Entwined with You(70)

“Okay, I’m done,” Megumi said, joining me. “Who was that?”


“No one important.” My stomach chose that moment to growl, loudly announcing that I’d burned off the boeuf bourguignon I’d had for lunch.


“Working out always makes me hungry, too. You want to grab dinner?”


“Sure.” We set off toward the showers, skirting equipment and other members. “I’ll call Cary and see if he wants to join us.”


“Oh, yes.” She licked her lips. “Have I told you I think he’s delicious?”


“More than once.” I waved bye to Daniel before we left the floor.


We reached the locker room and Megumi tossed her towel in the discard bin just inside the entrance. I paused before dropping mine, my thumb rubbing over the embroidered CrossTrainer logo. I thought of the towels hanging in Gideon’s bathroom.


Maybe next time I’d be calling him, too, asking him to join friends and me for dinner.


Maybe the worst was over.


WE found an Indian restaurant near the gym and Cary showed up for dinner with Trey, the two of them walking in with their hands linked together. Our table was right in front of the street-level window by the entrance, which lent the pulse of the city to our dining experience.


We sat on cushions on the floor, drank a little too much wine, and let Cary run commentary on the people passing by. I could almost see little hearts in Trey’s eyes when he looked at my best friend, and I was happy to see Cary being openly affectionate in return. When Cary was really into someone, he held himself back from touching him or her. I deliberately chose to see his frequent, casual touching with Trey as a sign of the two men growing closer, rather than Cary losing interest.


Megumi got another call from Michael while we were eating, which she ignored. When Cary asked if she was playing hard to get, she told him the story.


“If he calls again, let me answer it,” he said.


“Oh, God, no,” I groaned.


“What?” Cary blinked innocently. “I can say she’s too tied up to get to the phone and Trey can bark out sex commands in the background.”


“Diabolical!” Megumi rubbed her hands together. “Michael’s not the right guy for that, but I’m sure I’ll take you up on that offer someday, knowing my luck with men.”


Shaking my head, I dug stealthily into my purse for the burner phone and was bummed to see there was still no reply from Gideon.


Cary made a show of peering over the table. “You hoping for a booty call from loverman?”


“What?” Megumi’s mouth fell open. “You’re seeing someone and didn’t tell me?”


I shot a narrow-eyed look at Cary. “It’s complicated.”


“It’s the total opposite of complicated,” Cary drawled, rocking back on his pillow. “It’s straight-up lust.”


“What about Cross?” she asked.


“Who?” Cary shot back.


Megumi persisted. “He wants her back.”


It was Cary’s turn to glare at me. “When did you talk to him?”


I shook my head. “He called Mom. And he didn’t say he wanted me back.”


Cary’s smile was sly. “Would you ditch your new loverman for a repeat with Cross, the marathon man?”


Megumi poked me in the leg. “Gideon Cross is a marathon man in bed? Holy shit … And he looks like that. Jesus.” She fanned herself with her hand.


“Can we please stop talking about my sex life?” I muttered, looking to Trey for a little support.


He jumped in. “Cary tells me you two are going to a video premiere tomorrow. I didn’t realize music videos were a big thing anymore.”


I grasped at the lifeline gratefully. “I know, right? Surprises me, too.”


“And then there’s good ol’ Brett,” Cary said, leaning across the table toward Megumi like he was about to impart a secret. “We’ll call him backstage man. Or backseat man.”


I stuck my fingers in my glass and flicked water at him.


“Why, Eva. You’re making me wet.”


“Keep it up,” I warned,” and you’ll be soaked.”


I still hadn’t heard from Gideon by the time we got home at quarter to ten. Megumi had taken the subway back to her place, while Cary, Trey, and I shared a cab back to the apartment. The guys headed straight to Cary’s room, but I lingered in the kitchen, debating whether I should run next door and see if Gideon was there.


I was about to pull my keys out of my purse when Cary came into the kitchen, shirtless and barefoot.


He grabbed whipped cream out of the fridge but paused before he headed back out. “You okay?”


“Yep, I’m good.”


“You talk to your mom yet?”


“No, but I’m planning on it.”


He leaned his hip against the counter. “Anything else on your mind?”


I shooed him off. “Go have fun. I’m all right. We can talk tomorrow.”