“He left an hour ago.”
“Wow. Okay. Long day on your end too. You guys must have gotten into it.”
There wasn’t a hint of innuendo in Breezy’s statement. That was the worst part. Margot felt the heat spreading its tendrils up her neck, burning a path over her cheeks all the way to her ears.
“Margot.” A spark of realization flicked in Breezy’s eyes. “What happened?”
“I don’t know?” Margot buried her face in her hands.
Breezy blew out a breath. “You slept with him?”
“No!” Margot got up and began pacing the room.
“Wow. You freaked me out. I thought you were trying to say that you hooked up with him.”
“Thatiswhat I’m saying.”
“Damn it, honey.” Breezy fell back against her chair, covered her face with an outsized groan. “You were supposed to help him, nothumphim.”
“There was no p-in-v sex. Just the longest and most insane oral of my entire life.”
Her friend peeked through her fingers. “You gave him a blow job as part of his mindfulness practice? Can’t say I’m familiar with that particular technique.”
“I didn’t blow him. He blew me.”
Breezy pretended to go boneless, sliding out of her chair and hitting the floor with a faint thud.
“You had Patch Donnelly come to your house for his first day as your personal client and you had him give you lady head?”
“Don’t make fun of me!” Margot leapt to her feet.
“I’m not making fun. But this was a good professional opportunity.”
“I see.” Margot blinked. “I can read your mind. There goes Margot thinking with her lady head again. Can’t bring her anywhere without her acting like a skank. Typical Margot wrecking everything by being some sort of low-key slut.”
“What?” Tears welled in Breezy’s eyes. “That’s not at all what I meant.”
The front door creaked and Margot swiveled her head. Jed stood frozen at the front door, clutching his black overnight duffel, looking as if he desperately wished his flight had been delayed by an hour.
“Sorry to interrupt.” Jed eased in, taking the temperature of the room. “Everything okay?”
“Peachy!” Margot beelined toward the door.
“Don’t go!” Breezy recovered her power of speech and was climbing back to her feet.
“No. I don’t want to talk this out. There is too much I can’t say anyway. I’m sorry to come in here and disrupt your night with my drama.”
“You aren’t drama. You’re my best friend.”
Margot stood by the door and balled her hands into two fists. “How I just behaved was inexcusable. To you... and to me. I’m going to go home, eat my weight in peanut butter ice cream and rewatch the first season ofThis is Usuntil I’m dehydrated. Once my head’s screwed on, we can reconvene. Jed.” She gave him a short nod. “Sorry for the not-so-warm welcome home.”
“Margot, wait!” Breezy cried.
But she was already out.
When she left the building, the February air was a blessing for once. Her skin felt like living fire and she welcomed the light sleet. She stood still, jaw loose, belly soft, and took three deep breaths.
It had been a mistake to come here. Margot was a big girl now. And she had all the tools she needed to solve her own problems. She nibbled her nails. What happened today was intense and unexpected. Adrenaline and intoxication were still short-circuiting her system. Her laugh was short. Flustered. Slightly unhinged. And why wouldn’t it be, because Patch Donnelly had just given her the single most amazing sexual experience of her life.
