Page 43 of The Casanova Complex

Delete delete delete. DELETE.

I blow out a sigh.

I will never, in a thousand years, be admitting that out loud, and especially not to him. That little intrusive thought is staying in the safe place in my brain that only I will have access to.

ME: I did NOT kiss you to make him jealous. That would imply that I care. Which I do NOT

GOOD BOY: Hey, I’m not judging you. Just saying that you kinda owe me one, Mer. I’m cashing in

GOOD BOY: right now.

ME: I hate you

ME: This is not a transaction. It was a fucking kiss. I didn’t steal your virtue

ME: You’d have to have one in order to steal.

GOOD BOY: Listen, I express myself through intimacy. I’m a sensitive guy

GOOD BOY: I’m not judging you, so you don’t judge me Mer

GOOD BOY: As much as I love this verbal foreplay thing we’ve got going on, can we please meet up? It’s important, for real. I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t

I nearly choke on my own spit as I read it. Bennett Legros… a sensitive guy.

Yeah, okaaaaaaay, dude.

But clearly, this must be important to him since he’s not backing down, and I will admit… now my interest is slightly piqued.

I have zero idea what is so important, but now I kind of want to know.

Except I can’t meet him anywhere because it’s just Elliott and me here. Dad’s working an overnight at the plant, which means that I’m stuck at home.

ME: I can’t meet.

I tug my lip between my teeth as I watch the dots dance across the screen before disappearing.

ME: I’m home with my little brother. My dad’s working the overnight shift and I can’t leave him here alone

God, am I really fucking doing this?

I type the message and press Send before I can talk myself out of it.

ME: You can come here.

GOOD BOY: Inviting me to your house already, Mer? Big step for us

ME: Shut up before I change my mind. 2241 Marais St

GOOD BOY: Be there in ten.

ME: Oh, one more thing. Come through the window. Second floor, all the way to the right

GOOD BOY: Why am I sneaking through your window? And how the hell am I even going to get up there?

ME: So I don’t have to hear my little brother give me shit about inviting a guy to my house for the first time. You’re a big, strong, macho hockey player, I’m sure you’ll figure it out.

ME: I guess if you need to talk bad enough that is