Page 125 of Stanton Unconditional

“Have you heard from him?” Jesten asks.

I glance back at my phone as I wait for his text. “Huh who?” I mumble.

“Your ex-boyfriend.”

My eyes snap up from my phone to look at Jes. Shit, another trick question. If I tell him before the fight that I have been seeing Joshua it will only make him angrier.

“Umm, you know, not really.” Why am I such a terrible liar?

He frowns at me. “What does that mean?”

My phone beeps a text and my eyes flick to the screen. Joshua.

Just thinking about how hot you were last night.

My face nearly splits open with glee. “Huh?” he asks again.

I frown, oh shut up, you’re annoying me. I want to be sexting Joshua right now.

“Jes, I don’t go out with anyone who cage fights. End of story.” I stand.

“I need to get back to work,” I say nervously.

“I’ll walk you back.” He gestures to the door and follows me out of the restaurant.

My eyes flick to the bodyguard who is with Max, who is he? And what is he thinking? Is he a snitch?

We get back to work and Jesten grabs me affectionately in an embrace. I stand rigid and evasive as I feel the glare of others on my back.

“Tash, I want to take you on a date,” he whispers into the top of my head.

Huh? What the hell? I pull back. “Jesten, you want to sleep with me, and I am not that kind of girl.”

He smiles. “Can’t you be that kind of girl for one night? We would be so good together.”

“Seriously, Jes, go out with someone else. I am not interested in you that way.” With that I break out of his grip and punch him playfully in the stomach. I turn and walk into the hospital and immediately take out my phone. Right, back to more important things. I sit in the foyer as I think what to text back. I narrow my eyes as I look at the ceiling deep in thought. Joshua is telling me that he wants sex only but after the tenderness last night I now know that’s just not true. And the whole wanting me to stay at Mum’s to keep me safe thing is his way of over-the-top caring, so he has blown the not-caring act out the window as well.

Do I want to push him for some kind of communication with me about our relationship or should I just play along and not scare him off? I know he cares for me and I don’t feel anything but affection when I am with him. Let’s just see what happens. I smile and text back.

It was you who was hot Mr. Stanton.

Is this a disguised booty call?

I bite my lip and wait.

Totally

I smile again and text.

I’m thirty, seventy wanting to see you tonight

What’s your closing argument?

I smile as I wait for a reply.

Meeting just started.

Got to go.