Page 94 of Last Letters to Ara
“Don’t bother, you can take the lift with me.” Connor’s accent and no-drama-persona makes him begrudgingly likable. I feel slightly more at ease, knowing that he’s the kind of person whom you could have a full-scale meltdown in front of and he’d brush it off without a second thought. The only unsettling thing about him is his complete lack of social filter, and the fact that he has zero reservations when it comes to sticking his nosestraightinto my business.
“Thanks!” As we go by, I send Clive a look that says ‘See, I told you I’m not a weirdo stalker’.
“I’m really glad you finally rocked up. Theo has been moping around for weeks.” Connor shakes his head. “Maybe this will finally perk him up.”
Theo has been moping? “What do you mean, moping?”
“You know,moping. Walking around like a sad puppy who’s just lost his balls?”
I roll my eyes. “I knowwhat mopingmeans, but I don’t understandwhyhe would be moping. Did something happen?”
Connor pushes the button for the elevator and shoots me a look that says I’m missing something obvious. “Youhappened.”
“Ihappened? He’s the one who’s been sending me one-word texts!”
The elevator opens with a ding. Connor scans a fancy fob and punches the top floor number. “Probably because my poor mate needed to take some steps toward self-preservation. He’s never been this into someone.”
“You must be mistaken.” In my gut I know that he isn’t.
“I don’t know why you two haven’t hooked up already.” Connor sighs. “Blow each other’s minds, maybe some other body parts, too.”
I blink. “We arejustfriends.”
“And? Is there some law against friends hooking up? Friends hook up all the time.”
“Well, not me and Theo. It’s not like that between us.”
The elevator suddenly seems to get smaller. Warmer.
Connor laughs. “Oh, it is like that. You think I didn’t notice you undressing him with your eyes when he came out of the shower?”
Okay. It’s not the elevator getting hot, it’s my face, which is currently enflamed and the color of a tomato.
“I thought so.” Connor smirks. “Just can’t wrap my mind around why the two of you are hell bent on making yourselves suffer.”
“It’s not that simple.” I try to push my thoughts away to reduce my flush. It doesn’t work.
Connor rakes his hand through his messy musician hair. “It could be. You obviously want him. Just say so. I’m sure my boy would be happy to oblige.”
“But then what happens after?” I have no idea why I’m entertaining this conversation right now, but maybe Connor will have some insight.
“Normally one would throw away the condom.”
Never mind. Absolutely no insight.
“Oh my God, that’s not what I meant.” I drag my hand down my face. “I meant with the emotions and the relationship.”
“If you ask me, you’re better off without any of it. No emotions. No relationship. Just sex. It’s easier that way.”
“Clearly you’ve never read a romance novel, because those arrangements never work. Usually someone still gets hurt and then they end up finding a way to fall in love anyway.”
“Sounds like a bunch of romanticized crap to me. It’s not like that in real life.”
And I thought I had issues. “Someone’s been hurt.”
“You don’t get hurt if you don’t give someone the chance to do the hurting.” He shrugs. “Besides, you’re the one who’s afraid.”
“Don’t quit your day job, Connor. You’d make a terrible therapist.”
