I frown. “What did you say to her?”
“Nothing. I ran.”
“So, you let a woman suck your dick, you blew in her mouth, and then ran out without saying anything?” I gasp.
He puts his head in hands and chuckles, as if embarrassed. “Oh my God, I’ll never get over the horror.”
I put my hand over my mouth, shocked to the core. “She must hate you.”
“Undoubtedly.” He pinches the bridge of his nose.
“Have you spoken to her since?”
“No. I texted her the next morning and apologized. I hope to never see her again in my life. I’m mortified.” He takes my hand over the table. “I saved myself, Eliza. I only want you.”
“A head job is not saving yourself, Nathan.”
“That’s all that happened; I swear.”
“That’s a fucking lot Nathan,” I whisper angrily.
He takes my hand over the table. “Please, just give me a chance.”
I exhale heavily. “I need to think about this.”
“Take all the time you want. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll wait for as long as it takes.”
I press my lips together as I try to think of the right thing to say.
“What if we try and it doesn’t work out? Where will our friendship be then?” I ask.
“I will always be your best friend, Eliza, and we need to promise each other this won’t affect our friendship at all and separate everything. I’m not taking this lightly. I know the risks, but I think we’re too close for that to come between us.”
“But does that ever really work?”
“We go away this weekend. Majorca, remember?”
I shake my head in disgust. “If anything were to happen with us, it would have to be like we’d just met. I don’t know you romantically. I need some time to think this over.”
He smiles. “Okay.”
“I mean it. I don’t know what’s going to happen. I can’t give you any guarantees.”
“Okay.” He holds his glass up. “A toast.”
I put my glass to his.
“To starting again.”
I clink my glass with his.
His eyes glimmer with something I haven’t seen before. A naughtiness. “Can I stay over tonight?”
“No.” I smirk. “You cannot.”
* * *
I stand in the café and look at the menu board.