“You really busted ass down there,” I told her.
She used her hand to wipe her face. “I try. You and Tamlyn were born with different genes than I was. You guys inherited the physical fitness thing. I was not so lucky.”
“I didn’t inherit it until later in life,” I joked. “Tamlyn came out of the womb ready to run a marathon.”
“Don’t I know it,” she said. “I can’t tell you how many times that woman dragged me to one marathon after another. She insisted I train with her. She would get me out of bed at the crack of dawn, which is suddenly feeling very familiar.”
“Why do you do it if you don’t like it?” I asked her.
She shrugged. “I want to like it. I want to be the kind of person that goes for a three-mile run every morning and comes back looking alive and healthy.”
“I think you look just fine,” I told her. “You look very alive and plenty healthy.”
“Thanks,” she said and leaned back against the couch. “I accepted a long time ago that I am not an athlete.”
“I think anyone can be active without being an athlete,” I said.
She smiled and took another drink. “I like that,” she said.
“Do you want some Advil?” I asked.
“No. I’m fine. I know I probably look like hell, but I really am not that bad off. I’ll be a little sore, but it’s not like I ran twenty miles. Thank you for your concern.”
“You don’t look like hell,” I quickly said.
She looked stunning. I was drawn to the perspiration and red face. I wasn’t a freak, but seeing her like that made me think of sex. This was what she would look like after a wild round in the bedroom. Minus the sweats and top that were clinging to her damp skin.
“I look like a sweaty mess,” she said with a laugh. “I’ll never understand how some women don’t sweat, like Tamlyn. She can run ten miles and never break a sweat. She glows but doesn’t sweat. I’m just a little jealous.”
“I think sweat shows hard work,” I told her. “You’re glowing.”
“Very funny,” she said with a groan.
I couldn’t stay where I was another second. I could already feel my erection trying to spring to life. That would not be good. I didn’t want to flash wood to my unsuspecting roommate and scare her away. “I’m going to hop in the shower,” I said and jumped out of the chair before I lost the fight to keep my cock under control.
I practically ran to my room and closed the door a little too hard. What the hell was wrong with me? We were both sweaty and exhausted. That should not be a turn-on. This was going to be a rough year or two if I couldn’t look at her without wanting to drag her to bed.
I walked to the bathroom and turned on the water in the shower. I turned it to lukewarm, just a shade above cold. I needed a cold shower. I stripped off the sticky tank and tossed it on the floor. I caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I turned to look closer. I was still me on the inside, but my outward appearance had definitely changed.
I pulled off my glasses and put them on the vanity. I put my hand to my chest. I knew women found me attractive, but I was still struggling to see me as the man I was today. I saw the skinny kid from five years ago. The kid that had a crush on Lily and a few other girls at school, but they never even looked my way. I knew women suffered from low self-esteem and struggled with body image. Guys did too. Maybe we handled it differently, but I didn’t feel as confident as I thought I should.
Did Lily see me as attractive? Was she attracted to me at all? Did she look at me and want to jump me like I wanted to jump her? She didn’t seem to want me. There was nothing in her eyes that said she was struggling to rein in her desire.
“It’s just you,” I told myself.
It was just like in school. She saw through me. She didn’t see me as a man. She didn’t see me as someone she could be with. I finished stripping and stepped under the stream of water. The cold water slammed against my head and shoulders before streaming down my back.
I closed my eyes and saw breasts. Her breasts. I tried to shake it off but the fantasy was like a freight train. There was no way to stop it from happening. I was in it now and I wasn’t really all that interested in stopping it.
I pictured her chest heaving up and down with her full breasts on display. I fantasized about beautiful, hard nipples pointing to the ceiling as I leaned over her. Her lips would be slightly parted and waiting for my kiss. Before I knew it, my hand was wrapping around my hard dick and stroking. I stroked faster and harder as the fantasy evolved in my mind.
I could practically feel her soft lips under mine. I could imagine her silky skin under my hands as they roamed over her body. I imagined her skin rippling under my touch. Her soft inner thighs parting and making room for me to slide deep inside her wet heat.
“Fuck,” I groaned and rubbed faster.
I reached out to brace myself with my free hand. I pressed against the cool tile and dropped my head forward as I spiraled out of control. It had been too long since I had a release. It had been building for too long. It stripped away my ability to control my need. I was a vulnerable man. I was only a man. I didn’t have the strength to resist a temptation as great as she was.
I tried to excuse my masturbation as more of a need rather than a want. I needed release or I was not going to be able to walk. I wasn’t going to be able to sit or even think. I needed this.
I pumped harder and could feel the release was near. I gripped harder and held on to the wall as the explosion from my dick threatened to drop me to my knees. It was fucking amazing. A grunt escaped my throat before I remembered I wasn’t alone in the apartment. I clenched my teeth together as I rode through the spasms of my release.
When it was over, I turned up the heat on the shower spray and cleaned up. I felt better. I felt like I could get through the day without suffering from an intense case of blue balls. I quickly washed my hair and ended my shower. Now, I had to face her after beating off to the fantasy of her. Thank God she wouldn’t know.
I quickly dressed in my business casual attire before opening my bedroom door. She was sitting at the bar with her laptop open. Her long hair was wet and hanging down her back. She was wearing a pair of cutoff jean shorts and a tank top that hugged her breasts.
I was going to need another shower.
“That was a fast shower,” I commented.
She looked over and grinned. “I didn’t think I could stay upright long enough to really enjoy a shower.”
“You’re welcome to use the tub in my bathroom. It’s got the fancy jets and stuff.”
“I’m okay,” she said. “Much better than I was thirty minutes ago.”
I noticed she had a cup of coffee and was munching on toast. “What are your plans for the day?” I asked and popped my own pod into the coffeemaker.
“I’m going to do an online job search,” she said. “Walking all over town isn’t very practical. I need to be more focused. I’ll fill out a few online applications. If there are jobs that only accept in-person applications, I’ll go that route, but at least I’ll know where I’m going.”
“You might not want to walk all over town after the workout today and your adventure yesterday,” I said with a small laugh. “You’re going to have blisters on your blisters.”
“Exactly what I was thinking,” she said. “I’ll be here most of the day. I’ll make dinner tonight. Anything special you’d like?”
“You don’t have to make me dinner,” I said.
“I want to. I have to eat. Making a meal for one always seems so pointless. I promise it will be healthier than pizza. How about chicken breasts with rice? Brown rice. Nice and healthy to make up for the splurge.”
How could I resist that offer? “That sounds amazing, but if you get busy or need to do something for your job hunting, don’t feel like you have to.”
“Dinner will be ready at six,” she said. “If you’re not home, I’ll make sure to make you a plate.”
“Th
anks and good luck with the job hunt,” I said before taking my to-go cup and leaving the apartment.
I headed to work with weird thoughts playing through my head. It was strange to have someone to go home to. Even stranger to know there was going to be a hot dinner waiting for me when I got home. It all felt very Mayberry. I didn’t hate it.
When I got to the office, Chris was waiting for me in my office. “I think I got it,” he said excitedly.
“What did you get?”
“I found someone to do the marketing for us!” he exclaimed.
I was immediately ready to reject the idea because deep down, I wanted it to be Lily. It couldn’t be Lily. “I’m not sure I want to jump into something like that right now,” I said.
“We won’t hire the person to work in the office,” he said. “It would just be this one project.”
“Isn’t that expensive?”
He shrugged. “Isn’t it more expensive to lose out on major sales because no one knows we exist?”
“I’ll check it out,” I said. “I assume they are giving us a proposal with a cost for their services?”
He nodded but looked nervous. That told me he had already seen the proposal. “Yes.”
“Yes, but?” I pushed.
“Admittedly, it’s a little pricey, but they have a great track record,” he quickly added. “We have to invest money to make money.”
“I’ll look it over,” I said. “I’m sure there are other companies that offer the same services.”
“Yes, but they might not be as good. This company has a proven track record. Their proposal is extremely detailed. I think it’s a good bet. It’s risky to go with someone that isn’t proven, even if they are cheaper. Cheap does not mean good.”
I sighed and sat down in my chair. “Send me the proposal and I’ll look it over.”
He jumped up and was about to leave my office when he stopped and stared at me. “Is everything okay?”
“Everything is fine. Why?”
He shook his head. “You look, uh, I don’t know, different.”
I wasn’t going to blush. I wasn’t a blusher, but I was feeling a little guilty about the incident in the shower. That was what I was referring to it as. An incident that would not be repeated.
“Nope,” I said. “Same old me.”
He didn’t look like he believed me as he walked out the door.
13
Lily
This was it. I felt like I was in a make-or-break situation. It had been a week. My job search was futile. I was on the verge of panic. If I didn’t get a job, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. My only option would be to drop a class to open up my availability. Doing that would prolong my two-year plan by at least a semester. That meant another four to six months of not being able to work full time. Not working full time meant I was going to be hobbled by my lack of employment.
I could not expect Thomas to support me indefinitely. The last week had been nice, and I felt like we were settling into a nice routine, but I was also considering this the honeymoon period. It wouldn’t last indefinitely. I was kind of enjoying making meals and taking care of the house, but it couldn’t last forever.
I zipped up the skirt I had selected for my job search today. I didn’t know what it was about me that was steering potential employers away. I was a Texan. I wasn’t from Austin, but it wasn’t like I was from the state that shall not be named. I was one of them. I was smart and energetic. I knew I would catch on to any job fairly quickly. I just had to convey that to the many would-be employers that were shutting me down.
I had recovered from the only workout Thomas invited me to. I wanted to try again but not until I had a job. Walking around like I had a stick up my ass wasn’t exactly helpful in the job hunt. I slipped on the sensible heels I picked out for the day and grabbed my phone.
I caught the bus that would take me close to campus. I had already done the job search thing on the west side. Now, I was going on the other side of the massive campus. I was hoping to stick close to the buildings where my classes were being held. That would give me a little more leeway with my availability.
I stepped off the bus and looked up and down the street. It seemed like there was a coffee shop on every corner. I was avoiding those. I decided I was not suited for a coffee shop. I strolled down the sidewalk and looked for any signs advertising there was a job opening.
I found nothing and decided it was time to do some cold calls. I walked into a cell phone shop, a clothing store and a game store. It was pretty clear I was not a fit for any of those places, but I was getting desperate. Across the street, I noticed a small bookstore. There was a rack outside the door with books arranged on it.
I could use something to read and crossed the street. I walked into the shop that had bells on the door to alert the clerk to the presence of a customer. There were two small round tables on opposites sides of the door. Overstuffed chairs were arranged a little deeper in the store. The smell of books welcomed me. I loved books. I loved touching them and smelling them. I traced my fingertips over the bindings of the rows of books as I meandered through the many rows.
“Can I help you find something?” an older woman asked.
She had glasses hanging by a chain around her neck. Her silver hair was piled on top of her head in a neat bun. She looked like the proverbial librarian. “I’m just looking, thank you,” I said.
She offered me a sweet smile. “I’ll be in my office if you need anything,” she said. “I’m pulling double duty today. Just holler if you find something.”
“Thank you.”
I made my way to the romance section and pulled out a few different books. I read the backs until I found two that intrigued me. The last thing I needed to be doing was shopping for books, but I figured I couldn’t look for a job all night. I needed a little time to just read and relax.
“Hello?” I called out when I made my way to the counter.
The woman came out from her office. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s fine,” I told her. “You’re pulling double duty?” I saw an opportunity and was not too proud to jump on it.
She sighed and started to ring up my books. “The young lady that helped out quit last week. She decided she would rather work at one of those big fancy tech places instead of this dingy, dusty, old place.”
“Are you hiring someone to fill the spot?” I asked.
“I’m going to,” she said. “It’s not the kind of job that appeals to many. It’s not exciting and there aren’t a lot of hours.”
It was like the job had been tailored for me. “I’m looking for a part-time job,” I said. “I’d love an application.”
She looked at me. “Why would you want to work here?”
It kind of felt like an on-the-spot interview. At least that was how I was going to approach it. “I love books,” I started. “I’ve always been a bit of a bookworm. I like the quiet, slow pace of a bookstore. I am starting school next week to get my master’s degree in marketing and communications. I’m a hard worker. I pick up on things quick. I have experience doing inventory, ordering, and just about everything else. I’m reliable. School is important to me and my priority, but I have to work to afford school.”
“Honestly, you’re the second person to apply for the job,” she said with a laugh. “Books are for old people. They aren’t hip and I honestly wonder what I’m doing here sometimes. I could sell the business and run off to Florida and live out my glory days.”
“I would love the chance to work here,” I told her. I was willing to beg if that was what it took. The more I thought about the sleepy little bookstore, the more it appealed to me. I could study in my downtime if she was okay with it.
She was quiet for several minutes before she slowly nodded. “I think you’re a perfect fit,” she said.
“Really?” I gasped. “I have the job?”
“You do. Let me get you the paperwork. We’ll need to talk about your schedule as well.”
I couldn’t believe I actually had a job. Finally. We spent the next thirty minutes going over my availability. When I left the bookstore with my books in hand, I felt elated. I had finally managed to get a job. A great job.
I caught the bus back home and was on my way to the building when I passed a convenience store. I was looking forward to the future and I felt like celebrating. Now that I knew I was going to have an income coming in, I could tap into the money I had been hoarding in case I didn’t find a job. I grabbed a six-pack of beer. It was the kind Thomas usually had in his fridge.
I carried the bag home and decided to order a pizza. I went with a thin crust that was just a tiny bit healthier than the usual. I was hoping Thomas would be willing to celebrate with me. The last week, he’d been supportive and encouraging. I wanted to do something nice to thank him for all his support.
I changed into my comfy clothes and took my book out to the patio to wait for Thomas to get home. I was starving but I wanted to wait to dig into the pizza until he was there. The smell was making me ravenous, but I forced myself to wait.
I was in the kitchen opening a beer when the door opened. Thomas walked in carrying a large plastic bag. He looked at the pizza box on the counter, then me. “I brought dinner,” he said.
I laughed and tapped the box. “So did I.”
“Tino’s,” he said with an impressed look on his face. He held up the bag. “Thai.”
I was kind of bummed. I wanted to do something nice for him and he’d beat me to it. “It smells amazing.”
“Beer?” he said with his brows raised.
“We’re celebrating,” I said.
“We are?”
I smiled and grabbed a beer from the fridge for him. “I got a job finally.”
Match Me Up Page 8
