“I’m not surprised.”
As I say the words, I can tell Ishould’ve been a little more cautious about what I let out of my stupid mouth.I think he’s about to get angry, but his expression settles.
“I’m just not the kind of guy who doesstuff like that,” I explain. “Never have been.”
“No. It’s fine. You were a crappylay anyway.”
A serious ego-bruise. Was hefaking his enthusiasm the entire time? Is it because I’ve gone so long withoutpractice?
“You just don’t have to make a guyfeel like a slut by walking out like you did,” he says.
“I’m sorry,” I say. “That was mybad. I should have made it clear that I was leaving because I knew what we didwas a mistake. It was about me, not you.”
“Whatever. Doesn’t matter. It’s amistake we won’t be repeating, so let’s just forget about it.”
He raises his glass and clinks itagainst mine. “To friends?” he asks, though it’s clear that he’s anything butokay with leaving things where they are.
I shut my mouth, because talkingisn’t doing me any favors right now.
After we close out our tabs, Iescort him back to his hotel room. As we head down the hall in silence, I cantell he’s still annoyed with me. This will probably last for a while until weboth forget the horrible mistake we made. Although, as I glance at his sternexpression, all I want to do is shove him up against the wall and fuck himuntil he relaxes and unleashes screams of excitement like he did the other night.
“I’ll probably be heading outlater tonight,” Tad says. “Just to give you a heads up.”
“Where you plan on going?”
“I don’t know. I was thinkingabout a club maybe. Or just hop on Grindr and look for some action.”
“That’s not exactly the safest ofthings to do right now.”
“Look, you know I need to get iton. I know I need to get it on. And if you’re doing your job, that means youhave to escort me and make sure I’m safe while I’m hooking up with these guys,right?”
He’s right, but it’s not somethingI’m eager to do.
Tad doesn’t owe me anything. Wehooked up once. But the idea of someone else bringing him that sameexcitement—if not so much more—pisses me off. Makes me want to punch one of thepretentious paintings that line the walls of the hotel hallway.
“Yes, it is.”
“Good. Then we don’t have aproblem,” he says as we come to the door to his room. “Are you sure you canhandle this?”
“I’ll do my job, yes.”
“Just hope you don’t slip up,” hesays as he slides his key into the door and pulls it out.
He’s fishing, but I’m not surewhat for. As he turns the door handle, I say, “Slip up?”
“I’ve just heard some things thatmake me question your ability to keep me safe.”
“And what might that be?”
“Oh, nothing. Just an undercoveroperation that evidently didn’t go down so well.”
“What the—”
“You didn’t think I would do alittle background check on you before I let you follow my ass around?”
I want to rip him a new one for investigatingme, but I shouldn’t stoop to his level.
“You couldn’t protect yourpartner, but you think you can protect me?”
