“I know, but you saw how everyone was at the club,” I stammered, my nerves getting the best of me. “Everyone was pretty free at Gossamer.”
“Yeah but not kissing or anything.” Thayer scoffed, sipping his soda. “I’m sorry, I'm not trying to be dismissive. I'm just...taking it all in.”
“I understand,” At least, I wanted to. I really didn't see the difference in me macking on a hot human and me swapping spitwith a hot Orb. “We kind of struck up a little friendship while he was getting his consumption because he liked the conversation.”
“Okay.” Thayer looked neutral, not super ecstatic but not super annoyed either.
“Long story short,” I cleared my throat. “We kissed at Gossamer, and then he showed up to talk about the kiss while I was working. Maybe you remember him from the club?”
“The tall blond Carlisle Cullen type?” I cringed at his reference, even more so that I knew it. “Kinda hard to miss that.” His laugh gave me a little more ease.
Deciding not to acknowledge his comparison, I stated, “Well I really like him, and we sort of...hooked up last night.”
“You hooked up with an Orb?”
Thayer's voice carried a little further from our booth than I would have preferred, a few stares coming over to us as I swatted his arm.
“Jesus, keep your voice down!”
“I’m not judging you, I'm just surprised.”
“I know it's not the norm, but I don't exactly want it announced to the entire district.”
“I get it. I'm sorry.”
We both finished up our food before we kept talking. No one was paying us any mind anymore, so I felt better about discussing this subject ad nauseam.
“So,” Thayer wagged his eyebrows at me. “What was it like?”
I smiled at the more playful tone. “Thayer, it wasamazing. I don't think I've ever come so hard—”
“Whoa, whoa.” He chuckled, waving a hand between us. “Maybe some things shouldn't be shared among friends.”
“Sorry.” I blushed, smiling as I thought about my evening with Kroven. “It was awesome though. He's so interesting, and so sweet to me.”
“Well then that's great, Bas. I'm happy for you.” He clasped ahand on my arm, and I could feel my cheeks getting hot. “Are you, like, officially dating?”
I opened my mouth to answer, but the response died on my tongue. Kroven and I hadn’t clarified what was happening between us. Panic set in as I thought more on the fact that Kroven had asked me to stay and I'd declined. Would he take that as a sign that I wasn't into him for anything more than shoving our genitals together? Of course I wanted more of that to happen, but I realized I also wanted more. Being around Kroven, I'd never felt that way about anyone before. I would've chased that high through this realm and the next if it meant I'd get to keep feeling what I was feeling right now.
“Actually, I'm not sure.” I admitted, messing with a rogue fry on my plate. “We’ll talk about it I'm sure, but I didn't want to keep this from you anymore than I already have.”
“Aww,” Thayer mocked. “My opinion means that much to you?”
“Shut up.” I giggled, but nodded. “You're the closest friend I've ever had, Thayer. I wouldn't want to jeopardize our friendship in any way.”
“I don't think anything ever will,” Thayer admitted. “Even if you are letting an Orb sexually exploit you.” He laughed it off, making sure I knew he wasn't serious.
“No one's exploiting anyone.” My eyes squinted as I tested Thayer's boundaries in hearing about my sex life. “Although I've yet to tell you about the ribbed parts of Kroven's dick that—”
“Okay, okay,” Thayer laughed. “That's enough out of you for at least ten minutes.”
Our laughter surrounded us, and I was so elated that my more than friendly encounter with Kroven hadn't driven Thayer away from me. After being so close for ten years, his opinion meant more to me than I was willing to admit and I was enthralled that anger hadn’t been the emotional outcome.
Now I just needed to figure out what Kroven and I weredoing. And more importantly, if what we were doing was going to happen again.
Going into work the next day was a fiasco, full of sudden crowds that insisted on yelling at the entire staff as we made our way into the building. There were people holding signs outside, being told they had to yell their obscenities from the sidewalk across from the center by the authorities.
People were protesting the blood center.
