The Muse's Undoing

“Then how ‘bout last week?”

“Zero,” he says.

“What about the night you came home with Ravenna?”

“I sent her back to her apartment. Nothing happened.”

“And at the club…were you a one and done guy or did you go a few rounds?”

“Also…depends. Do you want an inquisition like this? Honestly?”

Honestly? No. But maybe it’s a good idea to know what we’re dealing with. “I’m an at least every other day, few rounds type of person.”

He nods slowly. “Okay. Why are we talking about this?”

“Because unless it’s a random hook-up, I tend to be monogamous,” I tell him.

“That’s fine,” he says.

“I swear to God, Fischer, if you say something’s fine one more time?—”

He laughs. “What’s wrong with fine? Fine is good.”

“Fine is whatever. I need to hear what you want.”

He gives me a stern look. Imperious, even. “Then why don’t you tell me what you have to offer.”

I arch a brow. “Am I auditioning?”

“If you want me to stay out of Gibson’s club, what’s your offer?”

I swear to God, if he wasn’t so hot—if I didn’t love him so fucking much?—

I catch my breath. Whoa. I need to slow down with that kind of thinking. We’ve spent one night together. Still, our relationship has leapt the fence, leaving behind “friendly” or “brotherly.” I circle back to his question, which I hope he means as a joke. If it was hard to share him before I’d been inside him, it’s flat out impossible now. “I definitely want you to stay out of the club. Unless I’m with you.”

“Okay…” He says with narrowed eyes like he needs more incentive than that.

I’m exactly desperate enough to give it to him. “I’ll delete all my dating apps.”

“Keep talking.”

“I’ll come whenever you call. Unless you come to me first.”

“No matter how often?”

“If it’s even remotely physical possible, I’ll make it happen.”

His expression softens into something infinitely more vulnerable, and that—that’s my kryptonite. “Promise?”

I finally let my shoulders relax. “Yeah.”

“So, we’re skipping friends with benefits,” he says. “You sure that’s what you want?”

“Fuck, Fischer, I’m asking what you want. I just want you. I admit it, okay? You’re the one with shit to lose.”

“What do I have to lose?” he asks, looking genuinely confused.

“Women?”