Page 264 of A Matter of Time

“Yeah, but⁠—”

“You know the other night, when you said that all I wanted you for was to fuck, that was messed up. You knew it was crap even when you were saying it.”

“I don’t wanna talk about⁠—”

“Because the first thing I want is your heart.”

Jesus.

“I want you, period.”

“Listen, maybe you shouldn’t call⁠—”

“Where are you having dinner?”

“It’s not⁠—”

“Jory, come sit down,” Aaron said as he walked up beside me. “Your food’s getting cold.”

“Who’s that?” Sam asked me.

“I’ll talk to you later,” I said quickly.

“You don’t wanna hang up,” he warned me. “I can find your cell phone, J, no problem.”

“Oh yeah?” I baited him and clicked it off. “Good luck.”

When I turned to go back to the table, I stopped instantly, as Aaron was standing right there, barring my path and smiling at me.

“What?”

“Your temper, Jory.” He sighed, his fingers sliding over my jaw. “It’s really something.”

I moved past him to go back to the table at the same time that the waiter finally dropped off my Chivas and water. I thanked him, drained it before he could leave, and quickly ordered another one before I even sat down.

“Jory, don’t ruin the evening just because you’re pissed off at whoever was on the phone.”

“I’m not ruining anything,” I said, cutting into my steak again. “Just drop it.”

But Aaron never could. “Why don’t we go?”

“I’m eating,” I told him, “and all my friends are here, having a good time. You should too.”

“How can I, when I know if you keep drinking, you might go home with someone else instead of me?”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m not going home with anyone.”

“Please.” He shook his head. “You always go home with someone, Jory. You’re predictable that way. I used to watch you when you were out, and you never left alone. Every night a different guy. I’m sure nothing’s changed.”

I turned to look at him as the waiter dropped off my second drink. “What are you talking about now?”

He searched my eyes with his. “Before we started dating, I’d see you at the club, picking up a different man every night. You’d leave with them, and then, the next night, if that same one came near you, you ignored them until they got the message. Nobody ever gets a repeat performance from you. You’re a one-night stand kind of guy.”

I nodded, feeling my face get hot. People were listening and pretending they weren’t; some of their faces showed embarrassment and others were just disgusted. Kellen looked surprised. He was probably wondering why Sloane would have wanted him to date me, since I was so obviously a whore.

“C’mon, you know I’m right. You never sleep with the same guy twice. That’s not how you operate. You sleep with them and forget them.”

“Is that right?”