Chapter Twenty-One
“What if she doesn’t come?” Connor asked.
“Stop being such a wimp,” Julia said. “She’ll be here. You didn’t see her face when she was talking about her cyber lover.”
Connor’s eyes narrowed as he entered the restaurant. “She didn’t tell you about the emails, what was in them?”
“Relax,” Julia said. “She refused to tell us a thing.”
“Other than general things,” Susan said. “I want to know why you didn’t just pick up a phone and call her.”
“I called her. Constantly. I tried to see her in person, but she refused to answer her door.” Connor glanced at the door, struggling to hide his nerves. “She needed time. If I’d pushed her any harder, she would have run or at least reported me to the cops as a stalker. She doesn’t believe I want her.”
“And maybe the blonde parade had something to do with that,” Julia said in a tart voice.
“I haven’t dated a single blonde since I started seeing Maggie. I’m not interested in anyone other than her.”
“That’s not what I heard,” Christina said. “Besides, I saw you with a blonde the other day. She was draped all over you.”
Connor frowned. “Oh, you mean Sylvie. Believe it or not, Sylvieismy cousin, and she’s now dating one of my flatmates. She’s putting on a surprise birthday party for him. We were talking about the arrangements.”
“Are you sure?” Christina asked. “Because from where I stood, it looked as if she was interested in you and would give your flatmate the flick without a second thought.”
“When did you see me with her?”
“Two weeks ago,” Christina said.
“Did Maggie see you with her?” Julia asked. “Do you think that’s why she pushed you away?”
“Yes, she saw us. That’s why we broke up.” Connor shrugged. “She didn’t believe me, and refused to discuss it. I never go out with two women at a time,” he said. “Never. It’s a rule. I never look at another woman while I’m dating someone else.”
“Does Maggie know that?” Julia asked. “Because I didn’t realize.”
“Hell.” Connor dragged his hand through his hair and glared at the women. “I can’t believe you’d think so little of me. Yes, I told Maggie ourfriends with benefitsdeal was open and we could see other people, but I never did. I didn’t look at another woman after Maggie and I hooked up. And I haven’t since,” he added. “I don’t know how many times I have to tell you. I’m not interested in any woman apart from Maggie.”
Susan sighed. “That’s so romantic.”
“You didn’t tell us it started out asfriends with benefits,” Julia said.
“I couldn’t think of any other way to get together with Maggie. She took a bit of persuading. And yeah, it might be romantic, but if I can’t convince Maggie to change her mind about me, it doesn’t mean a thing.”
“You’d better take your seat before Maggie catches us together,” Julia said. She grasped his hand and drew him into a tight hug. “Good luck. You and Maggie are my favorite people. You deserve a little happiness.” She kissed him lightly on the lips and drew back. “Oops, you don’t need to wear my badge.”
Connor wiped his mouth and the women pronounced him lipstick-free. He crossed the restaurant and took a seat at his allocated table, more nervous than he could ever remember.
Nerves skittered through her belly as she walked along the street toward the bustling seafood restaurant. Although she wasn’t worried about safety because the restaurant was a busy one, she figured she wouldn’t be human if she wasn’t nervous. Kinky Lover made her feel good. She felt as if she could tell him anything and would receive a thoughtful and insightful reply. Plus the sex was hot. She couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like in person.
What did he look like?
That worried her. As the girls said, he could be any age. Photos. Why hadn’t she asked him to send her a photo? Damn, her inexperience showed. Sex and men, she decided, were like a many-headed monster. Lop off one head and another appeared in its place.
The Friday night traffic seemed heavier than normal. Maggie waited at the crossing for the lights to change and the green man to appear. She inhaled. In. Out. Probably not the best idea while standing in the middle of all that traffic.
An old Holden carrying several young teens passed. The driver tooted the horn. “Show us your tits!” one hollered.
Maggie glared after them. They’d die of shock if she lifted her top and flashed them.
At long last, the lights turned and she crossed the street. A thin film of perspiration coated her skin, and her bottom lip ached. Too much nibbling. She’d been doing it all day, letting anxiety get the better of her. Her clothes clung to her skin, and her panties felt embarrassingly damp.
