“Don’t goad me, Joseph, you won’t like what happens.”
“I bet I will.” My own hands were on her arse, taking in the curves, squeezing. One moved lower, my fingers trailing over her jeans, in between her legs from behind. I pressed briefly, a promise, my breathing turning hard. Visions of taking her to the small bedroom on board the boat had already fleetingly flittered through my brain, but I didn’t want to rush this.
I could wait.
“I bet I’m going to like everything.”
Shay was stillup when I got home from dropping Georgia off, planted on the sofa with the Xbox controller glued to his hands and his eyes glued to the TV.
“Thought you were on shift?”
He shook his head and paused his game. “Picked up some bug so I got sent home. Looks like I’ve got four days off.”
“Don’t you need to stay far, far away so I don’t catch whatever it is?”
He laughed. “You’ll be fine. I think it’s food poisoning – definitely had a dodgy take out about three days ago. How was your date? You’ve got lipstick at the side of your mouth, by the way.”
I grinned rather than wiping it away, more than happy to have it there. “The date was good.”
He gave a single nod, expecting me to come out with more.
“We’re going out again on Friday.”
“And?”
“And what?”
“I don’t know. I don’t date so I’ve got no fucking idea what a second date means. Do you get lucky? Second base? Engagement rings?”
I was pretty sure Shay had grown up away from his sisters because he was clueless – more so than I was – about women. I’d spent enough time listening to Ava and Payton mouth on about boyfriends and dates to have half an idea about how not to cock it up. Shay wasn’t even onto the same book.
“We get to know each other more. Talk. You know that thing you don’t bother doing with women?”
Shay smirked. “Oh, trust me. I talk. A lot.”
“Not like that, tool.”
“Don’t you think it’ll be awkward if you get together and it ends?” He flicked the TV off his game and onto a channel playing a stand-up comic.
I sat down and focused on the programme. “How many people who you work with have you slept with?”
“No idea, but it’s doctors and nurses, or doctors and doctors. Or sometimes a combination – but we don’t date. There aren’t feelings involved. That’d be messy.”
“Yeah. I get that. If it doesn’t work, I guess we just have to be adults about it.”
“Easy for you. You own the firm. She’s a salaried partner, so it won’t be you ever leaving.”
I rubbed at my face. “I can’t start something with her and think about how it’ll end. That’s not how it’s done.” Every time Cassie and I had gotten back together I’d always been certain that it was for good. I hadn’t gone back into it thinking it would break apart a few weeks or months later, although it usually did.
“You sure you’re not jumping into something just because the rest of your lot is either married or getting married?” He stared at me.
I debated throwing a sock at him or something.
“No. I didn’t want to get involved with anyone. Not until I’d had a good year at work.” And I’d lost the reputation of being a playboy party animal.
“So what’s different about Georgia? She’s serious about work and she’s got a kid. That’s hardcore adulting.” Shay reached down next to him and picked up an open bottle of beer that I hadn’t noticed.
“Rose isn’t an issue.”
