by K E Osborn
“Odd? No. Intriguing, captivating, fascinating… yes. The fun people, Alex.”
“Yes, you’re definitely right there, Whisper. You and the twins are definitely all of those.”
Whisper raises an eyebrow and tilts his head like I’ve said something that interests him, but he says nothing more as he continues to read my conversation with Logan over my shoulder. “Logan, he sound like X-men.”
I giggle. “Hopefully, he doesn’t have titanium claws or the chops on his face.”
Whisper laughs. “Hahaha… you so funny. I give you discount on dog grooming. Special this month for you?”
“Whisper you know I don’t have a dog,” I reply shoveling in the last of my meal.
“Oh, yes… taxes then?”
“Thanks for dinner and for making me laugh. It was great catching up with you again. I’ll see you soon, for sure.” I slip him some cash for my dinner.
He reaches out grabbing my hand. “Alex, remember, the ghost of our past only haunt us if we let them. You be cool, calm, collected when you feel the demon creep in. The ju-ju will help, pretty girl. Remember, okay?”
Nodding, I lean in for a hug, and he cuddles me back tightly, rubbing my back in a circular motion. I’m not sure if that’s his way of hugging or just some other weird Whisper ju-ju trick he has going on, but it makes me feel calmer instantly. I don’t know how he does it, but he always makes me feel better. Lighter. Freer.
“Thanks, Whisper.” I kiss his cheek and then turn, making my way outside to my car.
Heading home doesn’t take long, and once I’m back in my apartment, I figure what better way to relax after a long day than a long hot soak in the tub. It will be nice to try and relax a little further after my dinner and chat with Whisper. I grab my iPod and dock, some candles and cell, and make my way to my bathroom.
The room isn’t massive by any account, but it’s big enough to house an old style four claw bath, shower, toilet, and basin. Putting the iPod on and letting the soft sounds of my man Ed Sheeran waft through the bathroom as I strip down and turn on the tub. The smell of lavender and jasmine bubble bath floods the room as I pour it into the water, and it foams up nicely.
This is just what I need.
The tub fills, and I light the candles placing them around the tub giving the room a romantic feel. I think of Logan and wonder what he’s doing right now and whether he’s thinking of me at all. I bite my lip at the thought, and place my cell on the window ledge right next to the bath and sink into the piping hot water. The silkiness hits my skin, and I relax instantly. The warmth caresses me, sweeping over me like a tidal wave of comfort while it rolls over my skin as I sink further and further into the tub. Sighing, I close my eyes, resting my arms on the top of the bath’s edges, relishing in the joy I’m feeling right now after a long day.
My cell buzzes.
Lifting my head, I reach for my cell and carefully bring it over to see who it’s from. I glance at the name, expecting it to be from Logan, but it’s Matt. My body is instantly more awake as I see his name, and I smile wide as he asks how my day went. I’m not sure why, but I feel like this is what I’ve needed tonight—to hear from Matt.
Is it weird that I feel like I’ve missed him? I don’t know, but anyway, I need to write back.
Me: It was okay… just worked mainly and then I sent Nate home to shower and hopefully eat. He seems to be going downhill…
I hit send and wait for him to reply as I lift my leg up and watch the droplets of water and bubbles drip from my skin. It always seems so sexy when the women do it in the movies. My cell beeps, and I bring it up to check his reply.
Matt: I made him a big dinner, and we had a decent chat. He seems okay… quiet, but okay. Thank you for looking out for him.
Sighing, I feel better knowing he’s doing okay with Matt by his side too. Knowing Nate has support at home as well as at work with me, is good.
Me: Of course, I’m glad you’re with him, too. With us both looking after him it’s a good thing.
Matt: How’s it going with Logan?
Me: Good. It’s going slowly, but we’ve been talking throughout the day, mainly about balls… don’t ask lol. How’s things with Jaci?
Matt: Umm can’t say I’m not curious about your ball conversations lol Things with Jaci are going well, and it might sound weird, but I feel a kind of connection with her if that’s possible?
Opening my eyes wide, I take a deep breath. I feel a little weird reading that. But I’m not sure in what way. I’m happy for Matt, but at the same time, I feel like I want to keep him all to myself. It’s an odd feeling like I know when Jaci and Matt finally meet, if they hit it off, our friendship will eventually fade, and it’s only just beginning. I want to spend more time with Matt before I lose him to Jaci, or someone else if it’s not her. This feeling is foreign to me. I have friends, lots of them, but none I’ve ever felt so protective over.
Placing my cell back up on the window ledge, I reach down and pull the plug letting the water flow down the drain and letting the stress of the day drain away with it. I hop out of the bath and reach for the towel, drying myself off, and then make my way back out into the main room and over to my bed where my pajamas await me. I get dressed quickly, and pull my hair out of the bun it’s been in all day letting my colorful hair cascade around my face. Small strands of wet hair stick to my cheeks as I crawl into bed. I think of Matt and our short conversation and realize I didn’t write back to him. I figure I probably should, so I type out a quick message as I fall into my pillows and sink into the softness of my bed.
Me: That’s great. I’m heading to bed. Had a huge day. Hope you have a good night. Sweet dreams…
I hit send, and place my cell on my pillow. My eyes close, and it’s not long before my mind wanders off into that half-asleep realm where my thoughts are all about Matt. Here’s hoping I have a more peaceful sleep tonight rather than the troubled one of the night before.
Chapter Eight
MATT
It’s been a week since I went to Alex’s place, but I talk to her every day. We check in each night and do a progress report on how each of us is going with our Pessimistic matches. And tonight she’s invited me around for another catch-up dinner to check in and see how we’re both progressing.
I’m walking up to her door and the aroma wafting from her apartment is mouthwatering. She’s cooking for us tonight, and I’m excited to see what she has in store. Although, I’m not expecting massive extravagance but you know, don’t judge a book, and all that.
Arriving at her door, I knock gently. There’s a rustling behind the door, and then she pulls it open. Alex is wearing a pair of ripped, basically to shreds, jeans and a wife beater, and she looks pretty damn cool. Completely casual as she walks around in bare feet. I can’t help but notice her toenails are painted bright aqua too. A small smirk appears on my lips as she looks at me and pushes my shoulder with a huff.
“What are you grinning at?”
I look back up at her face and shake my head, then step off into her apartment with a bottle of stout in one hand and some ice cream in the other. “Is every color on your body aqua?”
She draws her eyebrows together looking down at her toes. “You don’t like aqua?”
“No, I love aqua, I just don’t know what it stands for?”
“Well, technically, aqua or turquoise represents…” she takes a breath, “… refreshing, feminine, calming, sophisticated, energy, wisdom, serenity, wholeness, creativity, emotional balance, good luck, spiritual grounding, friendship, love, joy, tranquility, patience, intuition, and loyalty, and I’m all about those things…” she takes another deep breath, “… but it’s also a freaking awesome color.”
“It is, and it suits you. I like it. Don’t change for anyone.”
“I won’t. Anyway, come in… I’m cooking Mexican!”
“Get out,” I say as she closes the door behind me, and I walk into the aroma of Mexican wafting through her apartment.<
br />
“Nachos and Fajitas… extra guacamole, of course,” she adds the last bit as if she knew I liked extra guacamole. But she didn’t, we’ve only had one talk about Mexican, and that was to buy her Taco Bell on the way home that time. It’s obviously just something we both love.
“Of course, I freaking love Mexican, there’s nothing better,” I say.
She tries to hide her smirk as she looks like she’s bursting, but then she lets it out anyway. “Except great sex.” She opens her eyes wide like she’s almost embarrassed by what she’s said, and then she shakes it off standing taller and strutting over to the stove, waggling her ass slightly from side to side. Making me, of course, study her in those tight jeans. She has a rocking ass.
And now I’m thinking of sex.
Good one, Alex.
I clear my throat slightly with a chuckle and shift over to the fridge, placing the ice cream in the freezer and the stout on her kitchen table as she goes about making the dinner.
“So what can I do to help?”
“Umm… well, do you wanna eat on the sofa or in the kitchen?”
I look to the sofa, so I go with option one. “Sofa, it’s lazy but comfy.”
She nods and starts plating up. “Pour us a drink and head on in. I’ll be there in a sec.”
I grab some cups from the rack on the kitchen bench and fill the glasses with stout. The foam froths up at the top, and I smile loving that Alex is not your typical woman who needs to have wine or cocktails. She’s more like a guy when it comes to drinking, and that impresses me. Taking our drinks to the sofa, I take a seat fluffing up the cushions. Alex comes over with a big plate full of nachos, and she sits down right next to me. Our thighs touch and a tingle shoots up my leg as she places the bowl on a cushion. Alex leans against me and waggles her eyebrows up and down.
“Can you hear it?’ she whispers and my forehead creases.
“What am I supposed to be hearing?”
“Eat me,” she whispers, and I’m sure my shocked reaction is priceless. “Eat me,” she says louder this time and grabs a nacho chip dunking it in the salsa, guacamole, and sour cream and shoving it straight into her mouth.
I take a deep breath realizing what she meant, but for a second, for a split second, especially after that sex comment, I thought she was propositioning me.
This chick, really!
Laughing, I grab a nacho and pop it into my mouth. The tomato hits me first, then the cheese, then the spice. It’s like a Mexican fiesta is dancing on my tongue. I glance at her as she smiles, nodding like she knows exactly what’s happening in my mouth.
“Oh my God, Alex,” I murmur.
She chuckles. “Not God, but your Mexican Majesty will suffice,” she teases.
“Woman can cook, who knew.” I chuckle.
“Well, we can make this a regular thing. You coming over or me coming to yours, and we have Mexican or whatever. If you want?”
“I’d like that. I’m gonna get fat, but I’m still gonna like it.”
She laughs and bumps her shoulder into mine. I like the closeness between us. I’ve had female friends before, but I’ve never felt closeness like this with them. Alex is different. That’s for sure. I appreciate the bond we have, even in such a short amount of time.
I glance at her sideways, as she shovels her face full of nachos. Sure, it’s not glamorous, sure she isn’t the perfect ten I’m looking for, but she has something about her. There’s an aura. Something that right here in this moment is making her stand out as if she were the most attractive woman on the planet. It’s unnerving. But also calming. I love being here with her, and I feel like this is the start of an amazing friendship.
After finishing off our nachos, we move onto the fajitas, which are equally as mouthwatering. She sure knows her way around the spices. There’s just the right amount of heat and flavor.
The conversation between us is effortless, and we talk about anything and everything like we’ve been friends our entire lives. So now that the Mexican and stout are all gone, and we’re officially in the final stages of an ice cream food coma, we’re nestled on her sofa, cuddling in a way that’s not quite how friends would cuddle but I don’t mind. I like the comfort it brings when I’m with her. There’s an energy in the air that I’m not very familiar with, and I like the buzz that surrounds us. It feels like I’m grounded when I’m with her.
“So, I guess we should send messages to Jaci and Logan, right?” she asks breaking my rambling thoughts.
I nod, as she sits up and grabs her cell while I reach into my pocket for mine. “So what random questions are we going to ask them tonight?” I ask, and she laughs.
“We should ask them really weird shit.”
“Oh, yeah like what?”
“Like… maybe make them pick this or that type things.”
“This or that?”
“Yeah. Like would you rather be stranded on a desert island, or live underwater for the rest of your life?”
I burst out laughing. “One problem with that, Alex.”
She cocks her head to the side raising her eyebrow.
“You can’t breathe underwater.”
She folds her arms over her chest. “You can so… if you live in a domed city that has oxygen.”
“Of course, how silly of me. But I think we should think of something a little more like… would you rather chicken or beef?”
She scoffs waving her hand through the air. “Oh my God, you’re so boring! No, we’re not sending that. Here, give me your cell.” She snaps it from my hand and starts typing into the app facing away from me.
“Alex, what the hell? No way, give it back!”
“Give it back,” she mimics in a childish tone while laughing and moving away from me even further. “My name’s Matt, and I have no sense of adventure,” she says in the same mocking tone, trying to fend me off as I reach for my cell around her.
“No sense of adventure? Ha! Fine. Go ahead, Alex O’Donovan. Send your worst.”
She giggles. “I already have,” she tells me, and hands back my cell.
I glance at it to see the message sent to Jaci from me.
Me: What do you prefer? Top or bottom?
I let out a small gasp as I read it, and Alex grins maniacally at me while I give my head a shake. “You devil, you better send that to Logan, too,” I demand, and she nods pulling out her cell. Angling it toward me, she types the same message out and hits send like she doesn’t care at all.
“See, I’m no chicken.”
I take a deep breath and clench my eyes shut, wondering if Jaci is now going to think I’m a filthy pervert while I watch those three little balls bouncing up and down.
Jacqueline: What do you mean?
I swallow hard as Alex bursts out laughing, rocking back and forth clutching at her stomach. “Oh God, she’s so prim and proper.” I type something in to try and backtrack.
Me: As in, do you prefer top or bottom on a bunk bed?
Alex scoffs and rolls her eyes. “Pussy!” She pushes my shoulder as Jaci replies.
Jacqueline: Um… bottom, I suppose. What a strange question?
Alex chuckles as a message comes in from Logan. I look over her shoulder and open my eyes at the tone of the message.
Logan: Depends on the mood. If I’m feeling lazy then on bottom, nothing better than a girl on top. But if I’m feeling more dominant then I’m on top riding it hard and fast in positions you didn’t even know existed, girl!
Alex’s eyes open wide as she tries to hide her semi-shocked expression—she looks at me like a deer caught in the headlights. I take a deep breath, wondering how she can find someone being overly sexual that you haven’t even met yet, attractive. To me, it’s just perverted.
“Wow! Okay, was not expecting that,” she murmurs once she’s recovered enough to talk.
“Well, the question kinda didn’t leave room for anything else.”
She scoffs and screws up her face. “Jaci found another way to an
swer.”
“True. Is that what you were doing? Testing him?”
“No, I was just being funny and testing you really.”
“Testing me?”
“Yeah, you’re not a pervert are you, Matt?” Alex’s lips turn up in a genuine smile.
“No, generally not.” I chuckle. “I mean I can be kinky when needed, but a pervert… no.”
“Good, I’m glad. Okay, what’s our next question?”
I rub my chin. “Hmm… what about… what do you prefer? Cats or dogs? Make it a bit tamer this time?”
Alex scoffs and rolls her eyes. “Fine, but you’re chicken shit. You know that, right?”
“I wear the badge with pride,” I reply as I type into my cell.
Me: Are you more dogs or cats?
I hit send as Alex types it into her cell as well, and we sit back waiting.
“You’re a dog guy right, Matt?”
“Yeah, you?”
“Yeah, I like the weird ones, like French bulldogs or those naked dogs—”
“Chinese Crested… yes, I love that breed,” I say, and we both chuckle as the messages come in.
Logan: Dog man all the way, the bigger, the better.
Alex nods, and we look at my cell to see Jaci’s reply.
Jacqueline: Oh, I just love cats. They’re so agile and calm, unlike dogs that are so chaotic and crazy.
“Seems like Logan and Jaci are quite the opposite in all things, hey?” I ask.
“Yeah, well, you wanted a prim and proper woman, and it seems like she’s ticking all those criteria right off the paper for you so far, Matt.”
