Page 53 of The Close-Up
“Maybe. But I have a feeling spending time with him could get you hurt, Naomi.”
Inside I’m two warring factions of feelings. One side of me is happy to have Simon’s concern and care, but the other is annoyed that he thinks he has any right to meddle in my personal life.
“Look, I appreciate how you’re trying to be a good friend and look out for me. You obviously can read people in a way that I can’t. But I’m fully aware that Landon isn’t an angel. And honestly? That’s fine with me. I told you before I’m done with relationships and dating. I’ve spent enough years trying to be the good girlfriend only to see every relationship I’ve ever had fall apart. I don’t need Landon to be a knight in shining armor or Mr. Commitment. I just want someone who’s okay with having a good time for now and who respects my boundaries. That’s exactly what he’s done so far, and that’s fine with me.”
“It’s just...” Simon’s gaze turns impatient. He bends both arms up, cradling my forearms in his hands. It’s the softest touch. My breath catches for the briefest second.
“I hate the thought of you getting hurt.”
That touch and those words flip this moment on its head. Suddenly this interaction feels a lot more intimate than an argument between friends. There’s passion and heat...and it has to stop.
Holding in my breath, I take a single step away so we’re no longer touching. As soon as I’m out of his hold, it’s like a spell is broken. Only the lingering heat of frustration is left.
“Listen. I get that you care about me, but it’s insulting the way you infantilize me when it comes to Landon. I’m a big girl. If I want to hang out with a guy because he’s fun to chat with and makes me laugh, I have a right to do that. And you have no right to say anything about it.”
I spin around and dart away, ignoring Simon’s calls for me to wait. I stop at the table where Landon is sitting, dig cash from my purse and drop it on the table.
“Is that enough to cover the tip?” I ask.
He adds a five-dollar bill. “Now it is.”
“Good. Let’s get out of here.”
He follows me back down the stairs, through the crowd, and out the door. We’re half a block away before I register Landon saying my name. When I feel his hand on mine, I finally stop walking.
“What happened back there?” he asks.
“I don’t want to get into it.”
“Why not?”
I bite my lip. “Because Simon said some not nice things about you and I don’t want to hurt your feelings.”
“Promise you won’t. What did he say?”
“He said he gets douchebag vibes from you. Sorry.”
He shrugs, clearly unfazed. “He’s not wrong. I’m kind of a douche. That’s why I’m taking his seminar.”
“It’s not just that. He’s my friend and he gets weirdly protective around me. Not sure why.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
I shake my head.
“Simon’s into you. It probably pisses him off to see you hanging out with another guy.”
I wave a hand in the air, dismissing his comment. “You should hear how he talks to his little sister on the phone. Super overprotective. And he fusses over his mom and grandma too. I think it’s just that he gets protective of the women he’s close to.”
Judging by the tilt of Landon’s head and the incredulous look on his face, he doesn’t buy my explanation.
“Okay, full disclosure: we met at a bar one night when I tried to hit on him. I was drunk and there was an attraction there for sure, but we’re just friends and coworkers now.”
I silently scold myself for the lie I feed Landon. If that moment when Simon touched me as I backed him against the wall was anything to go by, that attraction is still alive and well. But that’s all it is: a fleeting moment. There’s no reason to give it more than a few seconds of thought.
Landon rests his hands in his pockets and takes a step toward me. “If you suddenly changed your mind one day and wanted something more with Simon, I’d bet my left nut he’d say yes.”
“Come on, Landon.”
