Eli
What the hell just happened?I mean, I’m not unhappy with everything that went down with Emma tonight. I just never expected to ask a girl on a first date and end up being her––well-being something more significant in the same night. Was it too fast? Do I need to back off or is this exactly what I need? What I want? I’ve got to process this—maybe talk it out with someone who knows me. Reaching into my jacket pocket, I pull out my phone and text Cody. Since he’s out partying, I agree to meet him at Paradise for a beer. That place is gonna be packed but hopefully, we’ll find a spot so we can talk for a while. Then I need to get to bed. I wasn’t lying when I told Emma I had practice in the morning. I need my sleep.
As I wait for Cody at the bar, I send a quick text to Emma.
Me:Sweet dreams, beautiful.
I stare at my phone as she sends me a reply. I chuckle at our short text exchange and smile from ear to ear as Cody takes the seat next to me.
“So, why are you calling me at eleven o’clock on the night you had a date?” Cody’s left eye is arched like he knows something’s up.
“We ended up staying in.”
“Oh? I thought you had reservations at the fancy Chez Robert place.” He mispronounces “Chez” as always. No matter how many times I’ve told him the ‘z’ is silent, he insists on emphasizing it.
“Chez Paul. I did.” And I forgot to call and cancel them. They’re not going to be happy with me but since my dad almost always eats there when he’s in town, I think they’ll forgive me. Nobody gives the great and powerful Jack Baxter any grief.
“So? What happened?”
“She…” I’m interrupted by someone bumping into my right side, then sliding their arms around my neck. I feel lips below my ear a second later.
Fucking puck bunnies.
I reach up and take her hands in mine and unwrap her from me. “Do you mind?”
“Not at all.” She smirks.
God, I’m sick of this shit. Why did I suggest Paradise? “My buddy and I are talking right now.”
“Oh.” She titters. “I’ll catch you later, then, Bax.”
No, she won’t. Ignoring her, I turn to my best friend.
“Whoa. You’re really into that girl, aren’t you?”
“Can I just tell you what went down tonight?” I want to talk this out. See if he thinks it’s as crazy as I do. So I start at the beginning. At the part where the date became a non-date.
As soon as I tell the entire story, Cody’s first response is “Is her roommate hot?”
Of course, he picks up on that. “Yes. She’s just your type.” I scoff, exasperated. “Can you stay on topic, please?”
“Sure.” He sips his beer. “You made your girl cry? On your first date?”
Okay. Not surprising he jumps to that. “It was a misunderstanding.”
“That you got squared away by telling her you want to be more than friends. Then you proceeded to Netflix and chill on her couch.” He’s not asking.
I nod anyway.
“So you were about to go on a hot first date and ended up sitting on the couch like a couple of old fogies.” Cody chuckles.
Well, I wouldn’t call us old fogies. Not when I remember having my mouth on hers while my hand was up her shirt and my palm was cupping her tit. A tit that was the perfect size. It was pretty and pink too. Oh, shit. My dick’s reacting again at the mere thought of it. Time to change the subject.
“It wasn’t bad.”
Cody stares at me for a several long seconds. “You’ve got a girlfriend now.” Again, that wasn’t a question.
“I think I do.”
