Ethan (Face-Off 5)
“Better than slinging crack under the El.”
“Dumb place to sell drugs, don’t you think? I thought drug dealers hung out on street corners.”
“Nope, not anymore. Dealers are more sophisticated now. It’s like a drug delivery service. You make a call, and someone meets you. You can get anything you want. Sex. Drugs. You name it, and you can find a way to get it.”
“Should I be worried that you know so much about how to order drugs and hookers?”
I laugh. “It’s part of the job. I have to know a thing or two about how their business works if I want to bust them.”
“You should involve the cops. We can’t take down a bunch of thugs by ourselves.”
“I will. Don’t be silly. I’m not delusional.”
“You never told me about what happened with Ethan last night.”
A beat passes between us before I confess. “We almost had sex.”
Her mouth hangs open in shock, confusion scrolling across her face. “Almost? Why was that? Fill me in. I need the dirt. My sex life sucks ass. Let me live vicariously through you and hockey hottie.”
I cringe at her nickname for Ethan.
“There’s not much to tell. We pretty much air humped each other on the dance floor. Ethan kissed me, bit my neck, and I rubbed up on his dick. It was super hot, in case you’re wondering. Then, we went back to my apartment, where he gave me a few orgasms before Will came home. We were so close. Ethan was ready to put on the condom when I heard Will’s voice. Talk about the biggest buzzkill ever.”
“At least he didn’t catch you. How did you manage that one?”
“Easy, I never gave him a key. But now, he has one, so we have to be more careful.”
“Sorry.” I peek out the window at the record store and sigh. “I thought this would be more eventful than the two of us sharing Cheetos and talking about Fred and Ethan.”
“The Ethan part I can handle. Fred not so much. Go on, I want to hear the rest of the story. What happened after Will came home?”
“Nothing.” I sigh. “I told Ethan to pretend he was sleeping in the spare bedroom before Will could see him. I took my room. Will slept on the couch. He almost caught me with an open condom, though.”
She covers her mouth with her hand and giggles. “How would you have explained your way out of that one?”
“I guess I would’ve had to get creative. I’m glad it didn’t come to that, though. Sneaking around behind Will’s back is eating at me. Ethan hates it, too. I told Ethan we had one night to get it out of our systems.”
She leans her arm on the console between us, her eyes wide with curiosity. “You said that to him?”
I nod in answer.
“How bold of you? You’re full of surprises lately. And here I thought you were Jane the Virgin.”
I cough. “Not hardly. Just because I’m a selective dater doesn’t mean I’m a virgin.”
She holds up her hands and shrugs. “Hey, how am I supposed to know? You’re not exactly an open book. I have yet to see you with a man in all the time I’ve worked with you.”
I contemplate her words, and sadly, I realize Clarke is right. Dammit. I sound lamer by the second. Maybe I needed that night with Ethan more than I thought. Too bad Will interrupted us.
My cell phone dings with a new text from Ethan. His team won their first playoff game. I type out a quick text and shove the phone into the glove compartment, before cracking open the door.
“Where are you going?” Clarke says.
“I want to follow him.” I point at the clerk leaving the record store. He’s just locked up for the night, and now walking down the street toward the subway. “Maybe he’ll lead us somewhere.”
“Yeah, probably to his house,” she mutters.
“You never know.”