Page 44 of Only Lovers in the Building

“It’s your sworn enemy, Lily. Think about it. You’ll have to sleep with one eye open just to sleep with them.”

“Benedicto Romero, you are a man of principle.”

“And you’re a romantic. Your eyes say so.”

She blinked at him. It occurred to her that this might be the root cause of her problems. Was she waiting for a proposal in a hot-air balloon or some other grand gesture to fall in love? A miscommunication device to drum up excitement? She was a grown woman and no longer believed in fairy tales. However, she believed that a well-timed meet-cute could lead to a happily ever after. That was the green rolling hill in Scotland she was willing to die on.

“It’s not a bad thing,” he said. “I like that about you.”

“If I tell you something embarrassing, promise not to laugh?”

Ben chucked his book across the bed and sat up to face her, giving her his full attention. “Go on.”

“I’ve never been courted.” His silence gave her pause. He was staring at her as if she’d morphed into an alien before his eyes. “Don’t look at me like that! It’s not like I’ve never been kissed.”

“Not that there would be anything wrong with that,” he said. “Being asexual is fine, more than fine.”

“I’m not asexual, Ben.”

“Oh, I know it.”

“You promised not to make fun!”

“I made no such promise. Check the transcript.”

“Forget I said anything.”

“Forget that!” he volleyed back. “What do you mean by never been courted?”

The man was full of questions tonight. “What do you think I mean?”

“No one has ever sent you flowers or bought you chocolates on Valentine’s Day?” he ventured.

“I got chocolates and bodega flowers from this one guy I was really into.”

“That’s kind of sweet.”

“It’s the bare minimum, Ben!”

He sat up straighter. “Obviously, I’m lost in the weeds. Walk me through this. Make me understand.”

Lily shrugged, unsure where to begin. “Depending on what stage you are in life, a friend, classmate, or a coworker slides into your DMs, ask if you’re free for coffee, drinks, or even a game over the weekend. One thing always leads to another with no fuss and no grand gestures.” She studied his face for a reaction. What did he make of all this? Was he the type to go all out when he wanted a woman? “Maybe it’s New York. The bar is in hell.”

“Or maybe you’re just a sweet person who deserves more.”

“What’s your track record?” she asked.

“Not great, I admit,” he said. “All through college, and for years after, I was mainly a bartender. There were a lot of late nights, last-minute calls. Most of my relationships were fluid, undefined.”

“I’m familiar with the dynamics,” Lily said. She chucked her copy of Spring Fever. They were not going to get much reading done tonight.

“There was this one girl, though. She had raven hair, and I fell hard for her. I wrote her reams of poems. She sent them down the trash compactor.”

“Rude!”

“She was ten, and I was seven. Someone had to put me in my place.”

Lily folded over, laughing. “The age-gap thing doesn’t always work, does it?”