Read Online Jaded (The Butterfly Memoirs) by M. J. Kane - Free Book Online Page A

same time…what I mean is men have a little black book, so do I,” she shrugged and sipped her wine again. Defiance mixed with pain shown on her face.
    Oh yes, Yasmine Phillips was definitely in a league all by herself. Normally I would have taken what she said and looked at her differently. However, with her hurt past…I could understand her reasoning.
    “That’s where we differ,” I said. This time her eyebrows rose. “I’m old fashioned. I believe in monogamy. If I’m with you then I expect the same. If I’m not happy with the relationship, I’d be honest and end it.”
    “Good for you,” she smirked. “You think I’m wrong for feeling this way, don’t you.”
    Her reply was more of a statement than a question.
    I mused before responding. “Yasmine, we make decisions based on what is best for us. You were unable to find what you were searching for and decided not to let it deter you from finding some happiness. You protect yourself, physically and emotionally. I can respect that.” I chuckled. “It sounds like way more fun than self-imposed celibacy.” I drained my glass.
    “Wait, did you say you are celibate?” she didn’t hide her laugh.
    “Yeah, got a problem with that?” I laughed, too. Guess it did sound unbelievable.
    “No…,” she rested her elbows on the table, lowered her head in both hands, and tried her best to keep her laughter contained. “Zack, how crazy is this? Here we are, two attractive people whose hearts have been ripped out, eating dinner in one of the most romantic places in town. Neither of us has had sex in…for me it’s been over three months. How about you?”
    This conversation got weirder and weirder. “I stopped counting after the twelfth month.”
    Her head rested on the table as my admission broke her dam. Talk about embarrassing. I confessed to a sexy woman I was in a sexless period of my life. It felt like I admitted impotency, which was not the case. My ego should have been hurt, but instead, I was seriously aroused. Go figure.
    “Zack,” she paused to catch her breath. “You see what the problem is, right?”
    “I should be the one with the three month set back and you should be the celibate one?”
    Yasmine nodded and tilted her head back, hand across her mouth. All attempts to quit laughing ceased. “Oh, Zack, we’re pathetic.”
    I poured another glass of wine and raised it in a new toast. “To single people who have no intention of sleeping together.”
    Where did that come from?
    We clinked our glasses and sipped our wine, all the while contemplating each other.
    “Can I ask you a question?” Yasmine’s eyes went to her glass.
    “Why not, we’re putting everything out on the table tonight.”
    She smiled and ran her finger over the glass rim. “Remember the best friend I told you about?”
    I nodded.
    “They’re getting married in a week. I don’t want to go alone. Would you mind—”
    “I’d be honored to be your date for the evening.”
    Yasmine looked up and smiled softly. I didn’t miss her relieved expression. “Thank you, Zack.”
    “For you, it’s my pleasure.”
     
     

Chapter 9
     
    The sound of Zack and Yasmine talking outside woke me. How long did I sleep on the couch? I cut off the television and peeked out the window. Zachariah walked Yasmine to her car, opened the door, and closed it after she got in. He watched her back out of the driveway, and waved in response when she honked the horn. After a moment, he took his cell phone from his pocket. Seconds later, my house phone rang.
    “Did you have a good time?”
    Zachariah’s chuckle sounded like his father’s. “Were you spying on me?”
    “No, I heard voices and glanced out the window.”
    “Uh huh, I bet you stayed up to see what time we got back.”
    I checked the locks on the front door while watching my son get into his car. When he backed out of the driveway, I shut off all the lights and made my way along the hallway towards my bedroom.
    “No, I fell