by Ember Dante
“Come for me, beautiful.”
I’d never been into being told what to do during sex, but his words sent a jolt of electricity to my core, and my cry of ecstasy sent him over the edge as well. Now spent, he collapsed on top of me, his head between my breasts. My fingers ruffled through his hair and when I shifted in his lap a slow trickle of wetness seeped around his subsiding erection. Oh, shit. We just had sex without a condom. Ian must have realized it as well, because he lifted his head, his eyes filled with trepidation.
“Fuck. Emmy…”
I said the only thing I could to allay his fear. “I’m on the pill, and I’m clean.”
Relief flooded his face, smoothing his features. “So am I. I know you don’t have much reason to believe me, but I give you my word.”
Smiling, I stroked the side of his face, from temple to jaw, my fingers scrubbing over the short stubble there. “I trust you.”
He sat upright and drew me into a tight embrace. We sat in silence for several minutes, simply holding each other, before he released me and pulled my shirt back into place. His lips curved into a small, bashful smile, and he pressed a sweet kiss to the tip of my nose.
“Are you hungry? I’ll make breakfast.”
“That sounds good.”
Another kiss, on the lips rather than the nose, as he eased me off his lap. He stood and buttoned his fly before walking around the island to the kitchen.
“Do you like eggs?”
“Yes. Scrambled if it’s not too much trouble.” I followed behind him as he began gathering items from the cabinets and fridge. “Can I help?”
“Would you make coffee?”
“Sure.” I smiled, happy to be useful.
We worked in tandem, moving around each other as if we had been doing so for years. It was very domestic and comfortable.
“Have you given any more thought to going to the opening with me?” he asked.
“Yes, I have.”
He tilted his head in my direction and cracked eggs into a bowl. “And?”
A slow smile spread across my face. “I’d love to go. What should I wear?”
“I believe it’s a semi-formal event.” He grabbed another egg, cracked the shell, then paused before spilling the contents into the bowl. “What made you change your mind? You seemed pretty set against it when I asked.”
I hesitated, unsure of what to say. “I know. I’m sorry. I just…” I took a deep breath and exhaled before answering. “Jules made me realize I wasn’t being fair to you, and I was holding you accountable for someone else’s actions.”
His brows furrowed as he cracked a final egg and tossed the shells in the sink. “What do you mean?”
I was deliberately vague. “I’ve been burned pretty badly, and it’s made me ... hesitant to trust again.”
“Bad break-up?”
“Something like that.”
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to pry.”
I almost laughed. We’d had sex multiple times, and he was apologizing for prying. I knew I eventually needed to tell him about Brett, but it wasn’t the time. “That’s okay. I’m just not ready to talk about it yet.”
He nodded and grabbed a fork to whisk the eggs. There was something sexy about watching a hot man beat eggs. With nothing to do but stay out of the way, I decided it was as good a time as any to broach a potentially delicate subject.
“Can I ask you a question?”
“Of course.” He didn’t look up as he poured the eggs into the pan. “What’s on your mind?”
My fingers drummed the counter, and I released a harsh exhale. “Well, I know we didn’t exactly plan it…”
It was ridiculous. Why was I hesitant to bring it up?
He looked at me while he stirred the eggs in the pan. “You’re referring to our condom mishap?”
“Mm-hmm.”
“We can keep using them if it makes you feel better.” He shrugged.
“I’m okay without them if you are.”
Finishing the eggs, he turned off the burner and leaned against the counter, resting one hand on his hip. “What are you trying to ask, Emmy?”
I plunged ahead. “Are you okay with being exclusive? I expect that if we aren’t going to use condoms.” I could feel the heat on my face. “Well, I mean…”
“Emmy, I’m monogamous when I’m in a relationship. So to answer your question, yes, I’m good with that. I would expect the same.”
“Okay.” I smiled.
“Okay,” he agreed.
He moved closer and kissed me on the forehead. Given what we had decided, I would have expected a different kind of kiss, but I appreciated the sweeter, chaste version instead. He plated the eggs and added toast while I poured the coffee. We met on the other side of the island, and as he did the night before, he pulled back the barstool to help me sit. A girl could get used to that.
“What are your plans for the rest of the day?”
I shrugged and gave him a shy smile. “Well, I didn’t really have any plans, but now I think I need to go dress shopping.”
“What about after that?”
“I don’t know. What are your plans?”
“I have some work to do in the darkroom, but that should only take a few hours. Would you like to spend the evening with me? I’ll make you dinner again, and we could watch a movie or just hang out.” He turned toward me, taking my hand in his, and caressed my fingers with his thumb. That light, fluttery feeling returned.
“Yes, I’d like that.” I smiled. “But you don’t have to cook for me again.”
“Then we’ll order pizza.”
“Okay.” I laughed, moving closer. “Do I need to bring anything?”
“Yes.” Nodding, he pressed his lips to mine. “An overnight bag.”
A thrill ran through me at the realization that there was nowhere else I’d rather be. I threw my arms around his neck and moved in for another kiss. He returned my embrace, hands roaming over my back, his fingertips pressing into my flesh. Our kiss ended, and I pulled away so I could look into his eyes.
“I should probably go if I’m going to get anything done before tonight.”
“Yeah. I should probably get busy, too.”
We punctuated the rest of our conversation by sharing additional kisses between each sentence.
“What time should I be here?”
“Would five o’clock be too early?”
“No, I think I can work with that time frame.”
“Text me if anything changes,” he said.
“I don’t have your number.”
He echoed my comment from the night before. “Then we’ll have to remedy that.”
“Yes, we will.”
“Where’s your phone?”
I pointed toward the living area. “I think I tossed my purse on the recliner.”
He released me to retrieve my bag. I grabbed my phone and offered it to him.
“Unlock it for me, please.”
I did as he asked, and he punched a number into the keypad. The phone on the island rang twice, and he disconnected the call. He tilted my chin with one hand and placed a chaste kiss on my lips.
“Problem solved.” He handed over my phone. “Call or text if we need to change the time.”
Another surge of excitement shot through me, and I kissed him. “I will, but I think five will be fine.”
I eased off the barstool and kissed him once more before returning to the bedroom to dress. When I rejoined him, he was still sitting at the island, working on his laptop.
“Hey, beautiful.” He stood and pulled me into another hug. Even though I was returning later that day, it was like neither of us was ready to part, and we spent a few moments in the embrace before he released me and escorted me to the elevator. He gave me one last kiss before tucking the hair behind my ear.
“Have fun shopping. I’ll see you later.”
I couldn’t stop a goofy smile from forming. “Yep, see you later.”
I stepped into t
he elevator and gave him a saucy wink before the doors closed, removing him from my sight.
I arrived home to find Jules watching Food Network.
“Well, well, well. Look what the cat dragged in,” she said, muting the television.
I waved her off and tossed my purse on the entry table. “Yeah, yeah. Are you busy today? I need to go shopping.”
“What the fuck?” Jules gaped. “You never ask to go shopping.”
My eyes rolled so far into my head I swear I could see my brain. “I need to buy a dress for Ian’s show.”
She jumped up, clapping her hands. “Yay!” She rushed over and grabbed my hands. “So ... how was your night?”
I was both reluctant and pleased to admit defeat. “You were right. He’s incredible, and I don’t just mean the sex.”
“Well, I assumed since you didn’t come home last night that part went well.” She raised her eyebrows. “Give me some details, girl.”
“There’s not much to tell, really.” I hesitated, then shook my head. “No, that’s not exactly true.” I took a deep breath and let it out. “We had sex without a condom this morning.”
“What. The. Fuck.” Jules gaped at me, then grabbed my shoulders and shook me hard. “Are you insane?”
Laughing, I broke free from her grip. “We didn’t exactly plan it. It just sort of happened, but everything is cool.”
“What did he say? Anything?”
I told her about the moments immediately after we realized it and the resulting conversation as he made breakfast. “So, do you want to go shopping? I have a few hours to kill, and I need a great dress. Just give me a few minutes to clean up and change my clothes.”
“Girl, you don’t have to ask me twice. I know the perfect place to go.” She made a shooing gesture. “Go so we can get out of here. I don’t want you to be late for date number two.”
It didn’t take long to make myself presentable, but Jules was still tapping her foot, waiting impatiently. I couldn’t believe I suggested the expedition because, unlike Jules, I hated shopping for clothes.
She dragged me through a handful of smaller boutiques and three department stores before we finally ended up at the Galleria. That in itself was fairly comical considering it was where my day began. Had I known that was where it would end, I would have just asked Jules to pack a bag and meet me there. Although, come to think of it, that wouldn’t be the best option. There was no telling what she would pack for me—that girl’s idea of necessities would include a vibrator, lube, and little else.
Three stores later, and no closer to finding the perfect dress, we stopped for a quick lunch before continuing our quest. With a few drinks in my system, I felt ready to subject myself to more of Jules’ brand of torture. We entered Nordstrom, and I made a silent wish that it was our final stop. By that point, I was ready to buy just about anything to bring our excursion to an end. The only thing that kept me going was knowing how important the event was to Ian, so I needed to make an honest effort to look fabulous. Which was exactly why I needed her help.
We made a few selections, and she stuffed me in a dressing room before returning to the showroom floor. I tried on each dress, growing more and more disgusted with each failure. There was something wrong with each one—color, fit, style—none of them were right, regardless of how cute they were on the hanger. Jules returned with a few more potentials as I was pulling my shorts up my legs.
“What are you doing?”
“Maybe this is a mistake,” I sighed.
Her brows drew together. “What’s a mistake?”
I waved my hands at the garments surrounding me, crowding me. It was starting to feel claustrophobic. “Maybe we need to try another day. I’m just not feeling any of these.”
“Maybe we’re trying too hard,” she said, hanging the newest selections on a hook. “Take a deep breath and relax. We’ll find it.”
She gathered all the dresses I tried and a few of the new ones she just carried in. One, in particular, caught my eye as she gathered them in her hands.
“Wait. Leave that one.”
Jules raised an eyebrow. “Really? I honestly didn’t think you’d like this one, but I was going to make you try it on anyway.”
“Haha, very funny. I like the color.”
“Any others you like?”
“No. Let me try that one and then we’ll regroup.”
Jules nodded in agreement and gathered the remaining items and left me alone. Following her advice, I forced another steadying breath and dropped my shorts on the floor. Aside from the fact I didn’t enjoy shopping, my agitation was due to the pressure of finding a dress, my guarantee I wouldn’t back out of going to Ian’s show.
Once the dress was in place and zipped, I twisted and turned, trying to see all of it in the mirror. It was beautiful. Purple silk covered by a black lace overlay clung to my body, accentuating my curves without being indecent. The slim straps laying on my shoulders gave just enough support to keep me from feeling like my boobs were about to pop out of the sweetheart neckline.
There was a soft knock, and the door slowly opened. “Hey, Em, how are you doing in there?”
“I think we found it.”
Jules stepped into the small space and gaped at me. It was the reaction I was hoping for. It was perfect.
“You know what this means, don’t you?”
“What?” shrugged Jules.
“I need shoes.”
“You don’t just need shoes. You need fabulous shoes. Get dressed so we can go look.”
We passed several displays of appropriate shoes, but none met Jules’ approval. Leading me farther in, she finally stopped. It was my turn to gape when I realized where we were.
“Are you serious? I can’t spend that much on shoes.”
A wicked grin spread across her face. “Why not? You can wear them again. Besides, you said you wanted to make a good impression.” She waggled her eyebrows. “And, I’m sure Ian would love to have these shoes digging into his ass or thrown over his shoulders.”
I buried my face in my hands, knowing I was about to give in and buy a pair of ridiculously expensive shoes. A young, rather nervous looking salesman walked up, apparently having smelled fresh blood in the water.
“Can I get a shoe for you ladies?”
Jules grabbed one of the shoes from the table and thrust it into his hand. “Yes, we need to see this in a seven, and in a seven-and-a-half.”
He bustled off and was back in record time, carrying two boxes, both bearing the unmistakable Louboutin logo. It was amazing that they didn’t require a deposit just to try them on. One thing was certain—Jules knew shoes. They were incredible t-strap, peep-toe sandals in black patent leather, with fishnet mesh insets and four-and-a-half-inch heels. I wasn’t sure how I’d be able to walk in them without making a fool of myself. The salesman fastened them for me and helped me stand. They were surprisingly comfortable and much easier to walk in than I imagined. Most importantly, I didn’t look like a newborn calf in them.
“Damn, Emmy,” Jules whistled. “You have to buy them. Those are what we call ‘come fuck me’ heels.”
The kid’s eyes bulged at her comment, and a faint blush crept over his neck and face. I shook my head in exasperation and offered an apologetic smile.
“Please forgive her. She doesn’t have a filter.” I took a few more steps, struggling over whether to purchase the shoes.
Jules must have sensed my hesitation because she launched into her argument in favor of them. “I know what you’re doing, so just stop. Yes, it’s a lot of money, but they will look fabulous with that dress, and like I said, Ian will love them.”
“I doubt he’ll pay much attention to my shoes.”
“That’s what you think.” She wagged a finger in my direction. “Besides, when was the last time you splurged on yourself and bought something totally unnecessary? You need this.”
“Okay,” I sighed and turned to the salesman. “It looks like I’ll be tak
ing the shoes today. Can I also pay for the dress here?”
“Yes, ma’am. I’d be happy to help you with that as well.”
Oh yes, of course, he would. I removed the shoes, gladly returning to my flip flops. The salesman gathered the shoebox and dress before leading us to the nearest register.
“I’m ready for another drink,” Jules said. “Do you want to stop and have one on the way home?”
“Yeah, that sounds fine to me. I feel like I need one after all this shopping.” I checked the time on my cell—it was only 3:30 p.m. It felt like it should be later than that. “I’ve got plenty of time. Where would you like to go?”
“How about Mi Cocina? It’s here.”
“Sounds like a plan. I could use a good margarita.”
The salesman cleared his throat, interrupting our conversation. “Your total today is $1671.38. Would you like to put that on your Nordstrom card?”
I must have misunderstood him. “What was that total?”
He blushed. “It’s $1671.38.”
Jules snickered at my surprise. I gave her a threatening look out of the corner of my eye. “You’re buying drinks,” I muttered.
“Okay. No problem.”
I returned my attention to the clerk. “I don’t have a store card. Let’s use this one.”
I’d just spent close to two thousand dollars on one outfit. Thank goodness I didn’t have a balance on that card.
“You still need a wrap and some earrings,” said Jules, giving me a tug on the elbow.
“No, I don’t. I already have a clutch, wrap, and earrings that will work just fine.” I poked a finger in her chest. “Just for that, you’re going to buy me two Mambo Taxis.”
“You’ve got it, girl.” She laughed. “Finish paying the man and let’s get out of here.”
“Tell me more about Ian,” Jules said, reaching for another chip.
I dropped my chin, watching as I swirled the straw in my drink. “He’s originally from Austin and he has two younger brothers.”
“That’s interesting, but that’s not what I meant.”
“What did you mean?”
“Now you’re just being coy. You know what I meant. How do you feel about getting involved with him?” Jules pointed to herself. “It’s me here. You know you can talk to me about this. A few days ago you were freaking out because he asked you on a date.”