Gently, of course. At first.
I push her out of my head and out of my pants and put my head down until lunch time. I have to work on the 2017 financials. They’re already past due, and my bosses are (gently) reminding me that they have to get them into their bosses in about two weeks. I don’t want to be a dickhead, so I focus up with a cup of coffee and get all my administrative shit done.
It’s one in the afternoon when I hear a knock at my door.
“Hey, Dan?” Charlie stick her head into my office and asks.
“What’s going on, Char?”
“There’s some guy here to see you. Says he’s an old coworker of yours?” she smiles as she steps aside to let someone from the hallway into the office.
I almost don’t recognize him at first, but then I know who it is. It’s Joshua, my old cube-mate from the firm. I get up to greet him. Haven’t seen this guy in a long, long time.
“I see they let you have your own office here,” he says, coming in and embracing me in a bro back-slap hug. “I guess this really was a step up.”
“Mentally, it certainly is.” Joshua’s changed. Lost weight, upgraded his look, and shaved his head. Got some stylish glasses. He was always a good looking guy, but now he’s what some girls I know would call fine.
Plus, now he’s got a wedding band on his finger. That must be why he’s made all the changes.
“Man,” I say, sitting on the edge of my desk. “I haven’t seen you in the longest time. How long has it been?”
“Since before you thought you were too good for finance and came to work here,” he says, scratching his chin.
“That’s right,” I say. “I am too good for that crap.”
“And the money? You too good for the money?” he asks, giving me a little laugh.
“No. But I have plenty. Don’t need any more.”
It’s true. I want to live simply, have my girl with me in the suburbs, white picket fence, and three kids. That’s what I call living richly.
Softball games and ice cream trucks. I’d be the ice cream king. Anything the kids wants. Hell, if Julie wanted, I’d learn how to make ice cream myself, and feed it to her in bed.
“Everyone can always use more money, pal,” Joshua says. “If I recall correctly, you said that to me during one of our particularly grueling caffeine-fueled all-nighters. Remember?”
“Yeah. You’re right. But people change. You have. When’d you finally shave your head?”
“Too recently,” he says. “I should have listened to you years ago when you told me I’d look good with the smooth dome.”
“You do look good, man. But why’d you come here? I know you didn’t haul yourself into this random bank just to shoot the shit.”
“You’re right. But it’s been nice chatting with you, and we should catch up over beers later,” he says.
“Can’t. I have a hot date with this angel who waltzed into my bank this morning.”
“Oh? I’ve never seen you turn down a few cold ones for a date. Why don’t you just reschedule?” Joshua asks me, getting up and pouring himself a cup of coffee.
“Can’t, my man. I’m waiting for this one to come to me. Which means I can’t reschedule. Because I don’t even know when the date is. Can’t reschedule if it isn’t scheduled yet.”
“Okay, so you’re telling me you have tonight blocked off for someone you don’t even have a confirmed date with?” He cocks his head to the side and gives me a hearty laugh. “Her pussy must be made out of pure platinum.”
“No. Not like that. I told you. Just met her today.”
“You’re whipped by a pussy you haven’t even had yet. That’s something else right there.”
“It’s not like that. She’s my woman. In fact, she’s kind of my boss,” I say, putting my feet up on my desk.
“You dirty dog,” he says, sitting down in his chair again. “With the boss?”
“Not my actual boss. I said she’s kind of my boss. As in, she’s a customer. I work for her. Give her what she wants. And I’d do anything to keep this customer happy.”
“I see. Well, you’ve certainly lost your mind. Because the reason I came by was to discuss a little business opportunity with you.”
“Oh? What’s that?” I ask, leaning forward, putting my elbows on my desk.
“A few guys from the firm and I are starting a fund. And we thought you’d be perfect for it.”
“A fund? Man, I don’t know. I don’t know if it’s the right time for that. I like it here at the bank. That’s why I left finance. Too much time. Too many assholes.”
“Do I have to remind you that back in the day you were one of those assholes?”
“No,” I respond. “You don’t. But that’s why I got out.”
“Just listen to what I have to say,” he offers.
“Fine. The old bar where we used to go. We’ll talk there.”
7
Julie
“Every detail. Now.”
Beth meets me at the door as I put my keys back in my purse. I guess the jingling riled her from her spot on the couch, and like a little puppy, she wanted to greet me.
“Can you let me take my shoes off first?” I ask, balancing against the wall to slip the straps down my ankles and pry the shoes from my feet.
I look around the apartment. It’s so different from where I just was. His office was warm, a little dark, tidy. He seemed like he was anal about keeping things in order, just so. Or maybe the bank just happens to have a good cleaning staff.
Whatever it was, his office is nothing like my apartment.
I nearly trip over the array of sneakers I have at the door as I go over to the couch to plop down.
“Okay. Yeah. Shoes off. Good idea.”
Beth mutes the TV and goes into the kitchen with her bowl of soggy cereal remnants and puts it in the sink.
“I’m listening!” she calls out. “You can talk while I’m doing this.”
“Okay!” I respond. “Let me just have a second to collect my thoughts.”
“That hot?” she asks, padding back into the living room and plopping down next to me on the couch.
“Well…” I say, unbuttoning the top button on my blouse. “Yeah. He was.”
“Okay, so let’s hear everything!”
“Well, you know how I have all of these forms and crap to fill out. So, I went there to get my account number.”
“Yes. I know. Very responsible of you,” she says, pulling a plush throw-pillow against her chest.
“So, I was waiting on line, and just kind of zoning out. I was nervous, because I didn’t know if they could help me.”
“With your account number?” she asks, cocking her head to the side. “Seems like a simple enough request.”
“I know. But you know that I have bad luck with that sort of thing.”
“Yeah,” she says. “That’s actually true.”
She knows I’m talking about the time I once forgot my photo ID when I went to pick up my first paycheck from a temp agency I worked for a few months ago. I had to schlep all the way home to get it. It was Friday afternoon, and no one who knew my face was there working at that time.
Oops. Guess I just forgot to put it back in my main purse after using a different purse when I went out to dinner with my parents the night before.
“So I’m just waiting on line, minding my own business, and this really hot guy comes into the bank. He’s got this beard, and he’s really tall. And he walks past me, and he doesn’t touch me or anything, but I could just feel him. You know?” I say. A little shiver starts in my spine and moves to my knees. Good thing I’m sitting down.
“Yeah,” Beth responds. “I know that feeling. So he hit on you?”
“No,” I explain. “So now I’m getting annoyed, because I’m thinking this jerk is cutting the line. He probably has some big account with the bank, and he thinks he can just go to the front of the line and get special treatment.”
“Ah, gotcha.”
“Woah,” Beth says. “Plot twist!”
“And then, he’s kind of hovering behind the glass divider thing, and then a girl who works there comes and asks me to get off the line because her manager wants to speak with me. I was so nervous at that point. I thought I was in trouble for something.”
“But babe, you didn’t do anything!” Beth says, gripping the pillow against her chest.
“I know, but the whole thing was kind of weird. So anyway, then I go back into this guy’s office, and he helps me with what I needed, and then...he gives me his number.”
“Just gives you his number?”
Beths eyes squint into little slits and her mouth contorts into a smirk, silently judging me with her expression.
“Yeah,” I say, squirming in my seat a little.
“Are you sure that’s all he gave you?” she presses.
“Okay. No. We also...did something.”
“You dirty girl! I didn’t know you had it in you!” she exclaims.
“No, no! We didn’t have sex, or anything, if that’s what you think!” I whisper.
“What, then?”
Beth is literally on the edge of her seat. And she’s right. What I did was crazy. But it wasn’t just what I did. It was what I let him do.
“He kind of...touched me. God, it’s so embarrassing!”
“Touched you? You’re kidding me. Where? Boobs?”
“No! He just put my face in his hands and kind of brushed his finger against my lips. It was...it was hot, and we didn’t really even do anything. And the way he went out of his way to help me.”
Beth’s fanning herself with a beauty magazine from the coffee table.
“Yeah. The way he picked you off that line. It’s like he chose you. Damn. That is hot,” she says.
“And I know I’m never going to see him again after this date we go on.”
“So you do have a date?” she asks.
“Of sorts. I have his number. And he asked me to call him. After five.”
“And what makes you think this guy is the guy? If you think you’re never going to see him again?”
“Well, that’s what makes him perfect. It’s too embarrassing to tell a guy that I’m a 22 year old virgin. So this is perfect. Just get it out of the way, so I can move on with my damn life.”
“Julie, I have to say that is very mature of you. You’re growing up before my very eyes,” she says sarcastically.
“Oh, stop,” I say.
I can’t bring myself to tell her what else happened in that office. I’m still reeling from it.
And that part’s just for me.
8
Julie
I don’t know why I didn’t just put his number in my phone as soon as he gave me the business card. Would that have made it more real? Or less real?
Color me confused.
The business card is sitting on my desk, and I have my phone out right next to it. Beth and I are standing over my desk, staring at the card, as though it’ll come to life and do something on its own.
It’s like a science experiment. I was never very good at science. I never knew my way around one of the Bunsen burner things. And the chemicals? They stunk, and they stung my eyes.
You know one thing that smelled great? Dan’s office.
Crap. I’m just now realizing that I only know his name because it’s on the card.
Dan Murray. He sounds like a prick. He kind of acted like one, too.
Then why do I want him so much? Why do I think his prickishness was hot?
Confused doesn’t begin to cover how I feel.
“We going to just stand here all day and stare?” Beth asks, folding her arms across her chest and tapping her toe. “Or are you going to make a move?”
“Come on,” I say, backing over to my bed and falling into it like it’s catching me in one of those trust exercises. “When have I ever been one to make a move?”
“Exactly,” she says, grabbing my phone. “Then let me call him.”
I spring from my bed and grab the card from my desk.
“Hell no!” I say, slipping the card into the back pocket of my PJ pants. “I don’t want him to think I’m some kind of lunatic. Two girls calling him? He’d think I was off the wall.”
“Let me pretend to be you, then!” Beth says, her eyes lighting up. “And I always thought you had a cute butt, but do you want me shoving my hand into your pants to get that card?”
“You’re not getting it.”
“Then let’s just look up his number. Shouldn’t be too hard to find. Now, this was the bank on 59th Street, correct?”
“Fine!” I say, taking the card out of my pocket and putting my hand out. “Give me the phone. I’ll just call him. It’s five, and he told me I’d call him at five, so I guess I have to.”
“See? This is what you need. Someone to light a fire under your butt.”
I punch in my passcode and open the phone app on my phone. It’s ironic, isn’t it, that calling a guy on my phone is the last thing I’d usually do on it?
But Beth is right. Just needed someone to light a fire under my butt. This’ll be easy. Just call him up, no biggie.
I start to dial his number.
“Oh, it’s a 212,” Beth says, looking over my shoulder. “That’s the original Manhattan area code.”
“Wait,” I say. “So this is his work number?”
“I guess so,” she responds, flopping down onto my bed.
“But he should be leaving work now, shouldn’t he? Damn. I guess I can’t call him. He won’t be there anymore. He’s probably left for the day.”
“Quit looking for excuses to not call him,” Beth says, inspecting her fingernails. “What happened to your big plan with this guy?”
“Oh. Yeah,” I sigh.
Would I really have the guts to do through with it? Give my virginity away to this guy who I just met?
What did I think it would be like the first time? A bed covered with rose petals, harp music coming from who-knows-where, a guy in velvet pajamas walking toward me, with his eyes piercing mine until he gently lays me down on the bed and makes sweet love to me while gazing into my eyes all night?
I guess I never really imagined it at all. I certainly never imagined that the first time A guy would touch me down there would be at an office in a bank.
But things never do go as planned, do they?”
“I think I need a shot of courage,” I say, going to the kitchen.
“Oh, happy hour?” Beth says, bouncing off the bed and following me into the kitchen. “What’ll it be? Tequila? Vodka?”
“No. This is how I get fired up,” I say, rooting around in the fridge, glass jars of condiments clanking against each other until I find what I’m looking for. “Raw. Cookie. Dough.”
“That’s your idea of a good time, I guess,” Beth says, grabbing two spoons.
“Now I’m good,” I say, shoving a gob of the stuff into my mouth. “Now I have the clarity and purpose to do what I need to. I’m gonna call Dan.”
“You’re gonna call Dan!”
I take my phone out again. My little diversion did put things into perspective, if only for a second.
It’s not a big deal, I keep telling myself as I punch in his number and wait for the phone to ring.
“Hey, boss,” Dan says on the other line.
“Well, you said I’d call. So here I am,” I say. “Calling.”
“I’m happy to hear from you,” he says on the other end. “I’m just finishing up some work, and I’ll be done by the time you get here.”
“By the time I get there?” I ask. “I’m going back to the bank?”
You never return to the scene of a crime! And he wants me to go back there, where he had his fingers on my panties and my mouth gasping for air.
He’s making me wet, and he hasn’t even said anything dirty yet.
“Not back to the bank
. Not inside, at least. Meet me across the street. There’s a little bar that I want to bring you to.”
“Why don’t we...just meet at your place instead?” I ask, summoning up all my courage. I can’t believe I actually got the words out, because I catch myself not breathing and then need to gasp for air.
“Oh?” he says. “That’s fine too. You just want to skip right to the main event?”
“Yeah,” I say. “Why not? Skip all the bullshit and go right to the main thing.”
This isn’t me talking. Someone’s overtaken my body. I’m possessed by a sex-crazed person.
“Baby, getting to know me wouldn’t be bullshit. But you’re right. There will be plenty of time for that later.”
“Getting to know you?” I ask.
This guy, the first guy who ever touched me like that, who told me he wanted me and commanded that I do the same, who was arrogant and presumptuous enough to think that I’d call him when he told me to (and honestly, he was right) - he wants to get to know me?
“Yes. But that’ll be after I do every sick, dirty thing to you that I know has been running through your head since we met. Touching you. Tasting you.”
“Just tell me where to be and I’ll come,” I say.
“Yes, you will. You will come. You’ll come on my face, my cock.”
“Text me the address!”
I hang up and throw the phone down on the bed.
“Everything okay?” Beth asks. “Why’d you hang up so fast? Was he a rude prick? Tell you he was gonna give you the best sex of your life, or something?”
“Something like that.”
I can’t tell her what he said. It’s too much!
“To his credit, it’s true. It will be the best sex of your life.”
She looks at me with a sideways smile and goes over to my closet.
9
Dan
I spent all afternoon thinking about the places I’ll take her and the things I’ll show and give to her.
I thought a nice dinner at Peter Luger would be in order. The onion rings are to die for. And the steak sauce? It’s the only thing I’ll put on a cut of meat as nice as what they serve there. Anything else would be a sin.
Mountain Man's Valentine Page 10
