7. Ridley #2
“Weed helps sometimes,” Wren continues, “but I don’t want to get dependent on using it, so I keep it just for when things are really bad.”
“Like?” Bane asks.
“Several nights without sleep. I can feel when it’s going on too long. I lose my edge. I actually got some decent sleep last night or I’d be a wreck today. A few hours is better than none at all.”
Damn, I’d like to offer my services going forward, but I bite my tongue and finish my sandwich.
We clean up the kitchen, then everyone drifts upstairs to their rooms, leaving me and Wren alone in the hallway. Wren’s pretty hazel eyes roam across my face, and as he flicks his tongue out to wet his lips, I have to fight the urge to take over for him.
“Are you going up?” he asks.
“I’m not sure. You?”
“Figured I might watch a movie.” He shrugs. “If you want to join me.”
“Sure, I can do that.”
We walk to the living room together, and I don’t know what’s on Wren’s mind, but I can’t think about anything but last night.
Will we do it again? I was convinced it was a spur-of-the-moment deal fueled by the sexy movie we watched, but right now he could be working on returning things to normal or finagling a repeat performance. Fuck, I hope it’s the second one.
I grab the remote and plop down on the couch, flicking the TV on. “What’re you in the mood for?”
“Anything.”
“Cool.” I scroll through a few options, then choose a title that makes me chuckle. “A haunted house movie?”
Wren nods. “Sure.”
I hit play, then settle back as the opening credits scroll on the screen and creepy music plays.
“Do you believe in ghosts?” I ask.
Wren shrugs. “Not sure, but I’m open to possibilities. I’m guessing you don’t?”
“No. It would probably have to be very in-my-face to convert me.”
“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”
“Agreed.”
The movie starts and we watch in silence for about ten minutes, as the new family moves into the old house left to them by a mysterious relative. I’m interested in the movie, but something feels off with Wren.
The few glances I’ve stolen at him, he looks distracted and distant. Well, fuck. Maybe he’s not comfortable being alone with me anymore. I’m doing my best to stay normal and not make him feel awkward.
“Wren?”
His breath hitches. “Can you pause the TV please?”
“Yeah.” I grab the remote and stop the movie. “Something wrong?”
He shakes his head. “I need to say something, but don’t interrupt me or I won’t be able to get it out. Okay?”
“If this is about last night?—”
“Okay, Ridley? Please?”
I nod. “The floor is yours.”
I brace myself for “the speech,” the one where he tells me we can only be friends and last night was a mistake, but we don’t have to go there. I wasn’t expecting more.
“I needed last night.” Wren wrings his hands together. “Way more than I knew.”
I nod, keeping my mouth shut as requested.
“And I was thinking about it today. All day.” He chuckles. “There’s a saying that never resonated with me until last night.” Wren looks up, focusing on me with a determined set to his jaw before he blows out a shaky breath. “The best way to get over someone is to get under someone else.”
I tilt my head, confused. Wasn’t expecting that.
“I’m not hung up on Trent or in love with him or wanting him back—nothing like that—but in a lot of ways I’m not over the relationship. He took a lot from me, and last night, you gave me some of it back.”
He looks at the TV, staring straight ahead for a few seconds. I admire his features, illuminated by the electric light, wondering where this conversation is taking us.
“I don’t know if you’d be interested in helping me out, but I wanted to ask because it was easy with you. It would be good for me to…” He raises his hands, moving them like he’s kneading dough in midair, his lips parted, seemingly lost for words.
“Wren?”
He drops his hands, straightening his shoulders.
“I told you last night that I’ve never had casual flings.
I’ve been in one relationship after another, and I don’t regret it.
It’s just the way things worked out for me, but I want to try something new.
I want to have fun. I want to figure out who I am without Trent’s influence. I want to explore things.”
Okay, I think I know where he’s going with this. He’s entering his slutty era and letting me down easy. Sucks, but I’m a grown man. I can handle it.
“But I’m not a club guy. Or an app guy. I don’t even have time for stuff like that.
Hanging out with you is comfortable.” His cheeks bloom from a light blush to deep crimson.
“If you’re up for it, I’d really like to…
um… If we could…” He blows out a breath.
“This is way harder than it was in my head.”
“Sorry, man, I’m not following you at all.”
“How could you?” He laughs nervously.
“I think the best thing is to just say it. Don’t mince words. Whatever it is, I can handle it.”
Wren nods, holding my gaze. “I want to get over my past, and I wondered if you wanted to help me do that.”
“I get it. You don’t want—” My thoughts stutter. “What?”
“I know you’re not a relationship guy, and that’s the beauty of it.
For once, I could just have fun without all these expectations of the future.
It’s kind of weird because we already live together and you’re my boss, but we’re adults, and I trust that no matter what happens you’d be professional about it, and I know I would too. Today was a good example of that.”
Is he suggesting… “What?”
“I think you enjoyed yourself last night too,” Wren says. “Unless you’re a very good actor.”
“I did.”
“Cool. If you’d like more of that, I’m telling you I would too.”
“You want to mess around with me?”
He nods. “I do, yeah.”
“You want…” His meaning finally sinks in and a smile spreads across my lips. “Oh. Yeah. You want to shake off your past in a low commitment way that’s also safe and comfortable.”
Relief fills his face, melting away the tension that’s been there since he entered the kitchen earlier.
“If you’re down.”
If I’m down? Ongoing access to this beautiful man with no strings attached? Dude. This is my lucky fucking day.
“I’m down, Wren. I’m definitely down.”