hard against the table. My wine vibrated in the glass. The candle flickered with each beat.
“Well, Gabe. I’m excited to see the rest of your courses.” Chase said as he continued to beat out a weird rhythm on the table. “I’ll definitely be recommending you to my friends. However, I do need to finish this discussion with Jasmine.”
I glared at Chase.
“I understand, Mr. Stone. And I appreciate your recommendations.” Gabe bowed and excused himself.
“He’s in love with you.” Chase spit the words out as if they were disgusting.
“No he’s not. And if he was, then it would be none of your business.”
“How do you feel about him?” He started tapping again, to the point that it aggravated me. I almost asked him to stop.
“I consider him a good friend.”
“He’s trying to woo you through food. I’ll bet he thinks he’s a foie gras platter away from getting into your panties.”
“That’s much more effective than creating a fake job and—”
“The job is real.” He leaned his head to the side. “Do you find Gabe attractive?”
“What I feel for Gabe is none of your business. Why didn’t your fiancée slap you when you told her you wanted me?” I crossed my arms over my chest. “I don’t remember anyone being slapped at the garden party. I think I would have remembered that.”
Our waiter came over and poured me more wine. Goodness. If there was ever a time I needed a glass of wine, it’s now.
“Dawn understands me.” Chase watched the waiter leave with our bowls and spoons. “We have a special arrangement.”
“Arrangement?” I picked up the glass and drank the wine like it was water.
Is this really happening to me? I knew Dawn seemed weird at the time. Do they think I’m going to sleep with them both? I’m so not going to have sex with them.
“I love Dawn, but I’m not the type of man who wants to be in a monogamous relationship.”
“You and most guys.” I rolled my eyes.
“I love women—your bodies, your scents, the feel of your skin, the sound of your moans, and the luscious taste of all of you, each with your own distinct flavors.”
I gulped down more wine, unable to taste it anymore. Part of me filled with disgust at what Chase said. The other part steamed with lust, as I imagined his lips on my flesh tasting me. Goodness. I need to have sex. Clearly, I’m too horny for my own good.
“Do you really love her?” I asked.
“Dawn and I grew up together. Both of our mothers died around the same time, so we comforted each other. We’ve dated since middle school.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“What is love?”
“Oh god.” I hit my forehead. “I’m absolutely not going to have a philosophical debate with you.”
“We started the arrangement five years ago.”
The waiter arrived, which annoyed me to no end. He provided new cloth napkins and filled the water glasses again. With each task, I gritted my teeth and drowned in impatience. He began wiping crumbs away.
Oh god. The damn table is clean!
Once the waiter left, I turned to Chase. “What does this arrangement mean and how am I involved?”
“Those are both long answers. Let me explain the entire situation.”
I blew out a long breath. He laughed.
“We started off with me just having casual sex with women on business trips or when I was out with close friends, but it didn’t work out.”
“How shocking.” My voice dripped with sarcasm.
“Dawn didn’t like the unpredictability of it, the possibility of pregnancies, or that I could catch something and give it to her.”
“Did you wear condoms?” I held out my hands.
“I don’t like them.”
“You’re selfish.”
He grinned. “Yes. I am.”
“How did you feel when she had sex with other men?”
He chuckled. “I thought we already established that I’m selfish.”
“You have to be kidding me. She can’t have sex with other men?”
“No.” He looked at me as if I was the crazy one.
“Whoa.” I covered my
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