Page 165 of A Matter of Time

“Oh, don’t be such a pill,” she snapped at me as she scooted out of the booth.

“You guys are cute,” Ray told me when I sat back.

“I’m crazy about the girl,” I said, rolling my head to look at him.

“Jory, could I take you to dinner tomorrow?”

“That’s fast.” I squinted at him.

“I like what I see,” he said softly. “And I should feed you before I take you home.”

“I’m going home with you?”

“After dinner tomorrow night, yes, you are.”

“I see.”

“I called Nick, and he told me all about you. He says you’re amazing in bed.”

“And you trust him, since you told him he was a lousy lay?”

“True, true.” He smiled wide. “But just because Nick is bad in bed doesn’t mean he doesn’t know what good is,” he pointed out. “Besides, you’re gorgeous, and I bet the rest of you is just as good. Aesthetics can go a long way.”

I nodded, shifting away from him, sitting up straight.

“How old are you?”

He hadn’t noticed my slow withdrawal, and that was fine with me. “I’m twenty-three. You?”

“I’m thirty.” He leered, looking me over like I was something he was thinking of buying. “And without breaking the nice mood we’ve got going here, can I ask you a question?”

What mood? “Go ahead.” It wasn’t his fault he was conceited. He was hot, and I was sure everyone he’d ever given his attention to had probably treated it like a gift.

He took a quick breath. “We’ve both been with Nicky, and I know he’s versatile, so…” There was the inevitable trail off into silence as he searched my face.

“What?”

“Are you versatile too, or do you have a preference?”

I preferred to bottom, always had, but I was not about to share that information. “Ray, I’m really flattered that you want to take me out, but unfortunately I’m busy tomorrow.”

His smile faded just a bit. “Sunday, then.”

“How ’bout I call you?”

It took him a second to realize what I was saying. “Are you being serious? Are you blowing me off?”

I shrugged.

He scowled. “Are you drunk?”

“Little bit.” I grinned. “But the whole one-night stand thing is just not appealing at all.”

He stared into my eyes. “You’re turning me down.”

“Yep.”

“Me?” He was absolutely flabbergasted.