“Well, this bed is quite comfortable … not to mention the possibility of morning sex.” His hand skims up my belly and across my breast, his fingers brushing the already hard nipple.
“Morning sex is a wonderful way to start the day, I hear. It would be a shame not to take advantage of that opportunity.” I can’t seem to keep my lips off him. Even as I’m talking, my lips are grazing the side of his chest. The voice in my head whispers another warning, but the pull of this man is too strong. I know it will end, and probably not well, but I can’t seem to care.
Morning sex turns out to be the best way to start the day—bar none. And I’m a bacon and pancakes girl from way back. After waking me up with not one but two orgasms, Nick showers and heads off to the office without a word of when I will see him next. I try not to obsess. After all, this is not a relationship. This headspace is most unlike me, and calls for some girl therapy.
After I organise to meet Rosanna for lunch, I spend the morning working on the painting I started on Saturday morning. I can barely even walk past it without getting the tingles. And it’s without a doubt the best work I’ve ever done. I’d be mad not to include it in my show. But the idea of strangers seeing it doesn’t sit right. Before I leave, I take a quick snap of the painting with my phone to show Rosanna.
No sooner have we sat down than Ro is giving me the eye. “Spill.” She rolls her hand for me to speak.
“How do you even do that?” I know she knows, and I guess it’s because she knows me so well. She shrugs and raises her eyebrows in waiting.
“As Britney once said, ‘Oops, I did it again’.”
“What? With Nick the Sex God?”
My cheeks burn as I nod. “And it was sooo good.” I bring up the picture of the painting on my phone and hand it to her.
“Oh. Oh. My. God,” she whispers. We’re at a café around the corner from her office since she only has an hour. “That is … wow. It’s even better than the last one you did after sex with Nick. He must be amazing.”
I can’t even meet Ro’s eye, I’m so embarrassed. Although you can’t see any bodies, to me it screams sex. Really, really great sex. I don’t think I could show it to anyone but Ro.
“Is that how it felt? You know, when you were with him? Honest to God?”
My mind returns to last night. And this morning. And I can’t hold back a sigh that sounds somehow both filthy and contented.
“Yes. It is. I can’t begin to explain it. Sure, he’s gorgeous, but it’s more than that. There’s something I can’t even describe.”
“You lucky bitch,” Ro squeaks, jumping in her seat when the server puts her lunch in front of her. “Oops. Sorry.” He gives her a flirty grin, which sails straight over her head. I can’t even with her and the servers.
“Can I get you anything else?” And by that, I feel like he means his phone number, but Ro only shakes her head.
“No. Thanks. We’re all good.”
“He’s cute,” I comment as he walks away, tossing a lingering look over his shoulder.
“Who? The server? Yeah, I guess so,” she replies vaguely. “But no changing the subject. Are you going to include this in your show?” Ro knows me so well. Already she can sense my hesitation.
“I don’t think so. It feels too personal.”
“I get it. Has he seen it?”
“Yeah, he called in while I was working on it, and you know what? He got it straight away. As soon as he saw it, he knew. And he said it was the same for him.” There’s that filthy, contented cat sigh again.
“But? I’m hearing a ‘but’ in your tone here, which I’m not understanding.”
“Well, he’s amazing. The sex is amazing. But our lives are so different. I don’t see how it could work. And we talked about what this is.” I fiddle with the salt and pepper shakers rather than look at Rosanna because I’m having enough trouble with my thoughts, never mind putting them into words. “Neither of us wants a relationship. He was pretty clear. He doesn’t have the time or the interest. And you know how I feel about getting involved.”
“I do, yes. I don’t agree with it, but I do know. It sounds to me like you’re both on the same page.” She waits patiently while I push my lunch around my plate, trying to articulate my feelings.
“We are. I guess. I’m just confused. He left this morning without saying anything about when we would see each other again. And now I feel, I don’t know, nervous?”
Ro’s eyebrows hit her hairline, but she remains silent.
“This feels different somehow. To all my other relationships.” Ro snorts at my use of the word relationship.
“Well, I’ll leave aside the fact that all your other relationships have been nothing more than extended one-night stands,” Ro holds up a hand to stop the interruption she sees on my face. “Yes, yes. I know, apart from Damon, and address the real issue. You like this guy, and you’re scared of catching feelings for him. Have I summed it up?”
“Maybe. Yes. I don’t know.”
