mean, this guy I know from class, Shawn, he called and said he needed my help. He asked if I could please take his place on a date his scheduler set up for him, and if I did it, he’d give me the money.”
The weight that lifted, all at once, was overwhelming. I knew I was smiling like an idiot from his scowl.
“What the hell?”
“When I asked you if you were a hustler, you lied.”
“I didn’t lie,” he argued. “I used to––”
“Used to,” I repeated, staring at his beautiful eyes. “You used to sell your body, but you don’t anymore. Or not for some time, yes?”
“Don’t act like that changes––”
“Let’s not have the same argument again. Tell me, yes or no; it has been some time since you found yourself hustling.”
“I thought you didn’t care,” he reminded me.
“I don’t care what you did before I invited you into my room. That has nothing to do with me. But after I invited you in, that I care about. You have options now.”
“Oh? And what options are those?”
“Don’t bait me,” I warned him. “I know what you’re doing. You want me to say you can come and live with me, and then you’ll counter with ‘How is being a kept man any different than being a hustler?’ but we can stop this now, because us getting off track isn’t what either one of us wants.”
“Is that right?”
“Yes, that’s right,” I quipped. “And I would never suggest anything as vile as you being a kept man. I’m not Richard Gere, and you’re certainly not Julia Roberts.”
“Is that what you think happened at the end of that movie?” He was scowling. “Because maybe he paid for school, but I’m thinking she went on to be a kickass businesswoman.”
“I refuse to get off track,” I declared, meeting his gaze. “Stop being defensive and answer my question.”
“Fine. What’s your question?”
“Are you or are you not sleeping with other people?”
“Not,” he answered through clenched teeth.
“Because you don’t have sex with strangers for money anymore, do you?”
“No,” he replied irritably.
I wanted to shout Ah-hah! but I stamped down the urge, knowing it wouldn’t be helpful in the least. “Because you only want to sleep with me,” I pressed for clarification.
“You know, I don’t know how we got––”
“I want you,” I informed him, “and because of that, I don’t want you to sleep with anyone else. It would hurt too much. And I know how that must sound since I’ve only known you for a minute, and I’m not proposing, but I would really like you to spend Thanksgiving with me if at all possible.”
The stunned look on his face made me grin.
“Did you even breathe when you said all that?”
Had I? “I’m not certain.”
“And I was worried you’d think I was the crazy one.”
“Which is not an answer.”
“Seriously, we don’t know each other well enough to be this honest. It’s weird. Don’t you think it’s weird?”
“It’s different and different is good.”
“Are you always like this?”
“No.” I decided to go with absolute honesty. “I seem to only be like this with you.”
He was staring at me, and it took me a moment to realize I was seeing uncertainty in his gaze.
“Really,” I assured him, my voice cracking with the rawness of the revelation. I was flayed open, and I was terrified he would laugh and end us in this moment. “You bring out something in me that’s brand-new.”
“Is that good?” His voice was crackly, guttural.
“I’m not sure yet. The only thing I know for sure at the moment is that I want to see you.”
“Yeah, well, I wanna see you too.”
“And just like that, we’re agreed.” I exhaled in relief. “Now, tell me what’s going on with you and why you looked so sad when I answered.”
He told me more about his classmate then, about Shawn, who had been taken into protective custody. It was all very exciting.
“Are you kidding?”
“Not at all,” I gushed. “I’ve never had a classmate of mine taken into protective custody, and I’ve certainly never been questioned by police detectives. It sounds thrilling.”
He groaned like he was dying.
“I’m sorry I’m so provincial,” I teased him.
“I don’t even know what that word means.”
“Yes, you do,” I apprised him. “Knock it off.”
His grunt made me smile.
“So what are the detectives doing now?”
“You’re way too invested in this.”
“I think I’m exactly the level of invested I should be. Now tell me.”
“I guess at the moment they’re trying to figure out what the bad guys are trying to find.”