Any Way You Want Me - By Jamie Sobrato Page 0,60
sighed. “You’re so impatient. I guess I can spill now that we’re away from prying ears. Drew and I have seen each other every day since Monday.”
“Wow, so you’re a thing, then?”
“I don’t really want us to be, but I don’t know. I mean, I’m starting to feel like I’m back in junior high school.”
“How so?”
“I’m afraid I have that whole giddy thing going on again. I could spend all day and all night with him and still not feel like telling him to go entertain himself.”
“What have you two been doing? Gazing into each other’s eyes?”
“Probably a similar schedule to yours and Kyle’s. Sex, talk, sex, eat, more sex, et cetera. The only reason I’m not seeing him tonight is he had to work late.”
“Oh, right,” Yasmine said, remembering the after-hours meeting she didn’t have to attend.
“The thing is, though, I dread getting involved again, and you know why.”
“I know you’re happy without a guy, and that’s great, but why can’t you be happy with a guy, too? What’s so bad about that?”
“Been there, done that, sweetie. Happy quickly leads to miserable.”
“Maybe all those other guys were just practice for the real thing.”
“Haven’t we already had this talk? I don’t want the real thing. I just want an occasional itch scratched, so why should I buy a whole tree when I can just go outside and rub up against any old branch anytime I want?”
Yasmine blinked at Cass’s wacked logic. “If you really just want sex, and that’s what makes you happy…then, I guess you’re right.”
“Thank you for understanding. Now the problem remains that I like Drew and don’t really want to get rid of him.”
“Told you you’d like him!”
“No need to be smug. He’s a sweet guy. I’d hate to break his heart.”
“You have to tell him what you’re looking for. Maybe he’d be okay with just being your, um, branch,” Yasmine said, looking left and right as they started to cross the street.
She was trying to sound supportive of Cass’s choices and all, but it struck her then how different she and her friend really were. Cass might have been totally happy living alone and without a partner, but Yasmine wanted the opposite. She’d been trying to live a life without close ties, without emotional entanglements, for fear of getting hurt, and it wasn’t working. Her weekend with Kyle had given her a taste of what she was missing.
“I guess you’re right. I’m just afraid of hurting his feelings. I never would have thought I’d go for a computer geek…. But the sex—oh mama, the sex is to die for.”
“That’s all the info I need, thanks.”
“I mean, the man eats pussy like it’s filet mignon—”
“Whoa there! Lalalalalalala—I don’t want to hear any more. I’ve got to work with Drew, and I’d like to remain friends with both of you.”
“Oh, you’re such a prude.”
“I just think certain facts about a relationship need to remain private. But regardless, maybe he’ll be happy to be at your service. You never know.”
They reached the restaurant, went inside and found a table as the Seat Yourself sign instructed.
Once they were seated, Cass leveled a look at Yasmine that made her want to slide under the table.
“What?” she hazarded to ask.
“We’ve been friends so long, I’m starting to sound like you with all these worries.”
“You don’t sound like me. You sound like a very confused woman.”
“Exactly. Your problem is, you’re afraid of everything, and I think you’re starting to rub off on me.”
“That’s crazy. What am I afraid of?”
“You might think you’re Miss Thing with your bad attitude and your rebel-without-a-cause posture, but you’re not fooling me.”
Yasmine’s lips parted, but no words came out. She wanted to argue with Cass, tell her how wrong she was, but deep down a little nagging voice said her friend might be right.
“What does this have to do with anything?”
“I’m the one with the irregular emotional wiring, not you. I’m the one who’s perfectly happy alone. You, on the other hand, are afraid that if you fall in love, you’ll be the one who gets hurt later. You’re afraid to put yourself out there.”
“So what’s wrong with not wanting to get hurt?”
“You’re not living! It’s like ever since you got out of that kiddy prison, you’ve decided to keep yourself locked up in a prison of your own making.”
Yasmine’s instincts went on alert. Cass had seen a part of Yasmine she’d been keeping so guarded, she hadn’t even remembered it existed. “That’s crazy.”
“My point exactly,” her friend