“Just think about how close she’ll be to you when she’s showering… when she’s getting dressed in the morning…”
“Oh my god, Gina, my objectification is reserved for fictional characters and people who consent to it!”
“Speaking of, did you see my latest video?”
“Yes, and it was great, and I’m happy to objectifyyoubecause you’re into it and you share it publicly for people to do that. Jeez, it’s not rocket science.”
“Okay, well, just remember what I said. It’ll make great inspiration for your writing!”
So shesaid,but Gina was blissfully happy with her girlfriends who ravaged her almost daily. She didn’t get what it was like to be desperately attracted to your straight, goody-two-shoes roommate who would probably have a heart attack if she found out you were a professional lesbian smut creator.
But I still gave it a try. Sat at my computer and wrote up a little concept about a girl’s first day at the office where two of her sexy coworkers each wanted to claim her and would ultimately settle to share. Instead, I just felt frustrated, and even setting it aside and masturbating didn’t help me feel much better.
But whatever. I at least had my sexy Christmas videos ready, since I’d rushed together putting up the decorations and got it done before Victoria got here. Only catch was that then she was a big fan of the Christmas decorations and I couldn’t just be likeoh, yeah, I put them up early so that I could film myself unwrapping a dildo and fucking myself with it while instructing the viewer to get herself off too.I mean, I guess Icouldhave said that, if only because it’d probably be really funny to see her reaction, but I felt like it might not have been the world’s best idea. So instead I was pretending to be really into Christmas magic.
When I’d thoroughly worn myself out on trying to make any progress with my writing, I got dressed up decently—I’d pulled a bunch of my business casual clothes back out of the musty old place I’d stored them since I’d quit my job, and I was getting used to seeing myself in slacks again in mirrors—and I headed out to where I was in the kitchen making a sandwichwhen a knock came from the counter behind me, and I jumped at the sight of Victoria there in a wool coat and a scarf.
“Done for the night?” she said, and I felt a furious burn for one second thinking she was talking about something else before I realized she meant work.
“Oh—yeah. I mean, I’m never really done, I don’t have any… work-life balance. I kind of live my work. But I’m not making much progress, so I came out here to make a sandwich and drift in and out of awareness, and…”
She smiled, and she nodded towards the door. “That works out ideally for us both, then. I want to treat you to dinner.”
“You want to do what?”
She smiled. “My treat. For your generosity, having me here. Please. I don’t do well with accepting gifts, and despite what you said, letting me stay here still feels like a very generous gift. So let me pay you back. Dinner, on me.”
Oh my god, I was going to die. Shehadto have gotten hotter since we were working in the office together. She was tall, elegant, with strong shoulders but still decidedly feminine, and long, beautiful waves of brown hair and sharp brows that gave her a commanding presence. Maybe it was the hair. I’d never actually seen her with it down.
Or maybe it was just that someone was always less sexy as a coworker. Of course, they probably should have been less sexy as a roommate, too. But that sexy confident-cool lean against the counter while she smiled at me like that and asked me out to dinner was not playing fair.
“You don’t need to do that,” I said. “I mean, I’ve got a great… sandwich… right here.”
“Bridget, that’s a single leaf of lettuce on white bread. You can put the lettuce back in the refrigerator, put the bread back in the container, and I will order you whatever kind of food you like.”
“Indian?”
Her eyes crinkled. “That one place on Cesar Chavez, is that still open? Golden Leaf, or something?”
“Not only is it still open, but the seasoned rice is still like crack.”
“Well, what are you waiting for, then?”
For my brain to get out of the gutter. But we’d be waiting for the rest of time. “Let me just get my coat on.”
∞∞∞
Golden Leaf had the tackiest Christmas decorations up, packed in alongside the kind of stereotypical stuff you’d get if you searchedIndian decorationson Amazon, little golden Buddhas with Santa hats. Most importantly, though, was the food we got, including huge, heaping portions of seasoned rice.
Okay, actually most importantly was the hot girl sitting across from me in the little booth seat under the window, brown eyes fixed on mine in a way that made me all squiggly inside. Couldn’t it have been someone ugly living in my apartment?
“Here’s to… home, I suppose,” she said. “Thank you so much for giving me a place to land.”
“I really mean it, it’s a big help for me too,” I said, tapping my glass to hers. “How’s it going? Finished unpacking all your stuff?”
“Thankfully, yes. I donated and threw away a lot of my things before I came back here. And I didn’t have a lot…” She looked away. “I lived pretty simply in Seattle. Didn’t have a lot of time off to go decorate.”
“Is that why you left?”
