Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 76580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76580 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 383(@200wpm)___ 306(@250wpm)___ 255(@300wpm)
"What are you going to tell me then?"
"That you should think with your head for a bit, and not your dick."
"I know it's not a good ide—"
"Actually, that's not where I am going," Teddy cut me off. "Look, I've known Gus for a while. And I've seen countless men fall over themselves trying to get her attention. You know what I have never seen?" he asked, waiting for an answer.
"What?"
"Gus chasing after a man. Ever. You'd be lucky if the woman texted you back or looked your way. She was born pretty. She grew up pretty. Never had a bad day. She knows she's gorgeous, and she knows she's fun and interesting. She knew men would come to her, and felt that each of them was as good as the next."
"I've heard a lot of the stories."
"You haven't even scratched the surface of the stories. But anyway. I'm not sure I've ever seen her rejected. Not really. I'm sure there have been some in her past. When she was younger. Before she really became who she is. But you walked in out of nowhere, looking just like her type, and turned her down? That got her attention. And that woman, that confident-as-fuck, don't-chase-no-man woman, started to low-key stalk your ass."
"I barely saw her after that first night."
"Because she's a shit stalker," he said, chuckling. "Always showing up too early or too late. But she was looking for an excuse to see you again. Even though you turned her down."
"So, she likes a challenge."
"She doesn't though. She doesn't like a challenge. But she was willing to put in some work to get closer to you. Which I think says something. Then I see your bike at her place. Two nights in a row."
"I'm sure Auggie has seen a man for two nights in a row in the past."
"Probably. But know what I heard from her squad tonight? That she cancelled her plans. For a guy. That, I know for a fact, she has never done. If you don't believe me, I can give you Ayanna's number to verify. So, that's why I am here. To tell you to start thinking with your big head. Because I think you'd be good for her. But I think you two idiots are too fucking stupid to see that there is even a possibility for it to be more than sex."
"My life is in a different place, Teddy," I told him, going to the fridge, grabbing a couple beers, but he shook his head.
"But you're here for the time being. Instead of sneaking around, maybe consider exploring this shit. Huck will be fine with it. You're here now. Might as well get the most out of it. And I think it would be good for Gus to slow it down for a while."
"Says a man who fucks multiple women damn near every night."
"The difference is, I understand my pathology. I get why I do what I do. And I know that someday, I will stop doing what I am doing and find a more lasting sort of satisfaction. No offense, man, but I don't think you or Gus are there yet. So you needed someone to make you consider it," he told me, getting off the couch, making his way to the door.
Alone, I couldn't help but consider what he had to say.
Because he was right. I never did stop to consider why it was that I acted the way I did. With regard to women, that is.
I knew why I used to enjoy the fuck out of beating the hell out of men for money. That went back to my dad.
But I had no issues with women. I had a great mom, loving sisters. It made no sense why I had never been serious about one in my personal life. I guess I always figured it was because I was young and carefree and I liked to see what was out there.
Now that I was thinking about it, though, as the men around me found women and settled down, my aversion to the concept grew. Every time Lo would make a comment about wanting to see the woman that would make me settle down, I became more and more insistent that I was never going to settle down, or that I wouldn't until I was much, much older. Until I 'got my fill.'
I never stopped to wonder why I felt like one woman couldn't feel fulfilling. That it would be possible to have someone who I liked to hang with, but also fuck.
Which was exactly what I was starting to have with Auggie.
I couldn't help but think maybe Teddy was onto something.
That maybe I was good for Auggie.
And she was good for me too.
TEN
Gus
I didn't know what the hell was going on, but something was.