by Hazel Kelly
“It’s vital that I treat you like a lady for a bit to balance out what’s going to happen when I get you behind closed doors.”
Shit! “I can’t wait.”
“Sure you can,” he said. “You’ve waited this long.”
“Yeah, but it’s been torture.”
“Don’t worry, babe. I’ll be worth it.”
I nibbled my lip. “You better be. My standards are really high.”
“Oh yeah?”
“Yeah,” I said, lowering my voice. “The last guy I fooled around with stole me away for a picnic in a secret garden and let me eat him for dessert.”
“Wow. What a fucking prince.”
I laughed. “I know, right?”
“Not sure how I’m going to top that.”
“I suppose you have a week to think about it,” I said, a warm curl of excitement rising through me. “Though it seems pretty presumptuous to suggest that you’re the one who’s going to be on top.”
“I might give you a turn.”
“You won’t regret it,” I said, hoping I’d feel as bold on the night as this conversation was making me feel now.
“Damn.”
My cheeks burned.
“I gotta go, Zo. I’m liable to drive off the road if I don’t stop thinking about this right now.”
I glanced at the clock. “Where are you going?”
“Having dinner at my little bro’s house. It’s his sister’s birthday.”
“Did you get her a present?”
“Of course,” he said. “Veterinarian Barbie. She’s gonna flip.”
“I’m sure she will,” I said. “Have a great night, anyway. I’ll catch up with you later.”
“Sounds good.”
I didn’t want to hang up, and if the silence on his end was anything to go by, he didn’t want to either.
“Zo?”
“What?”
“Never mind, I’ll let you get on with your night.”
“No- what were you going to say?”
He paused so long I wasn’t sure if he was still there. “I can’t wait to have you in my arms again.”
My heart fluttered. “Funny, I was just thinking almost the same thing.”
“Almost?”
“Yeah.” I glanced at the door and dropped my voice to a whisper. “I was thinking I couldn’t wait to have you between my legs again.”
“Christ, I’m having second thoughts about this dinner.”
“Go,” I said. “Have a good time.”
“Bet I could have a better time with you.”
“You’ll have to wait till next weekend to know for sure,” I said, torturing him at his own game before saying goodbye.
I was smiling at my phone when Nina came back from the bathroom wrapped in a towel, her wet hair dripping down over her shoulders. “Oh jeez, what now?” she asked, setting her shower caddy on the floor by the door.
“Nothing,” I said, setting my phone down but failing to wipe the smile from my face.
“Nothing my ass,” she said, bending over to put her hair up in another towel. “What’s up?”
I decided there was no point in hiding the truth when she’d been supportive all along. “I’m only going to be a virgin for one more week.”
“Oh yeah?” she said, righting herself again. “Who’s the lucky guy?”
“Good one.”
“I assume he’s going to wine and dine you before the main event?”
I nodded. “It would appear.”
“Excellent. I have the perfect little white dress for you to borrow.”
“White?” I asked, scrunching my face. “Isn’t that a bit corny?”
“Not if it makes him horny.”
“A fair point,” I said, looking away to give her some privacy while she pulled on a pair of yoga pants and an oversized university T-shirt.
“Want to see it?”
“Sure.” I spun my chair around and watched her hang her towel on the back of her closet door before opening it. When she pulled out the short dress, the whole plan suddenly felt real. “Wow.”
“Isn’t it perfect?” she asked, peeking around to admire it.
My eyes traced the wide scoop neck before falling down the delicate crochet, which looked like lace overlaying the sheer slip dress underneath.
“Just the perfect balance of sexy and sweet, don’t you think?”
I nodded. “I love it.”
“He will, too,” she said as if she were as excited as I was. “And I’ll do your makeup really subtle so nothing will hide your natural glow. You’ll be irresistible.”
And suddenly I realized maybe Logan was right. Maybe not rushing things between us had been a good decision. Maybe looking forward to next Saturday was going to make the whole event even more delicious and memorable.
I certainly hoped so, anyway.
Not that it mattered.
All that mattered was that he finally wanted me back in all the ways I’d wanted him for so long.
And it was the best feeling in the world.
Scratch that.
Second best.
First best was still a mystery to me.
A mystery that was finally about to be solved.
F O R T Y F O U R
- Logan -
I could barely keep my jaw from hitting the floor when she walked out of her building.
She looked positively angelic in her little white dress, the fabric of which swayed just above her knee in a way that made my thoughts take anything but an angelic turn.
But for as sweet as she looked, there was a confident resolve in her eyes that elevated her beauty so much she almost looked like a different person. Like a woman instead of a girl. A queen instead of a princess.
And that surprising poise made me want her all the more.
Even the way she acted when we got to the restaurant was magnetic. She didn’t object to me opening the door for her or pulling out her chair, and the confidence with which she ordered made it hard to believe she was the same girl who first suggested we go for greasy hot dogs. She seemed sexier and more sure of herself than ever, like a professional athlete who’s already visualized exactly how the game would play out countless times.
God, what I wouldn’t do to be privy to those visual images. Not that I hadn’t conjured up a few of my own. I’d been thinking of little else all week, and although part of me feared I wouldn’t be able to live up to her expectations, that worry lifted the moment I saw her.
Instead, I felt quietly anxious in a good way, like I’d spent all week planning a surprise party for my favorite person on earth and knew without a doubt that she was going to be thrilled by it.
It was an awesome feeling, one that was almost strong enough to compete with the sexual tension between us, which was so intense I was surprised she hadn’t sparked at my touch when I first greeted her.
“That might be the best thing I’ve ever eaten,” Zoey said after the server cleared the empty martini glasses that previously held our shrimp cocktails.
“Yeah, great choice. I’ve never had that before.”
“Me neither,” she said. “But officially no regrets about passing up the hot dogs tonight.”
“You never had that before either?”
“Nope,” she said, shrugging. “Just thought it sounded fancy, and I used to love popcorn shrimp as a kid, so I figured it would be nice.”
“Wow. By the way you ordered that, I was sure you’d had it a million times.”
“Nope,” she said. “Merely bluffing.”
I stuck my lower lip out. “Fooled me.”
“Let’s hope it’s not the last time tonight.”
I furrowed my brow. “What?”
“Well,” she said, glancing at the surrounding diners who, if I had to guess, were mostly visiting parents who refused to eat at any of the greasy places their kids suggested. “I figure if I’m going to spend the evening acting like I know what the heck I’m doing, I might as well start
practicing now.”
I dropped my chin. “Zo.”
“What?”
“You don’t have to pretend with me.”
“Oh, don’t worry,” she said. “I would never pretend about that.”
Was she joking about what I thought she was joking about, because as far as I was concerned, making her come was no laughing matter. “Seriously,” I said. “I want you for you, so please feel free to be yourself.”
“I am being myself. I won’t become a tiger minx until we get behind closed doors.”
“A tiger minx?”
“Should I have picked one?” she asked, scrunching her nose. “I almost said vixen, but I’m not exactly sure what that means.”
I smiled. “You couldn’t be any sexier, okay? Don’t try so hard.”
She scoffed. “Says Mr. FreshHairCut with the ironed button-up?”
“I had a week to get ready for this. There was no way I was showing up in a wrinkled shirt.”
“Well, you look really handsome,” she said. “If I didn’t already say so.”
“You did, actually, but I have a very short memory, so feel free to tell me again as often as you like.” I raised my wine and took a sip.
“Noted,” she said, lowering her voice. “And in case you were wondering, you’re not the only one who shaved for the special occasion.”
Wine sputtered up my nose and burned my nostrils.
A smug smile lifted her pink cheeks.
I covered my mouth with my cloth napkin and stared at her through watering eyes.
“You okay?” she asked as I blinked my tears away.
I cleared my throat.
She raised her eyebrows.
“I’m fine,” I said, smoothing my napkin back over my lap.
“You don’t have to tell me,” she said, obviously pleased with herself for catching me off-guard.
“If you don’t stop saying stuff like that, these unsuspecting diners are going to get dinner and a show.”
She squinted. “This table seems a bit small for that.”
“I’ll make it work if I have to.”
The server- some grad student probably- arrived with our steaks a moment later, and the thought occurred to me that once my furniture started selling, I’d be able to treat her to nice meals like this all the time.
“Wow,” she said, eyeing her plate. “I guess I’ll have to make room for two hunks of meat tonight.”
“It’s like you’ve heard nothing I said.”
She reached for my wine glass and sipped through her sly smile before licking her lips. “I’ve heard everything you said.”
I shook my head at how uncomfortably conflicted my body felt. Above the waist, all I wanted was the glistening sirloin in front of me, but below the waist, all I wanted was the gorgeous bird beyond it. “Don’t distract me from this steak. I’ve been looking forward to it all week.”
“Oh, we’re calling it steak now, are we? That’s a funny code word.”
I narrowed my eyes at her.
“Sorry,” she said. “I’m just excited.”
“Me too.”
“Yeah?”
I nodded. “Maybe more than I’ve ever been about anything.”
“I almost feel the same,” she said.
“Almost?”
“I mean, I really wanted to get my braces off.”
I laughed.
“No offense.”
“None taken,” I said. “You probably looked forward to that a lot longer than you looked forward to… you know.”
“Almost,” she said, her eyes smiling.
“If you need help with that,” I said, pointing my fork at her steak, “I’m here for you.”
“I’m good thanks,” she said, shooting me a sassy look.
“I’m sure this place will let you take it away, too, if you prefer.”
“Don’t you worry about me and my steak,” she said. “I would never dishonor this cow by letting its death be in vain.”
“How noble of you.”
“Animal rights are very important to me,” she said. “You know that.”
“You mean an animal’s right to be enjoyed with red wine jus?”
“Don’t be crass,” she said, as if I’d taken the joke a step too far. “I have enough guilt about being a failed vegetarian.”
“I didn’t know you used to be a vegetarian.”
“We never really talk about it,” she said. “It was a difficult time for everybody.”
I cocked my head.
“Anyway, I’ve accepted that I’m as awful as bacon is delicious, and I just try to be really diligent about recycling now instead.”
It was stupid how enchanting I found her.
“What about you?” she asked.
“What about me?”
“Do you have any guilt about eating meat?”
“Of course,” I said. “But in the future, when we’re all subsisting on powdered crickets, something tells me I’ll wish I’d enjoyed a few more steaks.”
She shook her head and tutted. “Terrible.”
“I’ve heard they’re actually quite tasty.”
“Not the crickets,” she said. “The two of us.”
“Oh yeah, we’re terrible for sure.”
“Terribly perfect for each other,” she said, flicking her eyes up at me.
“Speaking of terribly perfect,” I said, pointing my cutlery at my plate. “How good is this steak?”
“Beats a Warby’s hot dog, I’ll give you that.”
One side of my mouth curled up. “Glad you’re enjoying it.”
“I am,” she said. “Thanks for bringing me here. It’s a real treat.”
“My pleasure,” I said. “And about before, I wasn’t implying you couldn’t finish your steak.”
She turned an ear towards me.
“I was merely suggesting you save room for the dessert I have planned.”
“Which is going to be…?”
“Quite filling,” I said, fixing my eyes on hers. “But don’t worry. You can have as much as you like.”
F O R T Y F I V E
- Zoey -
It was all fun and games at dinner, but when we got in the car, the tension began to mount at an accelerated pace. Logan must’ve felt the same because we had all these moments of awkward silence that only ended when we’d look at each other, blush, and then laugh.
The silence wasn’t awkward in the traditional sense, though. It didn’t even seem quiet, to be honest. It was more like we were both thinking so loud our own thoughts were shouting over each other.
Not that I was nervous. I mean, I was, but I was ready, too. It was a good feeling actually, knowing I was happy I’d waited. Even this short car ride was so scrumptiously suspense-building that I found myself truly enjoying every dragged-out moment.
“What are you thinking about?” I asked when he turned back onto our campus’s main street.
“About how good that steak was,” he said, glancing at me out of the corner of his eye.
I bit the inside of my lip.
“That was a joke,” he said. “I’m thinking about getting you naked.”
I swallowed.
“Not that you don’t look pretty with your clothes on.”
I laughed. “I’m not sure that comment warrants an extended explanation.”
His focus shifted when we approached the frat house, which was swarmed with parked cars.
“What’s going on here?” I asked, thinking it was odd that he hadn’t mentioned a party.
“Poker tournament,” he said. “We have one with the Sig Chis every year. Two actually, but the one next semester is only for charity and bragging rights.”
“And this one?”
“Winners get to keep the money.”
“So the house is filled with frat guys right now?” I asked, unable to hide the lack of excitement in my voice.
“Trust me,” he said, driving up onto the curb between two other haphazardly parked
cars. “It’s a good thing.”
“Because…?”
“Because nobody is even going to know we’re here.”
I wasn’t convinced.
“And there will be enough noise that we don’t have to worry about anyone overhearing us, like we would any other night of the week.”
“If you say so.”
“Do you have room to get out on that side?” he asked.
I looked out my window, but between the closeness of the next car and the fact that I couldn’t even see the ground because of the way Logan’s jeep was angled, it was hard to say. “I think I better get out on your side.”
“No. You’re all dressed up,” he said, reaching for the ignition again. “I’ll find somewhere else.”
“It’s cool, really. Here is fine.”
His eyes searched mine like he was trying to guess if I meant it.
“Get out, already.”
I tossed him my purse before crawling over the center console and wiggling around the steering wheel. Then I sat on the edge of the driver’s seat and swung my legs around.
He put his hands on my hips and helped me to the ground so slowly I landed toe first like a fairy.
I looked up at him, and a cloud of warmth billowed up through my core. The poor lighting in the street made it hard to see his expression, but even in the dark, I could feel how much he wanted me.
“Let’s get you upstairs,” he said, his voice soft and inviting.
It was just the encouragement I needed in that moment, the perfect reminder that I was with someone I could trust, someone who found me beautiful inside and out.
We snuck in through the back stairwell and made our way to the second floor before creeping down the hall, which was deserted apart from the muffled sound of guys talking over each other in the great room downstairs.
When we reached Logan’s room, he turned to me and raised his pointer finger. “Give me one second.”
“Sure,” I said, assuming he wanted to pick some dirty clothes off the floor and spray a few rounds of Febreze or something. Granted, it took him longer than it should’ve, but I was flattered that he wanted to impress me with more than just his cock… though I admit I could think of little else.
His expression was serious when he popped his head around the door again. “Okay,” he said, reaching for my hand. “You can come in now.”
