“So you’re giving up on your Band-Aid sex?” she asks me.
I am seriously regretting sharing that information with her. Zoey too, honestly.
I feel my face heat, both in slight embarrassment at the topic and also at the memory of said sex. Who knew ripping a Band-Aid could be hot? Honestly, all of our hookups have been. And I can’t imagine tonight will be any different. Unless Matt’s tired from his game? This is the first time we are hanging out after one. I hadn’t thought about that. He was the one who asked to come over though…
We hadn’t been able to meet up this week and I think he wanted to set something up before I start my work week tomorrow.
Maybe we can try a position that’s not too tiring for him?
My thighs clench at the thought and I shake my head to clear it. What am I going to say to Dev?
“I’m…” I pause, hesitating. I should’ve planned this out. I look at my drink and spin it slowly on its napkin.Damn it.“I’m not giving up, I just…kind of…did it already,” I finish quickly, bringing my glass up to drink and hide my red face.
Dev’s mouth pops open.
“What!” Her near-yell comes out more like a statement than a question.
I set my glass down quickly and lean into her across the table. “For the love of— Can you keep your freaking voice down?” I implore her in a whisper-shout.
“When? Where? With who? I know you didn’t pick someone up when we went out! I left with you! Did you go out without me?” Dev pouts at me dramatically and I want to roll my eyes.
“Oh my god,” I mumble, putting my face in my hands. “I didn’t go out without you. I don’t have any other friends! You know that.” I look up at her face.
She’s giving me a “go on” gesture.Goddammit.
“I ran into someone on my walk home after we went out last time,” I tell her quietly.
“Ellie! That was weeks ago! Wait, you picked someone up off the streets?!” Dev’s screech could be heard from outside.
I give her wide eyes and look around the room at all the gazes on us.Great.
“Sorry,” she whispers and winces. “How about we go to your place?” Dev flutters her eyelashes at me and gives me an innocent smile.
Why is it so hard to say no to her?I hesitate for a minute and then cave. “Fine, one bowl of ice cream.”
Dev claps her hands and hops off her chair, putting her jacket and gloves on faster than I’ve ever seen.
Crap, how am I going to get her out of there before Matt shows up? And what am I going to say? That eager energy she’s sporting is not going to be easy to stamp out. Good practice for Zoey, I guess.
I grab my own jacket and fish out some cash to leave on the table for a tip since we already closed our tabs. We bundle up and start the short walk to my place. Thankfully it’s too cold for conversation, both of us burying our faces as far into our jacket collars as we can with our hands shoved deep in our pockets.
When we reach my apartment I quickly open the main door and then trudge up the stairs. I feel Dev behind me and all of that eager energy she’s still giving off.Ugh.
I’ve barely opened my door when Dev starts in on the questions again.
“So, on your walk home? Please tell me you didn’t pay someone.”
I give her a flat look and hang up my stuff before grabbing the ice cream and bowls. I hand her the scoop and go get our spoons. Thankfully I had strawberry ice cream still in my freezer, so I don’t have to share my stash of Matt Vanilla.
“Obviously I didn’t pay anyone, you freak. I can’t believe you thought I picked up some stranger outside.”
At least she looks contrite. “It just popped out,” she says with a guilty smile, shoveling a bite of ice cream in her mouth.
I lean on the counter and start to eat my own. Best not to get comfortable—I need her out of here in the next twenty minutes.
“So if you didn’t pick up someone random on your walk…” Dev leads, eyebrows wiggling at me.
“Fine. I ran into this guy I had met back in January. He was actually at the same bar where I first met him. So he came out to say hi and…” I shrug, desperate for that to be enough information.
