Avoiding Intimacy (Avoiding #2.5)(15)

I don’t understand Mr.

Whatever-His-Name-Is at all,” Chyna repeated for what felt like the tenth time.

“Does this have to happen every time I get called into work late?” Adam demanded, pushing his hands into his pockets deeper and deeper.

She knew he was frustrated. He had it written all over him, but she couldn’t stop.

Why was he always the one who had to go in? And, what did they need him to do at ten o’clock at night at an architectural company? Wouldn’t the buildings still be standing the next day?

“Because you always have to go to work late,” she reminded him. “Why don’t you ask someone else to go for you?”

“It’s a small company. I’m the only other person working on this building, and there’s a deadline. Mr. Anderson is an old man. He doesn’t get the graphic architectural design aspect as well as he should, and he trusts me,” he said, looking down at the ground, shuffling his feet.

“What would you say?”

She knew what she would say! The same thing she had been saying to him all along: Why even bother with this company? Why bother with an old senile man and a company going nowhere in today’s market? It was a dead-end job with shit hours. She wished he could see that, but she couldn’t say that to him. Not today. He looked too heartbroken to even consider turning down Mr. Whatever-His- Name-Is, and she figured he liked his job.

Why else would he keep going back when he could do better? She wondered that about a lot of things with him.

“I’d tell him that I couldn’t work tonight,” she finally answered.

It was the best she could do. It wouldn’t work. He would still go in, but she couldn’t hold it back. She couldn’t lie to him.

Adam sighed and looked off across the room, not meeting her eye. He looked as if he knew that she was going to say that.

“Do you want me to call him back?”

Adam asked dejectedly.

Chyna looked at him very closely. Was he serious? Would he actually try to get out of work for her? God, he looked like he actually would. She groaned. “Noooo,”

she sighed, annoyed. “I don’t want you to call him back.”

“Are you sure?” he asked, his hazel eyes meeting hers. “I would, you know.”

She hmphed. “I know.”

“Chyna,” he said, looking up at her.

“No, it’s fine. Go into work,” she told him.

“Hey,” he said, pulling his hands out of his pockets, reaching for her. “You’re not going to be angry, are you?”

“No,” she said sullenly, playing the part of the upset girlfriend wonderfully.

“I told you I would call in,” he said, uncrossing her arms and pulling her into him.

“I know,” she began.

“But?”

“But, you’re only doing it because I asked you to.”

Adam looked at her baffled. “Of course, I’m doing it because you asked me to.”

“Do you think I should have to ask?”

she questioned him, frustrated. They had plans tonight. She wanted to spend time with him. Why did it feel like she had to fight her way into that time?

“Chyna, I don’t get you sometimes,” he said, releasing her. “You tell me you don’t want me to go into work, so I tell you I’m going to get out of work. Then, you get angry with me for deciding to get out of work. I can’t win. How do I win?”

She sighed. He had already won.

“I don’t know,” she conceded. She looked down at the ground, hating this conversation as much as he did.

“Well, when you figure it out, will you let me know?” he asked quietly, reaching for his jacket.

“Are you leaving?” she asked, her voice raising an octave.

“I have work,” he reminded her.

“But, you’re leaving now? After we just fought?”

Adam closed his eyes and shook his head. “Did I miss something?”

“You’re not going to have make-up sex with me?” she demanded with a giggle.

She was so getting gypped in this situation.

He burst out laughing. “Am I supposed to?”

She nodded her head adamantly. “Of course.”

“I’ll keep that in mind next time,” he said, still laughing softly to himself. “You astound me sometimes.”

“At least I’m good for something,” she murmured.

“You’re good for everything,” he said, pulling her close again. “And, I’d have make-up sex with you if I had time.”

“Right here? Right now?” she asked, shimmying against him in the middle of the kitchen.

“I like the bedroom. A bit more spacious, don’t you think?” he asked with a goofy grin.

Chyna rolled her eyes.

“How romantic. Do you want me to close the door and turn off the lights, too?”

Adam leaned forward and brushed a kiss on her lips. “Shut up,” he murmured softly. “I never hear any complaining when that door is closed.”

She smiled against his lips. “So, let’s go then.”

“When I get home…or tomorrow,” he amended, clearly thinking it would be a late night.

“Fine,” she groaned before he kissed her again.