Page 12 of Tempted

We order coffees and sit down for a few minutes. “So, what happened with you and Malcolm? It looked like you were going to eat him alive.”

Moira is my best friend. There is nothing that I keep from her, and I trust her with my life. “I did something really stupid earlier.”

She sips her coffee. “Before you say anything, Steph, I just want to put out there that it’s okay to flip out. This has been tough. We all make mistakes when the stakes are down. And it’s not over yet. I did give a statement to the police. They are going to investigate granny’s death. And Callum is the prime suspect.”

My face falls. “Really?”

She places her hand on mine. “Yes. Now, don’t change the subject. What happened?”

With a deep sigh, I tell her. “And then I sent him a boobie text.”

“What is that…just what it sounds like?”

I nod.

She licks her lips. “Let me get this straight. The man stays the night with you, doesn’t touch you inappropriately, then he leaves you, but when you find him, he puts the moves on you, and then you reject him and then you send him a picture of your breasts?”

“Bra.” I sip my coffee. “And he rejectedme. I didn’t reject him.”

She lifts a hand. “So…do you like him…or no?” Her face shows that she’s slightly irritated, and slightly confused.

“I...do. But I don’t even know where to start. It’s like my brain comes disconnected when I’m with him.”

“I don’t think it’s his fault, Steph. I think it’s just...everything else. Maybe now is just not the time.”

“Then why do I want him so bad?”

“I don’t know. Ask your bra. Maybe it wanted to get out for once.” She shrugs.

I smirk. “Thanks for making a joke.”

“Well, of course I’m going to make a joke. God, this is the last thing that we need to be dealing with.”

“We don’t have to talk about it.”

“No, we do. I don’t need to have this drama looming in the Harris family.”

“It’s not like I asked for it.”

“No, you didn’t. But you need to keep your distance from Malcolm until you can get your head back on straight.”

I’m irritated, even though I know that she’s right. “Is that an order?”

“Just stop sending him bra picks, okay? Jesus Christ, Steph. This isn’t high school. You should know better.”

I speak on exhale. “Alright, fine. I’ll cut that out. You’re right about that. I shouldn’t be doing that. Hell, that could come back to bite me in the ass.”

“And what if you send it to the wrong person by mistake? Did you ever think of that?” She practically shrieks.

“I’m not an idiot.”

She rakes a hand through her hair and sighs. “Aren’t you? Only an idiot would send inappropriate pictures to a guy that she may or may not want to have sex with. Usually, when a lass does that, they know whether or not they do, and it’s normally that they do. I mean, what’s the purpose, if you don’t want to sleep with him?”

I shrug. “I never said I didn’t.”

“Then why don’t you do it and get it over with, so that you stop feeling the inclination to send incriminating photographs?” She says snidely.

“Because...I don’t know...because I’m not ready to?”

---