Page 69 of Tell Me What You Want

I like that, but it irritates me at the same time.

“Among all the women you play with,” I ask, “is there someone special?”

Eric stares at me.

He knows perfectly well what I’m asking. He puts his hand on my thigh.

“No,” he says.

“There’s never been?”

“There was once.”

“And?”

He looks right through me.

“She’s not in my life anymore.”

“Why?”

“Jude ... I don’t want to talk about that ... But I do want you to know that only you have managed to get me on a plane, desperately looking for you.”

I don’t know what to say.

After an uncomfortable silence, my cell buzzes. It’s Miriam, my Barcelona friend. I get up and tell her that I’m in Madrid and I’ll call her back. Eric’s just staring at me, barely blinking.

“You’re a good woman who deserves someone better,” he says finally.

“Someone better?”

“Yes.”

I know what he’s getting at, but I want him to say it clearly.

“When you refer to someone ...”

“I mean someone who can take care of you and treat you like you deserve. Maybe Fernando?”

“Don’t mix him up in this, OK?”

Eric nods. “You deserve someone who can offer you words of love. You deserve that.”

“Eric, you already do that.”

“No, Jude, don’t lie. I don’t do that.”

I try to ease the situation a little, because it’s getting pretty heavy.

“True ... you never say loving things per se, but you treat me well and worry about me. Why are you saying these things to me now?”

“Jude ... be realistic,” he says, his voice hardening.

“Look, I know sex is what brought us together. When two people get to know each other and are attracted to each other, the first thing between them is chemistry. And you and I have chemistry.”

“And with that Fernando guy, is there chemistry there too?”

Again with Fernando?

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