Dare To Love

1

"How long has it been since you last had some?"

I'd been in the middle of a tequila shot when June popped the question. Coughing at the liquid fire that burned down my throat, I swiped the back of my hand across my mouth.

Sitting across from me on her sofa, June looked as if she'd simply inquired about the weather.

Hey, haven't seen you in a while. Had any sex lately?

It'd serve her right if I barfed all over her pristine white velour upholstery. In between hacking coughs, I squinted at her. "Are we really talking about my sex life?"

"Or the lack thereof?" Andy, who was sitting beside June, raised a perfectly trimmed brow as he sipped from a tumbler of brandy, his current poison of choice.

"I hate you."

"Awww." Impervious to my insults, Andy smiled back at me. He and June exchanged evil smiles.

Seriously. It's true what they say—there's a fine line between love and hate. Because as much as I loved these two, there were times I'd happily strangle them.

"Gia, its not healthy!" Andy took another sip of brandy.

I rolled my eyes. "So says the person who gets laid twice a week."

"Not fair!" He pouted, drama-queen mode on. "I've matured in the past few years!"

"Yeah, now he only picks up random guys once a week!" June sniggered as she sucked on a lemon wedge.

Andy slapped June's arm in protest. "Hoy, sometimes I have dry spells due to work and I go without for weeks!" But then he smiled, "But when the work is done, it's time to plaaay!"

"Eeew. Too much information!" Grimacing, I turned to June. "So where is Raul tonight?"

June's husband Raul was part of a team that designed and managed the computer systems of several multinational companies.

"Singapore I think he said when I talked to him this afternoon." June handed me another shot glass. "Too bad you won't stay until the weekend to see him."

"Wow, Raul still calls you every single day?" Andy asked her.

"Sure. I'd kick his balls if he missed a day." Licking salt off her wrist, she downed her shot and grimaced.

Tilting my head, I looked curiously at her. "It never occurred to you it might be a good change if you called him?"

"I do call him!" June protested.

"Oh yeah, she does!" Andy nodded, eyes wide. "But it's usually to say 'Hoy Raul I'm going to be late so you'd better clean the house and have food on the table when I get home!'"

June bashed Andy with a throw pillow. "I only do that when I'm stressed!"

"You're stressed all the time!" Andy raised his arms to cover his face.

Amidst threats of disembowelment and castration, I checked messages on my phone. This was nothing new. June and Andy were happiest when arguing.

"Back to you, Gia," June said when they both had calmed down, "be honest—there's been no one since Guillame, no?"

We had an uncharacteristically quiet moment. We didn't mention Guillame if we could help it. June and Andy had never met him, but they knew he'd hurt me bad.

"Aw Gia, was he that well-hung?" Andy asked.

"Andeee!"

Andy ducked the pillow I had thrown at him. "I had to ask. There's been no one since him, so he must've been a pretty good lay."