Page 70 of Come Back to Bed
He blinks and loses the staring contest. “I need for you to enjoy yourself tonight.” He squeezes my arm, winks at me, and walks off to greet the art critic who has just entered.
I didn’t even know Sebastian knew how to wink.
“Why don’t I get us drinks,” Matt says. “Malbec or Pinot Noir?”
“Whichever has a higher alcohol content.”
“I’ll see if they have red Zinfandel.”
I watch him go. Heads turn. Some heads do double-takes. Mouths subtly drop open. Matt seems genuinely oblivious to the way people stare at him, or maybe he’s just used to it.
While he’s ordering drinks, I say ‘hi’ to a few people, make sure everyone is more comfortable here tonight than I am.
When Matt leans against the bar and makes eye contact with me, smiling just a little bit, I suddenly feel really good. I don’t know what I was so afraid of. Just because we’ve had intercourse and taken care of each other in each other’s homes and we’re in the same restaurant at the same time, that doesn’t mean we’re anything more than fuck buddies who happen to live next door to each other.
I finally look away from Matt when I feel a hand slap my ass.
“I’ve been texting you for fifty minutes, you nerd!” Tommy says as he hugs me.
“Oh my God I’m so glad you’re here!”
“I have like nine other places to be tonight, but I wanted to see you.”
I pull away from him and grab his cutie pie face. “It’s been ages. So your show’s over but you’re going on tour with it? This is amazing, right?!”
Tommy takes one look at me, ignores my question and says: “Girl. You’ve interacted with sperm since I last saw you.”
“Shh! This is a work function!”
“Your little Ferris Bueller finally got her day off, didn’t she?”
I giggle. “She’s gotten off a lot more than once, if you must know.”
“I must know everything!” he stage whispers. “Who’s been making your vagina twist and shout?!”
I burst out laughing and cover my mouth. “Shh! Please stop talking.”
Tommy watches me as I look around for Matt. When I catch sight of him at the bar, and realize he has been watching us even though some woman is trying to talk to him, I feel my cheeks flush and everything tingles. Tommy grabs my arm. “Please tell me Sexy Face Magee over there is your guy.”
“He’s not my guy. But yes, he’s my neighbor.”
He gasps. “You banged your neighbor!”
“Lower your voice!”
He speaks in a deeper voice. “You’re banging your neighbor.”
I have to cover my face. “It’s not serious. I mean, it’s hot and it’s really great and he’s great and everything’s cool and I love his dog, but it’s not serious.”
“Uh huh.”
Matt locks eyes with me as he makes his way towards us, holding two wine glasses. The expression on his face is serious, as it usually is, but that doesn’t mean that what he feels for me is serious. Just because I’m more aware of him than anyone else in the room or anyone else in the city for that matter, that doesn’t mean that what I feel for him is serious.
“I’m only staring at you because you’re gorgeous,” Tommy says as soon as Matt’s within earshot. “You’re too good-looking to be straight.”
“You’re not the first person to tell me this.” He hands me my red Zinfandel. “I’m Matt. You’re definitely too good-looking to be straight,” he says, as he offers his hand to shake. He somehow manages to not make that sound flirtatious.
“You are absolutely right. I’m Tommy. Bern and I go way back.”
