“Okay,” I said.
He blinked, as if he hadn’t really thought I’d agree. “Aye?”
“Aye,” I parroted back, vaguely aware my response had prompted a chuckle. I could barely hear anything through the blood pounding in my ears. “Where and when? I mean, you said Saturday, but…”
“Seven? At the Goldfinch Tavern? I’ll pick you up.”
“Sounds good,” I said. I dug into my purse for a pen and a sticky note. I had more pads of sticky notes than I knew what to do with now. They were a teacher staple. I jotted my number down and handed him the note.
“I’ll see you Saturday then,” he said as he slipped the paper into his pocket.
“I can’t wait,” I said. The words didn’t seem adequate enough to describe the sensations tightening in my stomach, but I wasn’t going to try for anything else because I was pretty sure I’d just embarrass myself.
He smiled as he said goodbye, then turned to continue his run. I allowed myself the indulgence of watching for a minute before heading for the bus stop again. My bus had already left and watching his ass for a minute would at least give me something to fantasize about while I waited for an Uber.
* * *
If Mai didn’t quit bouncingon my bed, I was going to use my teacher voice and put her in a time-out.
“I’m just so excited for you,” she squealed, clapping her hands. “Alec is smoking hot and totally into you. He’s going to make you see stars.”
I laughed. “You can tell that based on the little bit of time you saw him at the bar?”
She wriggled her eyebrows at me. “I saw the way he was eye-fucking you and then watched the two of you dancing. Trust me, when two people move that good together on the dance floor, they’re dynamite in the bedroom.”
Mai knew I wasn’t sexually experienced, but not exactly what that meant because I didn’t talk about it. Even as close as the two of us were, I didn’t want to discuss something that personal. Now, as I looked at my reflection in the mirror, I wondered if maybe I should talk to her before Alec arrived. Between the little black dress and the black silk lingerie underneath it, I looked like I knew what I was doing.
But I didn’t.
Still, I wasn’t ready to talk to her about it. I might’ve been ready to have sex, but it was different with Alec. He wasn’t my best friend. I didn’t have to be embarrassed because he wasn’t someone I planned on seeing much of after tonight.
And I wasn’t going to think about whether or not that was a good thing. Tonight was about fun. Not anything serious.
“You do know I’m expecting a full report, right?” She jumped off the bed and came up to stand next to me. “I meanfull. I want all the dirty details. Measurements. Skill level. Specialties.”
“Please stop,” I begged her, laughing. “He’ll be here any minute.”
“Just as long as he doesn’t come in a minute.” She grinned at me, dancing back as I swatted at her.
The apartment buzzer went off before I could decide how best to retaliate. Instead of chasing her, I went to the intercom.
“Hello?”
“Hello, lass.” Alec’s brogue came through loud and clear.
“It sure is!” I said. “I’ll be right down.”
“What are you doing?” Mai hissed. “Tell him to come up! I want to meet him.”
I batted her hand away from the intercom button and grabbed my purse. “How do I look?”
“Stunning,” Mai said immediately. “I’d fuck you.”
I rolled my eyes. “Oh, thanks.”
“Any time!” She grinned. “Does this mean I get to meet the hot Scot?”
“No.” I slipped on my shoes and took a big breath.
