Elijah coughed and blinked. She looked back at him and gave him a thumbs up. “Well, I’d hoped, but he has to get back to his kid. You up for the challenge? Great. I’ll be there in ten.” She ended the call and looked back at him. “Give me a call and we can meet up again.”
“Hold up.” He made the time-out sign with his hands. “I don’t mean to sound…hell, I don’t know how this sounds. But are you single?”
She nodded. “Yes.”
“But your call just now…”
She looked confused for a second before her eyes widened. “Oh, that, yeah, Carlos and I hook up about once a week or so. Maybe more if one of my online dates doesn’t pan out. Is that a problem for you?”
He shook his head. “Not a problem, it’s just, I’m looking for a relationship.”
“And we can have one. As long as you don’t mind Carlos. The dick is too good. I can’t give him up?”
“I guess I’m a little old fashioned. I’m still big on monogamy, but I don’t hate on those who aren’t. I appreciate you being honest with me up front.”
She shrugged and nodded. “I appreciate you not being all weird about this. I mean, I really was interested in seeing what your dick can do. If you want to give us a try holla at me one day.” She leaned up and kissed his cheek. “Catch you next time.”
Elijah watched as she got into the car and pulled out of the parking space. A huge smile on her face. He shook hishead. He had been out of the dating game for far too long. Three strikes was enough to say he was officially out of the online dating game. Ater the month he’d had, he was even more convinced that the woman for him had always been right there in front of him. He only hoped that this dive into the hell of online dating hadn’t pushed her completely out of his reach.
Chapter 9
Layla didn’t consider herself a glutton for punishment, but her actions over the past month would say otherwise. Why else would she agree to babysit Sabrina while Elijah got to test the theory of whether he was ready to date or not? Why else would she have told this man that he was only interested in her because she was in close proximity instead of jumping his bones immediately as she’d always fantasized doing. Even though some wouldn’t understand her decision—hell at times she didn’t—Layla couldn’t say she regretted the decision and not just because Elijah’s dates hadn’t gone well. She didn’t regret her decision because she understood his reasoning. She’d taken her time getting back into the dating pool after her divorce, and in doing so, she learned what she did and didn’t want to deal with in a new relationship. She was more confident speaking up and saying what she wanted. She was able to be honest about what she may not be receiving in a relationship. Something she’d had to learn after putting herself second for a husband who didn’t care about her and then later letting desire convince her to stay too long in a relationship with another man who didn’t appreciate her.
Elijah had gone from putting so many rules and boundaries around what he believed a relationship should look like that he needed the space to figure out what would and wouldn’t work for him. She wanted him, but she wasn’t about to step into whatever his idea of a perfect partner was if he wasn’t even sure what he wanted in a partner. Maybe he still wanted a wife who would only be devoted to being a wife and mother without a life for herself. If that were the case, then they were better off remaining friends. She didn’t want to give up hercareer or stop taking time for herself. She’d had to work hard to provide for her and Jasmine, and she never wanted to be totally dependent on someone. She wanted a true partner.
The sound of a car door closing outside snapped her out of her thoughts. She checked her watch. Ten minutes to ten. He said he’d be back by eleven and had kept his word. He was doing better after she’d called him out. In the past few weeks he also hadn’t forgotten when it was his day for pick up or asked her to switch because of work. She would give him an A for not just listening, but actively trying to do better.
She opened the door before he could ring the bell. Both Layla and Sabrina had fallen asleep early after they’d filled up on pizza and popcorn and watched a movie.
“You’re here early,” she said.
He nodded as he came into the house. He looked good dressed casually in an off-white shirt and camel-colored pants. “I said I’d be here before eleven and I meant it.”
She breathed in the woodsy scent of his cologne as he slid past her. The man smelled good too. She moved to follow him into the living area, but he stopped in the entryway and turned back to face her. “What are your thoughts on monogamy?”
The question caught her off guard. “Um…I don’t think I’ve ever had any thoughts on it.”
He nodded slowly and his brows drew together. “Do you want a monogamous relationship, or are you into polyamory?”
She had no idea where this line of questioning was coming from, but she was invested in learning where this was going. She tugged on the edge of the red tank top she wore and shrugged. “I’ve never tried polyamory. It seems like it takes a lot of trust and communication to make it work. I have a hardenough time doing that with one person. I think I’d have to get that down before I invite others in.”
His gaze dropped to the neckline of her tank before he rubbed his chin and nodded. “Hmm.” He turned and continued towards the living area.
Layla quickly followed. “Is there a reason you’re asking?”
He tossed his keys on the couch. He pushed his sleeves up to his elbows and crossed his arms. “My date. She asked me to come over. I think she wanted to have sex.”
Layla swallowed hard. Definitely not what she wanted to hear. The last two dates he’d had hadn’t come close to sex. Honestly, she wasn’t expecting Elijah to go jump in bed with every woman he’d met online, but she also hadn’t ignored the possibility that might happen. Another reason why babysitting while he tested the dating waters was not a good idea.
She scratched the back of her head and cleared her throat. “So…what did you say?”
He looked up at her his brows drawn together. “I told her I had to get back and check on Sabrina.”
She let out a sigh. “Thank God,” she muttered.
“What?”
She waved a hand. “Nothing. Nothing. You know if you needed Sabrina to spend the night you could have called.”
