Because JD has everything going for him. I’ve watched him sweet-talk girls enough to know. He’s exactly what they want. Add in the fact that he’s worth almost fourteen million dollars, and that seals the deal.
“James David,” he says, bouncing on the bed, making Blue and I bounce with him. He settles next to her and leans down for a kiss. She obliges him without even missing a beat. Their eyes meet before she closes hers, their lips touching as he sweeps his tongue inside. I should feel jealous, but oddly, I don’t. It makes me feel… content. “But I hate that name. My parents never called me that. It was always JD.”
And then he looks at me to see if I have anything to add. But fuck that shit. I’m not touching it. “What’d you get for breakfast?” I ask him instead.
“Bagels. Lots and lots of bagels. And coffee too. So we don’t have to drink that shit Ark calls joe.” And then he rips the covers off us in a whoosh and scoops Blue up in his arms. “Eat, shower, fuck. Those are my plans for today.”
Blue laughs as he carries her out the bedroom door. I follow along a few seconds later and find her sitting naked on top of the breakfast bar. “Brrrr,” she says, rubbing her arms.
“You need clothes,” I say, taking a coffee from JD and handing it to her. “How will you get clothes if you refuse to leave the loft?”
“I’ll shop for her,” JD offers. “I have excellent taste. I’ll go after we fuck.”
Blue laughs and shakes her head. But all I can think about is what he might do while he’s shopping. “I’ll go,” I offer up, taking a bagel and grabbing the cream cheese. “You can stay with Blue.”
JD scowls at me. “I said I’ll go.”
I hold my hands up, surrendering. “Fine. I’m gonna make Blue stay naked all day until you get back.” When I look over her, she’s chewing slowly, watching us interact.
“You do that. But tonight when we come home from work, and I’m ready for bed, while you have to stay up all night editing, she sleeps in my room.”
And then he winks at her. Knowing full well he just outlined a parameter of our budding relationship.
On nights we work, she belongs to him.
And we work more nights than we don’t.
So yeah.
He wins.
“What exactly do you guys do at… work?” Blue asks.
“Nothing you need to worry about,” I say quickly.
“What the fuck?” JD asks.
“What?” I ask back. “I don’t want her thinking about what we do.”
“Why?” Blue interrupts.
“Yeah,” JD says, all pissed off. “She already knows. That’s something I never understood about you, Ark. Why the fuck do you care what people think of our business?”
“It’s porn,” I say. Like, hello?
“So? Ray is the King of Porn here. And he never has a problem telling people what he does. We’re opening up our own site in a few weeks. There’s no way you’re gonna be able to rationalize it then.”
“I’m not worried about rationalizing it.”
“Bullshit. You hate the fact that we make porn. You’d rather do anything else, but you can’t because condos, and sports cars, and whatever you spend your money on, aren’t free. You’re only in this for the money.”
“And your point?” I roll my eyes in Blue’s direction, but she’s got a serious look on her face that makes me stop and reassess. “Do you want to know what he’s gonna do tonight? I mean, really? You want me to tell you how we’ve got a girl lined up to suck his dick in a crowded club right there on the dance floor?”
She ducks her head and chews on her bagel. “It’s none of my business what you guys do.”
“Jesus fuck. What’s wrong with the two of you? Don’t you have any feelings, Blue? It doesn’t bother you that JD will have another woman on her knees tonight?”
“You’re an asshole,” JD says to me.
“Why? You wanted to talk about work.”
“Because you want to hide it. We’re not doing anything wrong.”
“Last week we weren’t doing anything wrong, this week we are.”
“Why’s that?” he snarls. “This week you’re too good for porn?”
“No, asshole. Because this week we’re in a relationship.”
Relationship.
Wow. For a guy who was resistant up to the last second, once he’s in, he’s all in.
JD laughs. “We’re fucking her, Ark. We’re not marrying her.”
I slip down off the counter. “I’m gonna take a bath, if that’s OK.” They both stare at me as I walk between them and head towards the hallway. Their arguing continues after I’m gone. I can still hear them in the bedroom.
How are these two guys even friends? I don’t get it. They could not be more different.
I close the door so I don’t have to hear the argument. It’s stupid, anyway. They make porn. They are scum. Not talking about it won’t change that fact.
I walk into Ark’s bathroom and start the water for the tub. I spot the morning-after pill package in the trash and it makes me even more confused. He’s so strait-laced. He’s so put-together on the inside. If it wasn’t so disconcerting, I’d laugh about it. Because I don’t get how a guy this practical and logical carves out a kingdom making and selling porn.
He does not add up. Not one bit. The half-ass dress suits? I mean, I love the look. He’s rough in a very neat way. The untucked white shirt. The loose tie. Why wear a tie like that? Why bother with a tie that’s not neat? Always jeans and boots and that tattoo they have, dragons fighting over some blue pearl. Where the hell did he come from? It’s like Ark can’t decide if he’s a biker or a businessman.
And JD… Jesus. I have no idea what to think about him. The way Ark talks, he’s insane or something. He’s unstable. He’s got ‘issues’. What kind of issues? So he takes off every now and then. If I could leave this loft, I’d be gone too. But just like the things with Ark, there’s something there with JD too.
Relationship?
Is that what this is?