“I don’t need a man for an orgasm.”
“No, but they can be a lot more fun when the right guy’s involved.” Liz grinned. “I’m not telling you to run off and marry Hot Guy. I’m just saying there’s nothing wrong with having some fun with him if that’s what you both want.”
In theory, that sounded wonderful. There were days when Fiona wished she could have those kinds of no-strings relationships. But when push came to shove, she preferred sex with an emotional connection, and she just wasn’t brave enough to test those waters yet.
The treadmill beeped as it slowed to cooldown mode, and she heaved out a sigh of relief. They’d been at it for forty-five minutes and her energy was beginning to flag.
Fiona drank another swig of water. “Look, all I know is that I’ll be ready when the time is right.”
“And in the meantime, you’re probably missing out on some quality toe-curling sex. Seriously, look at the guy. I bet he’s packing some primo equipment.”
“What he’s packing doesn’t count for squat if he doesn’t know how to use it.” She suspected that wasn’t the case with Joe, but she refused to let her mind wander too far down that particular path.
Liz, on the other hand, was so familiar with that path she could travel it at night with her eyes closed. “Oh, I’m sure he knows how to use it just fine. He’s not one of those guys who lives in his parents’ garage and spends every minute of his free time surfing the internet or playing video games. Now that I think about it, he looks like the type of guy who’s open to suggestion.” She waggled her eyebrows, and it was all Fiona could do to stifle a laugh. “I bet he’s got a tongue like a lizard.”
Fiona shook her head. Anything else would only encourage her. “Can we please talk about something else?”
“Hey, you’re the one who wanted to talk about your fake date.”
“My mistake; I won’t make it again.”
How Liz could roll her eyes while exercising was a mystery to Fiona. If she ever tried it, she’d probably trip, face-plant on the treadmill, and knock out her front teeth.
“Come on, don’t be like that. I only want the best for you. You deserve it after three long years with the asshole.”
“Thanks.” No matter what, she could always count on Liz to have her back. It was a stark contrast to her own family, whose first question at the news of her breakup was to ask what she’d done to cause it. She’d always been the black sheep of the family, and their lack of support and compassion during that stressful time had only driven the point home.
The treadmill beeped to signal the end of the cooldown period and slowed to a stop. Fiona wiped the sweat off her brow with a towel, grabbed her water bottle, and hopped off the machine before Liz had the chance to suggest they keep going for another twenty or thirty minutes.
“Where do you want to grab lunch?” Liz asked as she gathered her things.
Just the mention of food made Fiona’s stomach growl. Funny, at work she could go nearly all day without eating a bite, but once she was home, her internal clock demanded food every few hours. “How about Taste of Brooklyn?”
One of the best Jewish delis in the area, it was her favorite lunchtime destination. Their pastrami on rye was overstuffed and teeming with flavor, while their garlic fries were second-to-none. And now that she’d worked off last night’s lasagna, she wouldn’t feel too guilty about splitting a slice of cheesecake for dessert.
Of course, she’d still have to eat a light dinner if she wanted to keep the guilt at bay.
“Sounds great; I haven’t been there in a month.” Liz bent to collect the rolled-up yoga mat she’d left on the floor. “But I’ll need to grab a shower first.”
“You and me both.” After sweating her butt off on the treadmill, she didn’t even want to think about what she smelled like. Plus, her grungy workout clothes weren’t fit for eating lunch in a restaurant. A quick shower and change of clothes would go a long way toward making her feel presentable.
As they headed for the door, Fiona switched on her phone, and the sound of Dennis’s ringtone filled her with dread.
“Ignore it,” Liz said.
Although that was exactly what she wanted to do, Fiona shook her head. “I’ve been dodging him for days. If I don’t deal with him soon, he’ll come knocking on my door.” And the last thing she wanted was a repeat of the other night. She hated confrontations, especially the face-to-face variety. It was comforting to know that Joe would help her if Dennis showed up at her apartment, but she’d rather avoid a potentially nasty altercation between the two men.
After a deep, fortifying breath, she put the phone on speaker and answered the call in her best teacher voice. “Hello, Dennis.”
“You’re screwing him, aren’t you?” His harsh voice filled the room.
Fiona’s gaze darted to the guy working out, thankful to see he was still listening to whatever was blaring in his earbuds. Still, she turned the volume down lower so only she and Liz could listen.
“Well, hello to you too,” Fiona said. “And how have you been?”
“Answer the question, Fiona.”
Liz gave the phone her middle finger.
