“Wait, can’t leave now. We must dance to this.” I say asMonster Mashblares all around us.
“Seriously?”
“Seriously.” I pull her to me and then spin her out. I can feel the heaviness leave her the more she moves. I toss her around the dance floor to many cheers, pleased she follows my lead. I takethe opportunity to dip her low, enjoying how she’s limp, trusting me completely. I move one of my hands.
“Your hand’s on my ass.”
“Finally.” I squeeze and then lift her back up.
I ignore the urge to hold her closer, squeeze her again. To dip her and kiss the shit out of her. She’s happy, free, flying. The town is giddy around us. All is well, light, fun.
And I want to keep it that way.
That’s all this is.
Yes, I have the start of a crush forming. Fine.
I've had crushes before, they never last. I'll get bored eventually. I'll feel that familiar restlessness. I'm temporarily lightening the load of a friend.
Yes, I have the urge to have every variety of hot, filthy sex with said friend. But that’s only natural, look at her. And I’m a thirty-three-year-old man, not a horny, lovesick teenager.
I can ignore both…
Okay, I can ignore one.
The other I’ll continue to deal with in the shower in the mornings…
And again in bed at night, usually, making a mess of my stomach like a damn adolescent.
I watch Janie climb into the passenger side of the car, that juicy peach backside shifting under the fabric that’s quickly becoming my favorite.
Bloody hell. I round the car and send a quick text to Mitch:
Find kickboxing club in NYC. ASAP.
24
JANIE
My phone buzzes, waking me for the day. I press snooze and stretch out, reveling in the obscenely soft sheets I should not be getting used to. I absently wonder if I could take the sheets with me when I move out, then my phone buzzes again.
Benedict: Happy Monday Morning! Do you want the good news or the great news, wifey?
I groan into my pillow, but really, I’m not that annoyed. At least he waited until after he knew I’d be up for work to pester me.
Janie: The bad news is that you’re still calling me that
Benedict: Okay, good first. As of today, your department can work from home!
Janie: They finalized everything with HR? Over the weekend?
Benedict: I may have gone “all billionaire” - your words, not mine - and told them this morning was a hard deadline.
Janie: I’m trying to find it in me to be mad about you doing that but…
Benedict: Oh, are we skipping the fake outrage this time? Brilliant! The great news is…
Janie: ?
