So. Long.: Bad Boy Next Door by Kelley Harvey Page A

her at the front of her car.
    “I hope you have fun.”
    Or not.
    She nods with a cautious smile. “Thanks. And I think it’d be
good for you to check out the site. You might meet some friends that way since
you’re new to the area and all.”
    “Is that what you’re doing? Just meeting potential friends?”
    She slides into her seat and pulls the belt around her.
    Kelsey reaches for the door. “Friends. Whatevers. I really don’t
know. Just trying to do something different. Because what I’ve been doing hasn’t
gotten me anywhere.”
    When she reaches for the door to close it, I stop it and
lean in close. “Well, if your whatevers don’t work for you, that offer
is still open.”
    Her eyes search mine and she licks her lips. “Okay. Thanks.”
    I lean in and lay my mouth on hers. She gasps, and I slip my
tongue along her bottom lip before pulling away.
    “Oh, and I bought a box of condoms the other day.” I step
back and shut her door for her.
    Her dazed expression gives me a kind of weird satisfaction.
    Good, maybe she’ll think about that if the douche she
sees tonight tries to kiss her.
    I wave as she backs out of her driveway.
    She shoots me a perplexed look and lifts her fingers from
the steering wheel in acknowledgement.
    Why the fuck do I care if she goes out with someone else?
    I trudge to the backyard to get back to the task at hand.
    Let her go out with all the guys on that stupid site. What
difference should it make to me?
    Plus, she’s got a freaking kid. I don’t need to get tangled
up with a woman who has a kid.
    The memory of Kelsey sliding her mouth over my cock hardens
my dick and hollows my chest.
    She does have the softest mouth. And she didn’t mind that my
junk has been maimed and sewn back together.
    Soaping her up in the shower was extra nice.
    But it’s obvious she doesn’t want me, because if she did,
she wouldn’t be out with someone else.
    Or maybe she would. Maybe she’s looking for more than just a
hump and cuddle.
    Naw. I don’t need a woman with a kid. Too fucking complicated.

    I sit on the bench at the entry of the Italian place. I
check the time on my phone again.
    Maybe he’s going to stand me up. It’s been almost a half
hour since we were supposed to meet.
    I stand and lay my light sweater over the crook of my arm.
As I sling the strap of my purse over my shoulder, the guy who’s been sitting
across from me almost as long as I’ve been here, staring at me unabashedly all
the while, stands as well.
    He takes a step toward me, his hand out. “Hi. I’m Rodney.
I’ve been watching you. You’re Kelsey26, right?”
    My stomach clenches.
    I turn away, biting my fist until I can get a hold of
myself.
    Oh, Lord. I’m so glad I drove myself. I’ve totally been—what
do they call it? Catfished .
    The guy’s pictures showed a man with a head full of hair and
only one chin. This guy is the exact opposite. And he’s shorter than I am, by
more than a couple of inches.
    I turn back to him and open my mouth only to close it,
unsure of how to even address the situation.
    He blushes. “I’m sorry. I know I’m not what you expected. I
was hoping that after having emailed back and forth those times, you’d still
want to share a meal and get to know me better, even though I’m not exactly
what’s on my profile.”
    I fidget from foot to foot, eyeing the exit.
    Hell, I don’t even know how to be nice in this situation.
    Screw it.
    I face him full on and stare directly into his beady little
eyes. “You know, it’s bad enough that you flat out lied on your profile. But
the thing I really don’t understand is why—why would you have me sit here
and wait for you when you were right there for the last twenty minutes? I don’t
understand any of this.”
    “I wanted to see if you’re a patient person. I was testing
you.” His expression says he thinks this is perfectly reasonable behavior.
    I close my eyes and shake my head.
    Just another lesson learned. That’s all.