Page 55 of Claimed Harder

I bite my tongue—for now.

“Measurements,” he reiterates. “By midnight.”

This trip to Phuket is turning into one of the most complicated situations for me. I can hear Darren’s response: It wouldn’t be so complicated if you didn’t make it so complicated.

Back in my apartment, I try to forget about Phuket and Darren and review the steps Taiwan took to successfully contain Covid-19 for my health policy class. I text Darren my measurements and let him know to keep the outfit under seventy-eight dollars, the balance in my bank account. Maybe I can try to squeeze in another shift at the library before I leave for Thailand. I should have insisted on getting my own outfit for the wedding. I don’t know how or why I let him have the last word. Maybe I need to assert myself more so I don’t end up on some slippery slope with him, and the next thing I know, he’s dictating my life.

At least I got him to take the STD screen. I half expected him to balk, and I’m glad he didn’t even complain. See, you’re not all bad, I could have said to him.

But there is something off about him. I don’t know why I think that. The bigger mystery is why I’m going to Thailand with him if I feel that way. Is it because I like the sex that much?

Must be.

I figure sex can only take us so far, so when he gets bored of me and wants to go back to dating models or I come to my senses, we’ll move on to our normal lives. Until then, I’ll just enjoy the chemistry and rush I get in his company.

The following day, I manage to get a same-day appointment at the student health center to look into birth control shots. Luckily, I’m still in the 7-day window from my period so the shot can take effect immediately.

The next few days, I don’t see or hear much from Darren except an update that my passport and travel visa are ready and to check in about the STD results, which are clean. I credit him with knowing that I need to focus on my schoolwork and internship. Which is more than I can say for Amy, who wants to talk about Thailand every possible minute. She’s shown me over a dozen outfits, returned nearly as many, and gone shopping at least three times. I end up bringing my laptop to the library just so I can have some peace and quiet.

“Do you think I should go with the matching tropical bottom for this bikini or the solid black?” Amy asks, holding up the options, after I get back from the library late Thursday night.

“They both work well,” I say. “How was work today?”

“Oh, I quit. They weren’t happy with me taking a week or more off since I had missed a few days already. I think I’m going to go with the solid black. Or maybe I should bring both. Yeah, I’ll bring both. You going over to The Lotus tonight?”

I shake my head. “My paper for health policy is due tomorrow.”

“I should probably skip it, too, though JD said he’d be there. I don’t want him to think I don’t have a life outside of him.”

I’m tempted to say she doesn’t seem to think about anything else, but I keep my mouth shut. Instead, I say, “So things are going well between you two?”

“OMG, it’s amazing. He’s definitely the one. I think he feels it, too, otherwise why would he invite me to his sister’s wedding? I mean, I’m going to be meeting his family. I can’t wait for my family to meet him. They’re going to be so impressed. I check off all the boxes with JD: he’s Asian, he went to a good school, he’s a successful businessman. He’s sexy as hell. The sexy part is my box, of course.”

“Your parents aren’t going to be disappointed he’s not a doctor?” I tease.

Amy smiles. “Given how much money JD must make, I think they’ll live with it.”

“He imports chemicals?” I recall.

“Something like that. It’s kind of boring.”

She grows quiet.

“Something the matter?” I ask.

“Just that he seems stressed from work lately. My Cantonese is a little rusty, but it sounds like a recent shipment isn’t going well, and he might lose out on a lot of money. Maybe I should go over to The Lotus tonight in case he needs cheering up.”

While Amy gets ready to go to the club, I get a call from Darren about coming over to view the outfits Cheryl will have picked out for me. The flight’s on Sunday, so there’s not a lot of time left.

“Maybe tomorrow,” I reply. “I need to finish my health policy paper, which is due tomorrow, and I’d like to finish at least one grant application.”

Secretly, I also want to find a way out of this outfit business.

“How’s the paper coming along?” he asks.

“Pretty good. I’m just having second thoughts about my conclusion.”

“What’s your conclusion?”