Free My Body-Mine by Blakely Bennett

didn’t feel up to dealing with another rejection today.”
    Parker glanced at her watch and her expression changed to one of worry. “I have to tell you something.”
    “ Oka aaa y,” I said , drawing out the word . I had a feeling I wouldn’t like it much.
    “ Andre will be here shortly and he’s bringing a friend.”
    “ Parker, really? What were you thinking?”
    “ You haven’t been in touch much and the first time I met him I thought of you. I didn’t know your situation with Marcello, although I did suspect.”
    “ What does he know about me?”
    I wish I could accurately describe the expression on Parker’s face, but suffice it to say, “the friend” clearly knew way more than he should.
    “ Jesus, Parker. Really?” I stood up abruptly and threw up my hands. “Why would you do that? Why would you put me in that posi—” I stopped mid-word when two attractive men approached us.
    Mortification swept over me and to make matters worse—oh, so much worse—when one of the men gave me the long once - over, from head to toe, my nipples hardened. Snatching my bag and my jacket off the bar, I hurried off to the bathroom before they could introduce themselves.
    Shutting myself in the stall farthest from the entrance, I leaned my back against the door. I could have strangled Parker. What the hell was she thinking? Telling a complete stranger about my personal business … And he actually wanted to meet me? Didn’t that indicate straight away that he was officially off his rocker? Good lord, please let it be that my nipples got hard over the other guy and not Andre, not Parker’s boyfriend.
    I needed to get back out there when all I really wanted to do was to run out of the restaurant. Taking my time to pee and slowly wash my hands, I contemplated putting on some makeup. Instead I fluffed out my hair and took a deep breath. I felt certain I’d never forgive Parker for putting me in that position and decided that after suffering through dinner, I never had to see any of them again.
    Just before stepping out of the bathroom door, I received a text from Marcello:

    Marcello: How’s it going?
    Me: Worse than imaginable. Still at the restaurant?
    Marcello: Yes, it’s a busy night. What happened?
    Me: Parker had Andre bring a date for me.
    Marcello: That never occurred to me.
    Me: Nor I. It’s worse than that.
    Marcello: Worse how?
    Me: He knows things about me.
    Marcello: What things?
    Me: It’s unclear how much but about what happened with Luke I believe.
    Marcello: Are you sure? That doesn’t sound like Parker.
    Me: I’m sure.
    Marcello: Where are you now?
    Me: In the bathroom. Just about to go out and meet them. I kind of took off before they had a chance to say hello.
    Marcello: Okay, I should be home by the time you get back.
    Me: Good, because we need to talk.
    Marcello: I know. I’ll see you then and keep your chin up.
    Me: Thanks. Bye.
    Marcello : Ciao.

    Taking one last look in the mirror, I squared my shoulders to bear up and eat a full plate of embarrassment. I decided to act as if my earlier bizarre behavior had never happened.
    I extended my hand to the tall, attractive, blond, blue-eyed man standing next to Parker.
    “ Andre,” he said in an unexpectedly husky voice. He had a slight hint of an accent as though he might have been born in the UK but had been living the States for a long time. Impeccably dressed in well-cut jeans and a button-down, pale yellow shirt, he wore his hair in a short, cropped style of controlled disarray that suited him perfectly.
    “ A pleasure,” I said, beyond grateful that he was not the man my nipples had jumped for joy over.
    “ I’ve heard a lot about you,” he said and laughed as Parker punched his shoulder. “Parker tells me you guys have been friends for a long time.”
    “ Forever, it seems,” I said with an edge of sarcasm.
    I heard a chuckle behind me and turned to confront Man Number Two. He gave me a wink.
    I smiled back as my heart began to