“Oh, honey.”

“Don’t, Jess. I can’t let myself go back to that. I’m away from him now.”

“I know. I’m sorry. What did Jason say?”

“When I left? He said fuck a lot. But I imagine it was because he thought he was going to get laid.”

“Or he was worried about you?”

“Maybe. I don’t know. It doesn’t really matter.”

Jessa sighed. “I’m coming over.”

“No. I mean thank you. But it would take you three hours to fly here. And I have to be up early tomorrow, anyway, so I couldn’t pick you up from the airport.”

“Casey. Go back over there. Tell him the truth,” Jessa said.

“Why? That story is just going to confirm to him how stupid I really am. How naïve. He already thinks I’m crazy. I don’t need to make it worse.”

Casey jumped at the sound of a knock on her bedroom wall. “Jessa. I’m going to let you go.”

The knock again. It shouldn’t have, but it made her smile.

She sat up on her knees and tapped back.

He didn’t knock back, so she figured he was just messing with her. But then the knock came from the front door.

She ran over to open it and smiled when Jason stood there, still shirtless, still in those tight jeans that showed off his amazing dick.

“Hi.”

Jason smiled back at her. “Sorry to bother you. It’s just that I couldn’t sleep without the usual sound of a Porn Place orgy. It’s like my lullaby now.”

Casey laughed. “Shut up.”

“May I come in?”

“I’m not wearing pants.”

“You don’t seem to wear them often, huh?”

“No.”

“I’ll behave. I just wanted to check on you. You took off pretty fast there, and I was worried I said or did something to upset you.”

Casey leaned against the door. “Are you real?”

He flexed his pecs and winked at her. “Touch me.”

“Why?”

“To prove to yourself I’m real.”

She reached out with a shaky hand and set it over his heart, felt the warmth of his skin, the heat.

“Let me in, Case. I just want to sit with you. I’m worried.”

“I’m fine.”