brush off.
Of course, if Rob had promised to call her, Steve would have wanted to punch him in the face for that too.
This is seriously fucked up, Waller.
A car horn sounded in the street and Rob hurried to grab his shirt and haul it on. “That’s my ride. Waller, I’ll see you at work Tuesday?”
“Yeah. See ya.”
A moment later, Rob was gone. The absolute quiet in the bedroom after he’d departed became unnerving around the thirty-second mark. After almost a minute, Steve couldn’t stand it any longer. He had to say something, had to tell her how he felt even if it blew up in his face. “Pam, can we talk?”
“You mean about Rob?”
“Ah, no.”
“Do you think he left so quickly because we…” she screwed up her nose. “You know, did it without him?”
Rob. Rob was always the one Pam had wanted most. How had he forgotten that? Admitting how he felt now wouldn’t merely blow up in his face. It would make him look like the biggest fool on earth. He tried, but he couldn’t prevent the question from wheezing out of him. “Are you sorry we did that?”
“I…I didn’t mean to make Rob feel left out. That’s all. He said I was loud and then he rushed off. I feel like we hurt his feelings.”
“He said he had an early shift,” Steve said flatly. “And you were loud because you loved it. So don’t tell me you’re sorry we did it now. Dishonesty is not like you.”
Rolling away from her, Steve swung his legs over the side of the bed. He located his own jeans and started dragging them on, the hurt and disappointment morphing into the self-protective shield of anger. He’d known before any of this had happened that Pam preferred Rob. Rob was the one she made the goo-goo eyes at. He was the one she smiled for and lied about her age to. Steve was merely the guy she occasionally beat at pool and told her disastrous dating stories to.
Clearly, he was the only one whose view of who they were, of what they could be, had changed. Pam had been disappointed to see Rob leave, ergo, she wasn’t eager to be alone with Steve. She was concerned about Rob’s feelings and completely unaware of Steve’s.
Which meant, Steve had to assume, that she didn’t share them.
“Steve…what are you doing? Are you leaving?”
“Might as well.”
Pretty silly now that he thought about it. Rob should have waited a few minutes to save himself cab fare. Steve had no idea what he’d been thinking, hanging around in the hopes that he and Pam might talk about what had just happened between them. That they might talk about seeing each other again.
“I guess nobody sticks around for breakfast anymore.”
Now Pam sounded pissed. Steve swiveled so he faced her again. “Was I invited for breakfast?”
“Well, if you were, you’re not now.” She got out of bed and stalked to her wardrobe. She pulled a light cotton robe from inside and wrapped it around herself, tying the sash with a sharp tug. “Have either of you blokes ever heard of letting a girl down gently? It’d be nice if you could at least pretend to be reluctant to leave my bed.”
Steve wouldn’t have to pretend. He wanted nothing more than to tumble back into the sheets with Pam and make love all day. But he couldn’t do that, couldn’t admit how much he wanted her, only her, when he wasn’t the only one Pam wanted. It was too degrading.
It would hurt too much.
“If you give Rob a call, I’m sure he’ll be eager to see you again.” The words scratched at Steve’s throat. “He likes you. If you like him, don’t give up. If he’s what you want Pam, go for it.”
****
I don’t want Rob.
The inner voice whispered the shocking truth so quietly Pam was almost able to kid herself she hadn’t heard it. Almost. But the reality was there, staring her in the face. While it had been fun last night with Rob, while he’d had a hand in fulfilling every last three-way-related fantasy she’d ever had, he wasn’t the man she’d woken beside this
Of course, if Rob had promised to call her, Steve would have wanted to punch him in the face for that too.
This is seriously fucked up, Waller.
A car horn sounded in the street and Rob hurried to grab his shirt and haul it on. “That’s my ride. Waller, I’ll see you at work Tuesday?”
“Yeah. See ya.”
A moment later, Rob was gone. The absolute quiet in the bedroom after he’d departed became unnerving around the thirty-second mark. After almost a minute, Steve couldn’t stand it any longer. He had to say something, had to tell her how he felt even if it blew up in his face. “Pam, can we talk?”
“You mean about Rob?”
“Ah, no.”
“Do you think he left so quickly because we…” she screwed up her nose. “You know, did it without him?”
Rob. Rob was always the one Pam had wanted most. How had he forgotten that? Admitting how he felt now wouldn’t merely blow up in his face. It would make him look like the biggest fool on earth. He tried, but he couldn’t prevent the question from wheezing out of him. “Are you sorry we did that?”
“I…I didn’t mean to make Rob feel left out. That’s all. He said I was loud and then he rushed off. I feel like we hurt his feelings.”
“He said he had an early shift,” Steve said flatly. “And you were loud because you loved it. So don’t tell me you’re sorry we did it now. Dishonesty is not like you.”
Rolling away from her, Steve swung his legs over the side of the bed. He located his own jeans and started dragging them on, the hurt and disappointment morphing into the self-protective shield of anger. He’d known before any of this had happened that Pam preferred Rob. Rob was the one she made the goo-goo eyes at. He was the one she smiled for and lied about her age to. Steve was merely the guy she occasionally beat at pool and told her disastrous dating stories to.
Clearly, he was the only one whose view of who they were, of what they could be, had changed. Pam had been disappointed to see Rob leave, ergo, she wasn’t eager to be alone with Steve. She was concerned about Rob’s feelings and completely unaware of Steve’s.
Which meant, Steve had to assume, that she didn’t share them.
“Steve…what are you doing? Are you leaving?”
“Might as well.”
Pretty silly now that he thought about it. Rob should have waited a few minutes to save himself cab fare. Steve had no idea what he’d been thinking, hanging around in the hopes that he and Pam might talk about what had just happened between them. That they might talk about seeing each other again.
“I guess nobody sticks around for breakfast anymore.”
Now Pam sounded pissed. Steve swiveled so he faced her again. “Was I invited for breakfast?”
“Well, if you were, you’re not now.” She got out of bed and stalked to her wardrobe. She pulled a light cotton robe from inside and wrapped it around herself, tying the sash with a sharp tug. “Have either of you blokes ever heard of letting a girl down gently? It’d be nice if you could at least pretend to be reluctant to leave my bed.”
Steve wouldn’t have to pretend. He wanted nothing more than to tumble back into the sheets with Pam and make love all day. But he couldn’t do that, couldn’t admit how much he wanted her, only her, when he wasn’t the only one Pam wanted. It was too degrading.
It would hurt too much.
“If you give Rob a call, I’m sure he’ll be eager to see you again.” The words scratched at Steve’s throat. “He likes you. If you like him, don’t give up. If he’s what you want Pam, go for it.”
****
I don’t want Rob.
The inner voice whispered the shocking truth so quietly Pam was almost able to kid herself she hadn’t heard it. Almost. But the reality was there, staring her in the face. While it had been fun last night with Rob, while he’d had a hand in fulfilling every last three-way-related fantasy she’d ever had, he wasn’t the man she’d woken beside this
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