The girl I’d barely noticed became completely irresistible.
Something like that might be happening again now.
We’ve been living like roommates for the past few months. My head’s been too messed up to think about sex, aside from the extra-long showers I’ve been taking to work off the edge. But watching her right now, I remember why I chased her around campus after she turned me down the first time.
Most people stumble when all eyes are on them. They stutter. They fidget. They show something.
Not Jess.
She thrives in it.
Hayao, who seemed attractive yesterday, suddenly looks ordinary next to my wife.
And I can’t remember how I ever let myself forget that.
Hayao keeps glancing at me like she expects me to jump in, to reinforce something Jess says, to take control of the room the way I did yesterday. But I don’t. There’s no need. Jess has it handled. More than handled.
I notice the exact moment it clicks for her.
Her posture stiffens, just slightly. Her eyes flick down to the ring on Jess’s hand, then to the matching band on mine. The confidence in her stance shifts, recalibrates. The dynamic she thought she understood isn’t what she assumed.
Her gaze narrows faintly, like she’s piecing together new information in real time.
And I mentally kick myself.
Now I can almost see the question forming behind her eyes.
Jess finishes outlining the coverage tiers and looks at Hayao expectantly. “Does that make sense?”
Hayao nods, but her attention drifts back to me for a split second before returning to Jess. The hesitation is subtle, but it’s there.
“I understand the plans,” she says carefully. “It’s just… my last security company bailed abruptly. The owner was going througha divorce and ended up selling the business to avoid giving his wife half.” She shifts her weight slightly, fingers tightening around each other’s. “I just want to make sure that’s not going to happen again.”
Jess frowns, genuinely confused. “Why would it?”
Hayao’s eyes flick to me before settling back on Jess. “Well… Logan mentioned yesterday that he’s separated, and I just-”
I don’t hear the rest.
My eyes lock onto Jess.
Shock hits her first. It’s clean and immediate. Then it shifts, to disbelief, to something sharper. Her posture stiffens. And then it lands.
Realization.
She doesn’t look at me. She doesn’t demand an explanation. She just drops her gaze to the floor like the tiles suddenly hold more answers than I do.
“I have to go,” she mutters, the professionalism gone from her voice.
Before either of us can respond, she turns and walks out.
I stand there for half a second too long, watching the door swing closed behind her.
Beside me, Hayao shifts uncomfortably. “Should I… not have said anything?” she asks, uncertainty cracking through her composure.
Of course you shouldn’t have.
But I don’t say it.
