“Got a tinky-winky?” she eagerly adds while giggling.
“No,” I scoff. “Quite the opposite. It matches the rest of him.” I blush, even though I’m alone.
“Hell yes! I was just fucking with you. He totally gives off BD energy.”
“You haven’t even met him,” I accuse.
“I saw his interview on that show. The host chick wanted a piece really badly. Do yourself a favor and don’t go look at the comment sections under the promo videos they posted on their social sites. Bunch of thirsty bitches.”
I sink into the couch cushions, just imagining what they could be saying or thinking, but I have to ignore it. If I go down that rabbit hole, it will just breed jealousy and insecurities I don’t need. “Yeah, I got that vibe from her too. I think she got offended when I asked for his number.”
“Holy shit, you asked for his number right in front of her? Oh my gosh, I would have died to see that.”
“Not like that,” I say with a smile. “It was awkward as hell actually. I told him he could call me anytime and mentioned two in the morning for some reason.”
“Oh, Har, you are adorable. So he offered you his number?”
“When my interview was over, I asked if he’d be willing to talk to me about Hayzel’s case.”
“Sure…” She chortles.
“No, really, I mean I’m not going to deny I thought he was gorgeous and had some rather not so pure thoughts about him and his size, but my focus at the time was her case.”
“I know, I’m just messing with you, but I’m really glad to hear you were attracted to him. See? I told you it would just take some time, or maybe you only like a big, strong man with a gun. And you know what? That’s fucking okay with me, especially now. Fucking freaks out here. A girl needs someone she can trust to take care of her.”
“Yeah,” I agree, not sure what it was exactly about Boone that intrigued me from the moment I saw him.
“So you met up, sparks flew, and you fell over with his dick inside you. That’s what I want to hear about, not that I don’t like knowing you stole his fine ass right out from under thatblonde’s nose, but I need the real details, Har. Hard hitting, cervix bumping details!”
“Gosh, Liv, is Parker not giving you any?”
“You do not want to know the way that man defiled me this morning.” She sighs wistfully, and I know she’s speaking the truth. “Speaking of, if you don’t give me something, I might have to go into details about how he loves to eat it from?—”
“No, no, feel free to keep that little nugget to yourself,” I interrupt.
“Are you sure? I mean, that man is a magician with his tongue and fingers.”
“Believe me, I know. We did live in the same house, you know,” I deadpan, but I’m only teasing. It feels good to have some of our usual banter. “I missed you, Liv.”
“Me too, Harlyn, but I was so mad at you,” she admits with the same level of emotion.
“I know, and you were right to be. I was a chicken.”
“You were, but maybe there’s a reason why you didn’t want to tell me. I don’t always take change well. I mean, Parker has been begging me to move in with him, and I just kept putting it off because I was afraid.”
“We’re both a little messed up,” I agree.
“Yeah,” she whispers, and the line goes quiet long enough for me to get the courage to tell her something else that scares me.
“Livy, I think I love him.” My confession comes out as a whisper, even though I’m completely alone in the apartment, and I’m not worried about being overheard. “I mean, I can’t, right? I barely even know him,” I argue just as softly, as if that thought is just as abhorrent.
“Honestly, I wouldn’t be surprised, even if he didn’t literally save you from a psycho. You’ve cut yourself off from anything for a long time, Harlyn. I knew the minute you let someone in,they would leave a mark.” She sounds resigned, sad even. I don’t know how to take that.
“You think I’m crazy.”
“Hell no, I know you aren’t crazy.” Her tone completely shifts until I can’t ignore the conviction making her words feel like a reprimand for even voicing those thoughts. “I just don’t want you to get hurt.”
“Me either.” I swallow the tightness in my throat, because there’s nothing I can do with it or the strange mix of unease and butterflies in my stomach. After another short lull in conversation, I add, “He has been taking really good care of me.”
