Page 57 of How To Tackle A Crush
“That makes me sound like a robot.”
“You know what I mean.”
I do. I’m not really known for dating. I have, of course. Just not in a long time. Not since Chloe and AJ have known me.
“I just wasn’t expecting him to be… like that,” I admit.
“Like what?” Chloe asks.
“Kind.”
That lands quietly between us.
“Not charming. Not trying to impress. Just… decent.”
AJ shakes his head slowly. “Is that what women want?”
Chloe watches me for another second, then asks the question I knew was coming.
“So… are you dating?”
“No,” I say immediately. “We haven’t even talked about anything like that.”
“But you almost kissed.”
I shake my head. “It was just one of those moments. Nothing has actually happened. No asking me out. No dinner. Noanything.”
Chloe gives me a look that suggests she’s seen this before.
“I had one of those moments with Tom,” she says casually.
AJ looks up. “You absolutely did not describe it like that at the time.”
“I’m editing for clarity.”
She turns back to me. “One minute we had a disagreement about tomato sauce, the next he was standing too close in my kitchen. Now he basically lives in my flat every weekend, has in-depth conversations with Hadrian like they’re old university friends, and—"
She takes a sip of coffee.
“—gives me the best sex of my life. Like that man’s dick reaches spots in me… mind-blowing.”
AJ stares at the ceiling. “I am never emotionally recovering from knowing that.”
Chloe pats his arm. “You’ll survive.”
“I feel like there should be content warnings before these lunches.
“You’re forty-two, AJ, not twelve.”
“I did not consent to performance reviews of Tom.”
I can’t help laughing. “That escalated quickly.”
Chloe shrugs. “I’m just saying sometimes thosemomentsare not random.”
AJ straightens slightly. “Alright, serious question.”
He hesitates like he knows he’s stepping onto dangerous ground.
