riding that ride?”
“No, but I have to. I can’t do that to Ryan.”
She sags in her chair. “Dammit. Oral skills, multiple Os, abs, and a boyfriend dick? You found a unicorn and you have to give him up. That’s just tragic.”
“It is. He really is the whole package, pun completely intended.” I scrub a hand over my face. “We almost got caught by Ryan’s best friend during the freaking wedding.”
Paxton’s mouth drops open. “During? What’d you do, sneak off for a quickie?”
It all sounds so sordid. I explain what happened, the speeches, the mother-son dance, how Jake came to find me.
“Do you think he’ll say anything to Ryan?” Paxton manages to pick most of her chip parts out of the guac.
“He didn’t see anything, but it was too close for comfort, you know? Ryan and I have spent so much time trying to rebuild our relationship and trust. I don’t want to put this kind of strain on it.”
Paxton regards me for a moment before she asks, “Do you have feelings for Jake? Aside from wanting to jump his bones.”
My throat feels tight and that ache in my chest tells me the answer to that question. “It doesn’t matter. I won’t compromise my relationship with Ryan.” It’s bad enough that it’s gone on this long. It was only supposed to be that one weekend, but obviously that wasn’t how it panned out.
“Ah. I see.” She flips a chip between her fingers. “You don’t think Ryan would understand?”
“Jake and I live on opposite ends of the country. It was never going to be anything but casual.”
“Have you heard from him since you’ve been home?”
I nod. “He wanted me to message when I got home, so I did. And then he messaged again today to ask how I’m doing. We were friends before we started sleeping together, so I’m hoping we can go back to being friends again. I know it’ll probably be weird for a while, but I’m sure everything will be fine.”
It’ll just take some time for us to get used to the fact we know what each other’s come faces look like when we’re sitting across from each other at family dinner in the future.
No biggie.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Baby, Don’t Lose My Number
Hanna
OVER THE WEEKS that follow, Jake and I continue to message and talk like we used to, before we started sleeping together. It’s an adjustment, especially when he’s still his flirty self and I’m determined to keep us in the friend zone. It’s not easy, but I remind myself that if I keep falling into bed with him every time I see him, I’m being selfish. Ryan is more important than my sex life.
But I can’t pretend that I don’t miss the trips out to Seattle and all the time Jake and I spent together.
A couple of months after the wedding, he calls on one of my exciting Friday nights. I’m relaxing in the tub, reading a book. I was supposed to go out for dinner with a few colleagues, but I didn’t feel up to it. My lower back has been tight, probably because I skipped a couple of Pilates workouts last week. I was just too tired. I’m blaming it on long hours at work.
Jake and I haven’t had a reason to speak on the phone since the wedding, and my stomach flip-flops as his name flashes across the screen. I put him on speakerphone. “Hey, how are you?”
“I’m good. Getting ready for preseason training, trying to enjoy what’s left of my summer, but I’m not very good at the whole relaxing thing.”
“Mmm. I’m very familiar with what relaxing looks like when it comes to you.” Even though it’s not meant to sound suggestive, somehow my tone makes it so.