I didn't get away free. It really hurt Ryan. He's still upset."
"Hell, I don't blame him. The equivalent would be me seeing Jake making out with a supermodel."
"And get this…Ryan joined the health club. Started weight training and boxing lessons."
Rox shakes her head and rolls her eyes. "If men have one common denominator, you just found out what it is."
I take a quick look at Trip, who is busy reading a book. "That's not the only thing bothering me, Rox." I lower my voice to a whisper. "I…uh…can't stop thinking about it. Me and Trip, I mean. What happened the other night is stuck in my head."
"I wouldn't be able to forget either. But as long as you're just thinking, you won't need to go to confession."
"It's not just that he's incredibly hot. Remember when you went out last year with that football player?"
"The crash test dummy? Yeah, what about it?"
"Remember how you didn't feel anything? Well, this was different. I felt something with Trip I never felt with Ryan."
"That's 'cause you were dreaming. Or thought you were."
I shake my head. "No, no, there was something else. We were, I don't know, it was like we were connected on a different level. There was an electricity about it, like we were meant to be together."
"Jillian, stop it." She stares at Trip over her coffee cup, then turns back to me. "You caught the sexual brass ring for a couple of minutes, that's all. You're acting like a man."
"What do you mean by that?
"You're thinking with the wrong head." She looks at Trip again. "It will pass."
"She says as she stares at the guy and drools all over the table."
"Hey, it doesn't matter where I work up my appetite as long as I have dinner at home."
"I'm sure Jake would appreciate knowing that. Meanwhile, I need to talk to Trip."
Her eyes widen. "Are you out of your mind? You're only gonna make things worse. What if Ryan walks in?"
"He's got class right now. Rox, I need to know what really happened, I need his point of view. What I remember and what Ryan saw when he read my mind are two very different things. I need to know why there are two different memories in my head of the same event. I promise, this will be the last time I ever talk to him."
"I'm tellin' ya, you're playing with fire."
"I'll be fine."
Roxanne finishes her bagel, wipes her mouth with a napkin and stands up. "Okay, but I gotta get to class in five minutes, so I can't keep an eye on you."
"Really, I'll be okay."
"Well, if you're gonna do this at least take me over and introduce me."
"Working up that appetite?"
"I want an up close and personal look at Mister Universe. I'm attached, but I'm not dead."
I get up and lead her over to Trip's table. He's engrossed in his book as we approach. He looks up and his eyes widen and fill with a touch of concern. "Uh…Jillian. Hi. You sure this is a good idea?"
"We need to talk, Trip. Oh, this is my best friend, Roxanne."
He stands up and extends his hand. Rox does all she can to keep her jaw from hanging open as she looks up at him but is unsuccessful. This is one of the few guys who's taller than her in her heels. "Hi, Trip Logan."
She shakes his hand. "Uh-huh."
She doesn't say anything else as he sits down. I give her a gentle elbow in the ribs. "You've got class, right?"
"Whuh?" Her eyes are still locked on him. "Class, right. Nice to meet ya."
"My pleasure," he says. Rox turns and walks right into a chair, nearly falls, then continues out of the coffee bar. I grab a chair opposite Trip and sit down.
"Look, Trip, what happened the other night—"
He puts up his hands. "I promise, it won't happen again. You don't have to worry about me coming between you and your boyfriend. I'll keep my distance."
"It's not that. I wasn't myself and…Well, I need to know what I said."
"You don't remember?"
"I can't handle my liquor." I've never even had alcohol, but it's the best excuse I can come up with.
"Okay. Well, I went out in the hall to use my cell, and just as I finished the call I saw you, so I shouted out to you."
"I remember that. What happened next?"
"You asked me what I was doing there, which I thought was an odd question. I told you I'd come to the dance."
"You didn't say anything about dreams?"
His brow tightens. "Dreams? What dreams?"
"Not important. So then what did I say?"
"You said you'd been thinking about me, and I said I'd been thinking about you too but it was really frustrating since you had a boyfriend. You started to laugh and I asked you what was so funny. Then you said you were unattached, that you always told guys you just met you had a boyfriend. Until you got to know them better. Just to be safe. And then you said you wanted to get to know me better, that I seemed like a good guy after saving you from getting hit by the cab."
"I said that?"
"Yeah. So now I'm thinking I have a shot with you so I got excited. Jillian, I was very interested from the moment I met you. I hadn't stopped thinking about you."
"Me? I would think a guy who looks like you would have women beating down your door."
He actually blushes a bit. "There's something about you, Jillian. I'm mean, you're gorgeous and all but you have this incredible life force thing going that takes it to another level. Anyway, when you almost got hit by the car and I got to spend a little time with you, it made things worse. I'll admit I got turned on carrying you down the street when you put your arms around me. It was driving me crazy that you had a boyfriend because I desperately wanted a chance with you."
I must say I'm getting really flattered at this point, and now I'm beginning to blush, but I need to stick to the task at hand. "Okay, so what happened next?"
"Well, you started talking about how I saved your life and how you felt protected when I carried you to the infirmary. How you hadn't properly thanked me and wanted to do it in private. You started sliding your hands up my arms, then around my neck and you gave me this look that went right into my soul. Then you jumped into my arms, wrapped your legs around me and started kissing me. Then you asked me to take you back to my place. That's when your boyfriend showed up."
"You didn't make the first move? You didn't pick me up?"
He shakes his head. "No, you took the initiative. And you certainly weren't shy about it."
"And
