Rowdy || 18+ || RH

Chapter 21

I take a deep breath. "I came home early from work. Well, actually, I had just gotten laid off. And, well, I caught him in bed with another woman. In our bed. They were literally in the middle of fucking."

The room goes quiet, the guys absorbing the gravity of the revelation.

"Jeez, Em. I'm sorry," Locke says, breaking the silence.

Cruz puts his cards down, his eyes full of sympathy. "That's rough, Em. You deserve way better than that."

Marx doesn't say anything; he doesn't need to. His eyes are dark, almost stormy, and I can tell he's restraining himself from saying what he really thinks about Lyle.

The topic changes, and our game night continues. I'm glad for the change of topic. I really don't want to talk about Lyle ever again.

"So, are we all good here? No hard feelings about my poker skills?" Locke jokes as he starts cleaning up the cards and chips.

"Speak for yourself, I'm plotting my comeback," Cruz laughs, helping him collect the dishes.

"Count me out for next week. I've lost enough for a lifetime," Fowler chimes in, stretching his arms.

Marx stands up, making his way toward his room. "Night, guys."

As the guys head to their respective rooms, Fowler lingers, looking like he wants to say something but hesitating. Finally, he speaks up. "Hey, Em, can we talk?"

"Sure. What's on your mind?" But I have a feeling I know exactly what's on his mind.

He looks into my eyes, and there's a kind of vulnerability there that I've not seen before. "I wanted to clear the air. Last night was... unexpected, and I didn't want to just leave it hanging between us."

"Yeah, it was unexpected," I agree. I don't know what he wants, and I don't know where this conversation is heading. I like Fowler, I like him a lot, but I also have a lot going on right now. I'm definitely not looking for a relationship or anything serious.

"I had a great time with you last night, and I don't regret it. But, I gotta be upfront. I'm not really the dating type. At least, not in the way most people think of dating," he says.

I raise an eyebrow. "Go on."

He shifts his weight from one foot to the other, looking for the right words. "I like to keep things open. See where they go, you know? But I also don't wanna do the whole exclusive thing."

A sense of relief washes over me, and I can't help but smile. "You have no idea how happy I am to hear that."

He grins, obviously relieved. "Really?"

"Yeah, I like you Fowler, but with everything going on in my life right now, the last thing I need is more complications."

"We're on the same page then," he says, a smile stretching across his face.

For a moment, we just stand there, basking in the relief that comes with mutual understanding. Finally, he breaks the silence.

"So, can I crash in your bed tonight?" He asks, his tone slightly teasing but also somewhat earnest.

I give him a knowing look. "You promise it's just for sleeping, right?"

Fowler raises his right hand, as if taking an oath. "I swear, just sleeping. And maybe some cuddling. Cuddling's good for the soul."

I chuckle and nod. "Alright, you're on. But you better not snore."

He laughs. "Deal."

**