by India Lee
“Really?” Gemma challenged. “If every other girl in the world would go for him, what makes me so different?”
“Everything,” Damian said without missing a beat.
Gemma bit her lip, feeling strangely awkward at his response. She could feel herself blushing, which just made her feel even more embarrassed. She wasn’t even sure what he meant by it, but something in Damian’s tone made her stop in her tracks. She searched her head for a witty retort.
“Like what?” Gemma pressed her lips together, disappointed in her curiosity and lack of wit. Luckily, Damian didn’t seem to notice it. In fact, he still wore that expression that he always had around her. That forever charmed look.
“Everything is kind of a hard thing to list,” he said, leaning forward and kissing her softly on the top of her head. Gemma smiled, her lashes fluttering shut as she felt his hand cup her face gently. Eyes closed, she was suddenly aware of the pleasantly clean, forest-like scent that came off his skin. She could feel how soft and warm his lips were as he placed them on her forehead. And she could feel his free hand slipping from her waist to her lower back.
Gemma’s felt a shudder radiate up her spine. Her breath caught in her throat. She opened her eyes slowly to see Damian pull away, leaning his forehead where his lips had just been. He pushed her hair back, letting his fingers tangle in the waves. Gemma exhaled slowly, suddenly confused. As she looked into his eyes, she realized everything she had just felt had happened in a matter of a second or two – yet she had felt it in slow motion.
“I, um…” she said, just to break the silence. Her heart beat so quickly, it felt like just a hum against her chest. There was blood rushing to her cheeks and she suddenly felt overwhelmed with a stifling heat. Gemma could feel the embarrassment set in even harder. Nothing Damian just did was particularly out of the ordinary for them. But she felt something.
“Are you feeling okay?” he asked, holding the back of his hand to his forehead. “You look a little…”
“I’m fine,” she murmured, crossing her arms so she wouldn’t fan herself with her hands. She did feel a little uncomfortable, but she couldn’t pinpoint why. “We haven’t had central air installed yet. You know how old buildings are,” she said. Damian nodded, watching as she stepped back towards the entrance to the studio, waving for him to follow. It was kind of warm in there. I should get some air or something. “Okay, so let’s go. Let’s, um, let’s get some of your measurements. I don’t really do menswear – Corey’s jacket was kind of a fun little experiment, but I think Armand can help me put something together for you when he gets back.”
Damian followed her into the back room, marveling at the space as he did. His eyes widened with clear awe as he scanned the room and her various projects. Gemma felt a quick flutter of pride, knowing that he was impressed with the beginnings of her new career. But it was hard for her to focus on anything other than the strange knot that had formed in her stomach. She grabbed a fabric tape measure off the floor, unraveling it with a quick flick of the wrist.
“This stuff is awesome,” Damian said, admiring the beginnings of the dresses she had been commissioned to make for the Gotham Ball. “Are you wearing one of these?”
“No, I haven’t gotten to my own yet,” she replied. She walked up next to Damian, pointing at the different dress forms. “One is for Zoe, one is for Marguerite – you know, Corey’s mother. Then there’s a dress for the Governor’s daughter and one for Clara Zavala and then a bunch of accessories for those who are a little more hesitant to commit an entire outfit to a too new designer.”
“Oh, I know Clara,” Damian said. “I can definitely see her in something this. Do you watch her show?” She shook her head. Gemma knew she was a former lingerie model who now starred in an unusually popular sci-fi detective show on ZINC and was quite a favorite among men in their twenties. She wondered how Damian knew her. “You’ve got some big names on your list.”
“And now I can add New York Knick point guard, Damian Evans to it,” she teased, waving an end of the measuring tape in front of her. She made a loop with the tape and wrapped it around Damian’s neck like a tie. Gemma stood on her tiptoes to line up the tape against his skin. She felt the slight graze of his hand on the small of her back, helping her keep her balance.
“So, do you have an idea of what your own dress is going to be like?”
“Not yet,” Gemma answered as she pulled the tape taut. She bit her lip, blushing as she felt him press his hand firmer against her back, holding her up on her tiptoes as she got the first measurement. As soon as she got the number, Gemma dropped flat on her feet and turned to scribble it down on a notepad.
“Do you have to take into consideration what Corey is wearing?” he asked as Gemma stepped behind him, lining the tape measure between his shoulders. She smiled sheepishly to herself, realizing how wide she had to hold out her arms to get from one end to the other.
“I’ve given this all much less thought than I probably should have,” she laughed. “My clients are my priority for this event, for once. And I kind of like it.”
“But you are going with Corey, right?” Damian asked as she stepped up in front of him again. Gemma averted her eyes while reaching around his torso, pulling the tape measure around his chest.
“As far as I know at this moment, yes, I’ll be going with him.” She reached one hand behind him, pulling the tape around and smoothing it across his chest with her hands. Gemma swallowed, feeling the muscular ridges of his torso underneath her fingertips. Oh my God, Gemma. Relax.
“Because he kind of seems like the type to take his mom.”
Gemma looked up to see Damian’s eyes on the ceiling, suppressing a smirk. She laughed, thankful to be broken out of her own thoughts. “To be fair, Damian,” she replied. “You also seem like the type to take your mom.”
“You’re right, but she’s hosting her book club that night,” he said with a smile. Gemma returned it, lowering the measuring tape to his waist.
“So… who are you taking then?” Gemma focused on tightening the measuring tape, keeping her face down and her intentions unclear. She wanted to sound casual, but in the last fifteen minutes, had suddenly become invested in what the answer would be.
“Azura,” Damian replied, quickly. Gemma felt a surprising jump in her stomach. Are you two actually together? The question pulled at her tongue, but she kept it to herself.
“I’m almost done,” Gemma said instead. She held the tape around his waist, scribbling down the number before kneeling in front of him. “But I’m going to need you to help me with the last part.”
“Oh,” Damian said, looking down at her with a shy smile. She returned it, feeling the heat in her cheeks dissipate just slightly knowing that he suddenly shared the awkwardness she was feeling. He held out a hand, taking one end of the tape and pulling it up towards himself. “What do I do?”
“You just, um,” Gemma cleared her throat, pointing up his pant leg. “Hold it right to the end of the inseam. Like, where your legs meet.”
“Where my legs meet,” Damian repeated, laughing. Gemma blushed furiously, averting her eyes as she pulled the measuring tape down to his ankle, taking his measurement.
“Have you given any thought of what look you’d like to wear?” Gemma asked, trying to distract herself from the fact that she’d just refused to say the word groin to Damian, as if they hadn’t once dated and come very close to sleeping with each other. God, Gemma. She could hear her own short breaths roaring in her chest, trying to drown out the electric hum of her heart. There is no way you don’t look like a total weirdo right now. “Like, fabrics, colors – anything in particular in mind?” She marked his inseam on her note, writing his name across the top. Damian Evans. Damian held his hand out to help her to her feet.
“Not really,” he replied. “I trust you to find what looks best on me.”
Gemma nodded as she rolled up her measuring tape. Convincing herself that it was for completely professional
purposes, she allowed herself one more full-body look at her old friend. Totally unprofessional, she chided herself as she felt her mind wandering. Rather than trying to brainstorm a look for his Gotham Ball suit, she was imagining what he looked like under his thin t-shirt and jeans. Gemma had seen him naked before but that had been ages ago. With so many years of pro basketball under his belt, he had to look different now. She couldn’t help wondering how different.
“So we’re all good?” Damian asked, a smile in his voice as he watched her put her tools away.
“We’re all good,” Gemma replied, turning away from him to hide her furiously burning cheeks. She didn’t remember blushing this hard around Damian ever before.
This might be an issue.
~
“So, I’m a perv.”
Gemma watched as Leah and Kate looked up slowly from their plates, carefully exchanging a glance between them. She had let the words tumble from her mouth during a particularly quiet moment at the brunch table. Gemma hadn’t touched her Florentine once as she listened to Leah talk about her job search and Kate about her budding romance with Mitchell. Instead, she opted to sip slowly on her Bellini, taking in the beautiful garden setting of their Sunday meal. Among the pastel-dressed women and children, Gemma felt even guiltier about the thoughts that were plaguing her – that had been plaguing her for over a week. She could honestly say that her mind had never before conjured up so many damned fantasies in a single week. It was embarrassing, even when no one knew about them except herself.
“Care to expand on that?” Leah asked. “It’s probably not in your best interest to just leave us here with no explanation.”
“You’re not a pervert, Gem,” Kate said, her tone serious. “You’re a good person.”
Gemma tipped her flute back, emptying the contents of her drink down her throat. How much of this do you actually want to share? She eyed Leah and Kate’s expressions, wondering what they were thinking as she allowed the silence to linger.
“I’m going to start guessing if you keep us hanging,” Leah said, her tone threatening. “And you know where my dirty mind can go.”
“It’s not even that bad… I don’t think,” Gemma said. Leah was expecting something big now. “It’s actually kind of stupid. And boring.” She bit her lip.
“You suggested role-playing to Corey,” Leah said. “And his boring ass thinks that’s some kind of deviant thing. Right? Because it’s not.”
“Leah, no,” Gemma said, giving her an odd look.
“Something about a weird sex toy?”
“What? No.”
“Oh my God, freaking say it then already.”
“Okay.” Gemma folded her napkin and smoothing it across her lap. “Okay, so. I’ve been trying my hand at menswear lately. And last week…” She looked at Leah and Kate’s inquiring expressions. “Last week, this man came in and asked for a custom suit.”
“Oh, that’s so nice Gemma! More clients!” Kate exclaimed. Leah directed a violent shush in her direction.
“Continue,” Leah said, rolling her hand in a forward motion.
“Okay, well. While I was measuring him…” Gemma trailed off, furrowing her brows.
“Oh my God, no,” Leah held her hands up in front of her. “Gemma, no! Copping a feel is totally against the law, you can get in so much trouble for that!”
“Leah!” Gemma exclaimed, her eyes wide as she stared at her friend. “What is wrong with you? That’s not what happened.”
“Oh, thank God,” Leah replied, patting her brow. “I mean, I know I’m a little on the wild side, but I can’t really condone that.”
“Leah, she’s a professional,” Kate scolded. “How could you even suggest that?”
“So what the hell even happened?” Leah scoffed. “That would deserve this kind of buildup and fanfare? It can’t be that bad.”
“I guess, I don’t know… I think I just kind of got, like…” Gemma stuttered, her lashes fluttering as she tried to complete her sentence. “I felt kind of weird, like… I think I got sort of…”
“Turned on?” Leah raised her eyebrows. Gemma stared back, blankly.
“Well, yes,” she shrugged.
“That’s it?” Leah laughed. “That’s your story? And you consider yourself a perv? Gemma, please! Don’t feel bad about that. I mean, if I were a guy, I’d be running around Manhattan with a raging boner all day.”
“Leah,” Kate scrunched up her nose.
“Oh, stop acting like a prim and proper socialite, you’re not married to Mitchell yet,” Leah said, swatting at her. “Besides, you win the title for Perv of all Pervs, just in case you don’t remember what a little creeper you were in high school.”
“I was not!” Kate protested, pouting. “I was just… a bit deprived of things. And I guess I expressed it in a socially awkward way.”
“Aw, no,” Gemma gave Kate a sympathetic frown, patting her on the shoulder. “That’s not true. And it doesn’t even matter now because things are going well with Mitchell!”
“Right, and congratulations on that whole thing, Kate, but seriously, Gem,” Leah said. “Just because you’re in a relationship doesn’t mean you can’t look at other men. It’s totally natural and you have no reason to feel weird about it. Besides, with the bore that you’re making Corey out to be, I can hardly blame you for looking elsewhere.”
“Are you hoping to work things out with him?” Kate asked hopefully. “Or just waiting to find the right words to tell him you don’t like him?”
“I go back and forth,” Gemma said, shaking her head. “But I’m leaning towards ending it.”
“Just do it then! Rip the band-aid!” Leah lifted her mimosa to toast her. “There are plenty of fish in the sea, and girl, you’ve been fishing from one helluva body of water.”
Gemma pouted. All she saw was Damian as she wondered if there was any truth to Leah’s. What if the fish I’m dealing with now is one I threw back into the water years ago? How does it work if you have the chance to catch it again?
She held her glass up absentmindedly, seeing that it had been refilled sometime within their conversation. The girls clinked their flutes together and returned to their meals. Gemma poked at her poached eggs with her fork, trying to look busy as Leah and Kate dug into their plates. She didn’t feel like she was done with the topic.
“The thing is,” she continued. “I have been having these crazy thoughts about him everyday for the past week.”
“Well, you’ll see him again, right?” Leah asked. “Was he wearing a ring? Is he single, do you know?”
“He wasn’t wearing a ring,” Gemma replied. “But I’m not sure if he’s single,” she added slowly, feeling a little guilty about the fact that she’d yet to reveal that it was Damian she was talking about.
“Make him take you out after your next fitting,” Leah suggested. “Just say you haven’t had dinner yet and you could use some company. And take it from there. If he has a girlfriend, which he probably does if he got that kind of reaction out of you, then you either lay low until she goes away or go in for the kill.”
“That’s awful, Leah,” Kate pouted. “How can you go after somebody’s boyfriend?”
“Because if I fantasized about a stranger and then actually ran into him again, then maybe it’s a sign and I should make something of it,” Leah reasoned.
“What if it was one of my boyfriends?” Kate challenged.
“I’m not going to go after Mitchell.”
Kate opened her mouth to make a counter argument but decided to shrug instead. “’Kay,” she said, having cut and forked a bite of her waffle that she just wanted to eat already.
Gemma watched as the girls resumed their meals once again. Kate popped a fresh raspberry into her mouth, smiling to her own daydreams. Gemma could practically see images of Mitchell circling her strawberry-blonde head. Meanwhile, Leah scanned the room, undoubtedly looking for some eye candy as she sipped on her mimosa.
“It was Damian.”
For a moment, Gemma wondered who had read her mind. She looked up to see Leah and Kate’s stunned faces. It was only then that she realized her voice had escaped her brain’s lockdown on full disclosure.
“What the fuck, Gemma, why didn’t you just say that?” Leah smacked her on the shoulder.
“You like him!” Kate squealed. “Oh my God I knew it was just a matter of time before you got back on the same page as him.”
“No, no,” Gemma said, waving her hands in front of her. “No, I didn’t say I liked him. And I honestly don’t think we’re ‘on the same page’ because I’m pretty sure he actually is dating Azura. I saw them together the other day and he’s taking her to the Gotham Ball.”
“You’re kidding,” Leah said. “You mean the tabloids got it right for once?”
“I mean, I’m not totally sure,” Gemma shook her head. “But I just want to make sure you guys understand that I didn’t say I necessarily have feelings for him again. Just that, for some reason, he kind of got me worked up the other day.”
“Probably because you have too much vanilla sex with your vanilla boyfriend,” Leah nodded.
“No,” Gemma rolled her eyes. She paused. “I mean, that’s probably the issue, yeah.”
“Bad sex?” Leah cringed.
“Well. I can’t say that we’ve really done anything lately other than a quick kiss hello and goodbye,” Gemma answered, slowing down toward the end of her sentence as she realized herself how abnormal that probably was. “Oh God,” she exhaled in a laugh. “We, uh… don’t even make out. But he genuinely seems to want to stay in a relationship with me which makes no sense.”
“Um, if you were looking for a reason to dump him, an absolute lack of a sex life is a pretty good one,” Leah said. “I don’t know how you’ve survived as long as you have if that’s the case.”
“That’s right,” Kate chirped. “Sex is super important in a relationship.”
“Ew, Kate,” Leah held up a hand. “Stop pretending that you have sex.”
Kate frowned. “But I do… now.”
