Untangle Me Read Free Page A

out before I drifted off to sleep.
    Kayden: Slept like a baby. What did you mean last night about being navy blue? You intrigued me with that statement.
    I twirled my hair thinking of a way to explain navy blue. Fuck it… just tell him.
    Me: I don’t know how to explain it. Is navy blue an exciting color?
    I rolled my eyes at my stupidity. Shit. I fidgeted waiting for his response.
    Kayden: Umm, not really.
    Me: Well, it’s the color of my life.
    Heat crept across my cheeks.
    Kayden: Impossible.
    Me: Entirely true.
    Kayden: Come on, you’re Mike’s sister and you’re hot as hell. No way that you’re boring.
    My belly flipped with ‘hot as hell’. I loved him flirting with me; it made my body all tingly and warm.
    Me: I’m nothing like my brother, Kayden. I learned what not to do by watching him.
    Kayden—even his name wasn’t bland.
    Kayden: I never thought you were, you just share DNA. That doesn’t make you navy blue. Tell me more about yourself. Are you seeing anyone?
    I bit my lip. How much should I tell him? I’ll never meet him; why not throw it all on the table? Just enjoy the flirtation and his color.
    Me: I’m seeing someone casually. A teacher from work and he’s a nice guy.
    Kayden: That’s the kiss of death.
    Me: What is?
    Kayden: He’s a nice guy is code for he sucks.
    I snickered, covering my mouth, at the spot on interpretation of Bob.
    Me: He doesn’t suck; Bob can be boring at times. It’s not easy to find someone to fit my perfect mold.
    Kayden: I thought I found ‘the one’ twice in my life… I’ve abandoned the possibility and stopped dating all together.
    I frowned at the second half of his statement. Why are all the hot guys unavailable? It leaves the single ladies my age to drown a sea of boredom.
    Me: I can’t give up on filling the mold, not yet at least.
    Kayden: Why did you end up divorced? If I can ask, I don’t want to offend you.
    I sighed. How to explain what happened with us. It’s complicated and fucked up.
    Me: So many things went wrong. I met him right after high school and we married years later. The relationship lacked in so many ways, but I ignored them, waiting for it to change.
    A lump formed in my throat thinking about my past failure. I thought I’d be with him forever; we’d have a family and grow old together.
    Kayden: Lacked how?
    Me: I felt more like a roommate and his housekeeper. Totally passionless… there was no romance. We talked about having kids, but it would’ve been a miracle.
    Kayden: Is he gay?
    I spit my coffee out, drenching the kitchen table.
    Me: No, he’s married with kids now. We weren’t right for each and I had to walk away.
    Kayden: You’re beautiful. All that long brown hair, big beautiful brown eyes, and smokin’ hot body are delicious. How can a man not want to make love to you?
    He said I was beautiful again. I never thought of myself as ugly, but more ordinary. I always wanted blue eyes or something more unique. My hair is straight and one length and never held a curl no matter how hard I tried and grazed my waist. I’m taller than most women and slender with a pouch on my stomach. I felt plain at times, but I knew my eyes were my best feature. They were large with long eyelashes and I loved using different colors of makeup to help them stand out more.
    Kayden: A relationship is nothing without passion, you made the right choice. It’s not always easy, but it’s best to keep your sanity.
    I tapped my foot, unable to keep still. I didn’t want the conversation to be about me.
    Me: You’ve given up on dating entirely?
    Kayden: Yes, strictly physical relationship now.
    Me: So you have sex with strangers? Are you that guy — the type that sleeps with a girl, never to be heard from again?
    Kayden: Fuck no, not anymore at least. I’m upfront with each of them.
    Does that mean he’s sleeping with more than one?
    Me: Them?
    Kayden: I’m not banging my way through the female population of New Orleans. I turn to in my time