Dating-ish (Knitting in the City #6)(98)

"The answer is, no. I'm not worried. Not at all. They still care about each other, I know they do, but it's purely platonic. Like, waaaay platonic. He's not hot for her and I guarantee, she's not hot for him."

"How do you know?" I agreed with him based on what I'd witnessed thus far, but perversely, I wanted his perspective. Needed his perspective. 

"Dudes know."

That made me chuckle. "Sorry. That's not going to cut it."

Marcus inspected me as though debating whether or not I was trustworthy. Seemingly making his decision, he sat up on the couch and leaned forward, elbows on his knees. "Okay. So, you didn't hear this from me, but Kerry told me, during the last few years of their marriage, they didn't have sex. And before that, they only did the deed-like-once a month."

I blinked once, slowly. "That's it?"

Matt had said they were indifferent to each other, and watching them over the course of the evening I saw mutual respect and admiration, but I hadn't seen any signs of longing. So I didn't know why I was pushing this issue now.

Other than maybe . . . I was trying to understand Matt better. And here was a rare opportunity with someone who had access to the inside scoop.

"Yeah. That's it."

"No, I mean, that's why you think their feelings are platonic? Matt said they were both too busy, they never saw each other. Of course they weren't humping like rabbits, they didn't get a chance."

Marcus was already shaking his head before I finished. "Her schedule isn't any different now than it was then, and we've been together going on three years. I see her every night. Sure, she might get home late or work most weekends, but if she's in town, I see her every day. And whenever we see each other, we're humping like rabbits."

I caught myself mid-eye-roll, instead closing my eyes and sighing.

"I'm telling you," he continued unprompted, "neither of them wanted to do it with each other. Neither could relinquish control. The way she tells it, he's a boss in the bedroom, and so is she-which is fine by me. But it didn't work for them. It's no fun fucking a control freak if you're a control freak. What he needs is someone who'll lie back and enjoy the ride," he finished with a suggestive grin, though it wasn't pointed at me. Clearly, he was thinking of himself and his wife.

Embarrassingly, my muscles had tightened when Marcus said, "he's a boss in the bedroom," and my mouth had grown inexplicably dry.

I lifted my eyes and found Marcus giving me a speculative look. "You two never . . . ?"

In comparison to Kerry's earlier questions about doing it doggy style, I considered Marcus's indirect question now relatively tame.

Yet I still felt a measure of embarrassment when I shook my head. "We're just friends."

He looked not exactly surprised, more like I'd revealed something critical about myself. "Huh."

"What?"

"You dig him, right?"

"Am I that obvious?"

"No. You're not, actually." He chuckled. "That was a blind guess. Matt said you're the kindest person he's ever met. Friendly with everyone. I can't get a read on you one way or the other." He shook his head, then added under his breath, "But he is."

That had me sitting straighter in my seat. "Matt? Is what?"

"Nah-ah. I'm not selling him out."

"Matt? Selling Matt out?"

Marcus pressed his lips together, crossing his arms and shaking his head.

I was about to threaten him with a champagne bottle-related injury when I spotted Kerry walking up the stairs to the room, Matt trailing behind her; they both held four water bottles.

Marcus stood to open the door, giving me a teasing look and shaking his head, mouthing, "I'm not telling."

"Oh man, we have to go dance. I demand we dance for the next two hours!" Kerry dumped the bottles on the couch where Marcus had been sitting, then grabbed his hand and pulled him out of the room.



       
         
       
        

Meanwhile, Matt strolled in after her, moved to the side as she tugged Marcus out, and then crossed to one of the tables next to where I was sitting. He deposited three bottles on the table and uncapped the fourth, handing it to me.

"Thank you." I stood, accepted it, and took several long gulps.

Matt turned and pulled off his jacket, discarding it to the cushion behind me. He then loosened his tie, which drew my attention.

"Oh, that's the tie I got you." I glanced between him and it, shocked I hadn't noticed it before now.

He nodded and laid it reverently on top of his jacket, undoing the top two buttons of his shirt. "You said to wear it when I needed good luck."