Sex and the Social Network

by Victoria Lexington

  NICK: Shit, I can’t believe this. How long were we chatting before it got to this?

  LIZ: Um, 3 seconds.

  NICK: Why is that?

  LIZ: Because that is how we remember each other, and there must still be a comfort level to even go there, know what I mean?

  NICK: Yeah, I guess so. I’m going to be in Westlake for work. Do you want to get together?

  LIZ: Seriously?

  NICK: Yes, of course. It would be great to see you and have a chance to catch up. Don’t worry, we can meet at a restaurant, and I promise to behave.

  LIZ: Which night?

  NICK: How about Friday? We can meet at Andrea’s at 7 p.m. They have great seafood.

  LIZ: Okay, that should work. I’ll let you know for sure. Send me your cell number so we can confirm.

  NICK: Awesome, look forward to seeing you!

  LIZ: Me too. See you soon.

  Shit! What the hell was I thinking? I should definitely not meet Nick for dinner. He was bad news and I knew it. But I was curious to see how he looks after so many years. The only thing was… I didn’t know whether I should tell Braden or not.

  I decided to call Braden at work before I changed by mind. “Hi, love. How’s your day going?”

  “Sucky. I just found out I have to go to Chicago for a conference. I’ll be gone from Wednesday to Saturday. The timing is horrible because I have so much going on here too, but I don’t have a choice. Sorry, darling. I know you hate when I travel.”

  “Well, at least it’s only a few days this time.” I let out a big sigh of relief. Braden wouldn’t be here Friday, so I wouldn’t have to lie. I just wouldn’t tell him anything

  ❧

  Friday came quickly, and I was so nervous I didn’t eat the entire day.

  There have only been two other times in my life that I didn’t eat the whole day. The first time was when Jeremy, a boyfriend from college, told me he was in love with my best friend, Melanie. The other time was the day I had a difficult delivery and had not been allowed to eat all day.

  I hadn’t seen Nick since we broke up after college graduation. I use the term “broke up” loosely because for more than six months, he’d tried to win me back. Although I said no—I simply didn’t think I could forgive him—I still loved him. He’d pay me visits unannounced, and I’d end up sleeping with him. He’d call me and we’d talk for hours. He sent me letters and flowers and gifts. It was the longest, most drawn-out breakup in history. I hated him for cheating on me, but I still loved him, and I wasn’t ready to let him go.

  My heart was racing and my hand was shaking while I applied my mascara. I wasn’t sure what to wear, so I opted for slightly sexy but elegant. My black, sleeveless Christian Dior dress fell to my knees, and my red Jimmy Choos had just enough heel to give my calves a sexy, sculpted look.

  I didn’t want Nick to get the wrong idea; I had no intention of getting involved with him in any way except to have dinner. That said, there was no way I wasn’t showing up there looking like a million bucks. I wanted him to see what he’d thrown away.

  I arrived at the restaurant on time but waited in my car for a few minutes. I didn’t want to seem overly anxious, so I just sat for a moment, taking a few deep breaths.

  “Okay, Liz. Stop being such a baby. You can do this,” I said to myself. “You must seem calm and cool. Never let them see you sweat.”

  I handed the valet the keys to my black BMW, grabbed my purse, and strolled in the front door. I told the hostess I was meeting someone, and she gestured to the bar. It was packed, but the moment I looked in that direction, I saw him. He was hard to miss, being so tall and tan. And oh my God, he looked fabulous. Impossibly hot for a thirty-eight year old who’d broken my heart.

  “Deep breaths … deep breaths,” was the refrain in my head.

  He stood up and walked toward me. He gave me a huge hug and picked me up while he did.

  “Wow, you are strong, Nick.” I blushed.

  “And you’re light as a feather, Lizzy! You’ve had three kids?”

  I giggled like a little schoolgirl and thanked him.

  In true blueblood form, Nick pulled my chair out for me and waited until I was comfortable before he took his seat. He stared at me for a few moments before he spoke. The knot in my stomach was almost too much to bear.

  Luckily, the waiter came by and asked if we wanted anything to drink.

  “A bottle of Cab okay with you, doll?”

  “Sure, sounds great.”

  “Liz, you look gorgeous. I am almost speechless, but I had to tell you how fantastic you look.”

  “You too, Nick. The years have been good to you. You still have all your hair and you’re in great shape. Obviously, you still work out.”

  “Sure do. In fact, I make a living out of it. I opened a gym and have three fitness centers. We’re set to expand to Los Angeles. I have a meeting with some investors tomorrow to discuss it.”

  “Wow, Nick! That is amazing. Good for you. I always knew you’d do well for yourself. You’ve always been such a hard worker, so driven.”

  The first bottle of wine came and went without me batting an eyelash, and thank God for alcohol because I was finally able to relax.

  Everything Nick said was hilarious, and I felt giddy and free. He picked up the check and asked if I wanted to go for a walk.

  “Sure, why not? I could use the fresh air. I’m feeling a little drunk.” That was my biggest mistake right there, admitting that I was tipsy. We walked around and then, wonder of wonders, we were in front of Nick’s hotel.

  “What time do you have to be home?” Nick inquired.

  “Anytime is fine. The kids are sleeping at a friend’s house tonight and Braden’s out of town.”

  Correction. That was my biggest mistake: telling him I had no curfew.

  “So do you want to come upstairs? I can show you the blueprints for the gym, you can tell me what you think, and we can have a nightcap.”

  I said, “Okay, sure,” but I knew I was swimming in dangerous waters.

  The hotel room was huge and lavish. I shouldn’t have been surprised, really. It was clear that Nick had money. His suit was bespoke and his shoes designer-made. Even his wallet looked expensive, and he carried an AMEX Centurion card—you know, the black carbon fiber one that’s so exclusive you can’t even apply for it; you have to get invited. So yeah, Nick was loaded.

  He took off his blue and white striped tie, tossed it on the chair, and undid the top button of his light blue Armani shirt. He opened a bottle of Screaming Eagle, a fabulous wine from Napa Valley that happened to be my personal favorite. He handed me a glass and said, “A toast, to Napa and lots of wine yet to be drunk.”

  The wine felt smooth and warm on my throat.

  “Elizabeth, I want you.”

  “What?” I was suddenly shocked sober by his words.

  “I want you, Liz.” His voice was raspy and low.

  For a moment I couldn’t bring myself to speak. I felt powerless before him. “Seriously, Nick? Do you have any idea how long it took me to get over you?”

  “Don’t stop now,” he laughed.

  “It took me a long time, Nick, but I’m married now. I love Braden and we have three gorgeous kids.” My head was spinning; I couldn’t believe this was happening.

  “Shh.” He took his index finger and placed it on my lips. He took his strong hands, cupped my face, and slowly ran his thumb across my jawline. My knees felt like they were going to buckle from underneath me.

  That caress. It was Nick’s signature move. He always did that right before he’d start kissing me. He was slow and methodical and the taste of his lips was enough to get me wet every time. Tonight was no exception.

  I knew what was coming next, and I knew it was wrong. The wine was clouding my judgment, so I just stood there, anticipating what was about to happen.

  His lips drew mine to his like a powerful magnet; there was no way this kiss was not going to happen. His lips were warm and
soft and barely touched mine, like he was teasing them, wanting them to beg for more. And beg they did.

  He moved in closer, and my senses were heightened by the scent of his masculinity. I could’ve gotten drunk off that alone. His deodorant blended effortlessly with my favorite cologne, Burberry Classic. His scent was intoxicating, and I wanted to drink in more.

  “I need you,” he whispered breathily in my ear. “Liz, I want you so badly.”

  Just then, I heard a buzz from my purse. Thank God! I was so grateful for the distraction. I pulled out my phone, and there was a text from my son, Don.

  Hi Mommy, we miss you. :)

  And there it was. My heart felt heavy and happy at the same time. My sweet Don; his timing was impeccable. I was so thankful he interrupted what might have ended up a disaster.

  “Everything all right?” Nick walked back over to me.

  I took a step back. I couldn’t stand to have him so close to me. I knew if he touched me again it’d all be over. “No, actually. My son isn’t feeling well, so I have to run.” I hated lying to Nick, but I knew if I tried to reason my way out of sleeping with him that my body would have a stronger, louder voice than my mind.

  “Oh, that sucks. Sorry to hear he’s sick. Can I see you before I leave tomorrow?”

  “Um, I don’t think so, Nick. I’ll probably have to take him to the doctor and won’t have anyone to watch Isabella and Alexa. But I had a wonderful time and it was great catching up.” My voice was shaky; I had to leave before I changed my mind.

  I leaned in for a quick hug and gave him a peck on the cheek. Before he could say anything else, I left the hotel and hurried down the street. My car was only a few blocks away, still parked at the restaurant. I used the time to take deep breaths and thank the powers that be for having Don text me when he did.

  As I drove home, I thirsted for some fresh air. I opened the windows, allowing the wind to wreak havoc on my tousled hair. It’d taken me an hour to tame my wild locks for the evening. But now with just a little wind—and more than my share of drama—it was totally out of control, just like my life. I tied it back, but left the curls untethered. It was analogous to my life. I couldn’t return to the tumult of involvement with Nick. The truth was, though, there was a part of me that was aching to run to him.

  JULIA

  The next day after I dropped off Arielle at preschool, I headed straight to my yoga studio. I was teaching three classes, and I was grateful for the distraction. I felt lucky to be able to make some money doing something I enjoyed so much.

  My body was one of the few things in my life I was actually happy with. But not for nothing, I worked hard to maintain it. On top of all the yoga I taught, I ran several times a week, often participating in local 5K or 10K races, and I spent countless hours on my bedroom floor doing crunches and planks. So yes, I had a hot body, but I earned it.

  After I locked up my studio, I headed to Whole Foods to pick up some groceries. My cart was filled with all the skinny girl essentials: lots of organic fruits and veggies, fresh fish, organic chicken breasts and the like. I decided I was going to try and make a new dish that night: pesto over pasta with a green salad on the side.

  Arielle and I spent the afternoon cooking and baking together. She loved helping me, and it was a fun way for us to spend time together. We made penne pasta, a chopped salad, and for dessert, we made Aaron’s favorite: double fudge brownies. I even bought a pint of Häagen-Dazs so we could eat them a la mode.

  Aaron was due home at seven o’clock, so Arielle set the table, tore up the baguette, and placed it in a basket like my sweet little helper. She was excited that we’d made such a fancy meal for Daddy. At seven fifteen, Arielle started whining that she was hungry. She normally ate by 6 p.m., so I wasn’t all that surprised. My marriage was coming undone, and I had been silly enough to think a nice meal would help glue us back together a bit.

  By seven thirty, I gave up. I caved and let her eat. I picked up my phone and saw that Aaron had texted me a few minutes before:

  Tied up at the office. Eat without me. I won’t be home till late.

  “Goddamnit!” I shouted and threw down my phone. I looked up and saw Arielle had tears shimmering in her eyes. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. Mommy shouldn’t curse.”

  “Where’s Daddy?” she asked.

  “He has to work late, sweetie. He said for us to eat without him and that he was so sad he couldn’t make it tonight. He’s proud of you for helping Mommy cook, and he can’t wait to try our yummy food.”

  Arielle’s tears turned into a heart-melting smile. I realized if he had actually said those things, I’d probably be smiling too. Instead, every time he did something like that, I felt myself pulling farther and farther away. I understood he had to work late sometimes, but not once was there an apology or even a little notice. Family time and our relationship seemed meaningless to him. So, too, were my feelings.

  For the last of couple years, I had felt myself pulling more and more away from Aaron, but until now I’d had nowhere to go. Now, when he pushed me away with his thoughtlessness, he was driving me right into the arms of Tyrone.

  Arielle and I delighted in the dinner and dessert we had “expertly” prepared.

  “You’re so yummy, Mommy.” Arielle gleamed with brownie crumbs all over her mouth.

  I kissed the crumbs off her face, and her laughter was the sweetest sound in the universe. After a quick bath and a bit of story time, my baby girl was fast asleep, dreaming sweet dreams in her Pottery Barn garden-themed bedroom.

  I had avoided logging on to Facebook all day. I knew if Tyrone hadn’t emailed me, I’d be sad. I honestly didn’t think I could handle any more disappointment that day. So I turned on the TV, but after I’d flipped through all five hundred channels and determined that nothing was on, I pulled my iPhone off of the nightstand and opened Facebook’s virtual treasure chest. I smiled when I saw Ty had sent me an email a few hours prior and asked me to say “hi” on chat if I was around. It was like he was waiting for me, needing me, ready to cater to my every desire. I couldn’t resist.

  JULIA: Hey, Ty. I just got your message. How was your day?

  TYRONE: It was good. Better now that I get to say hi to my favorite cougar.

  I immediately felt better; all the stress of my day seemed to melt away.

  TYRONE: I missed you today.

  JULIA: I missed you too. I get turned on just thinking about you.

  TYRONE: My mouth is watering, thinking about lapping up your juices.

  JULIA: I want that BAD. And then I want you to fuck my face.

  TYRONE: Oh, sugar lips, just the idea of your moist mouth gets me so hard.

  TYRONE: I’m going to email you a picture of what you do to me.

  I sat in my bed with my head propped against a billow of satiny soft pillows. In my hand, I held a picture of Ty’s beautiful dick. It was hard and long and thick, just like he’d promised. I bit the side of my tongue and ran my hand down my body. I closed my eyes for a moment and imagined how he would feel inside of me.

  JULIA: Holy shit, Ty. Your cock is fantastic. You might be too big for me!

  TYRONE: LOL, you’ll love it.

  JULIA: Seriously, Ty, that is the biggest, most delicious looking cock I have ever seen.

  TYRONE: It’s yours if you want it, sweetheart.

  JULIA: I’m not sure if it will even fit!

  TYRONE: Don’t worry about that. After I make out with your pussy for an hour, you will be soaking and I’ll slide right in. We can take it nice and slow if we have to.

  JULIA: Goddamnit, now I’m horny again. I might have to pull out my vibrator.

  TYRONE: Ok, doll, but you know my talents are far superior to any toy you have.

  JULIA: I’m sure….

  TYRONE: D-cells are no match for my tongue. You'll be riding my face and screaming like you’ve never cum before. You’ll squirt so hard, you’ll soak the sheets.

  JULIA: I’d love that. I haven’t cum like that in
years, not even sure if I still can.

  TYRONE: Then you’re in luck. I am a master at cunt-lapping. Never met a woman I couldn’t get to squirt. You just need a man to spend time learning how to play your body like the finely tuned instrument it is. You’re a Stradivarius, you are.

  That was it: the straw that broke the camel’s back. My body was dying to feel that again, the buildup, the waves of pleasure that racked my body till it surrendered and released in a flood of fluid. I didn’t think there was any turning back at this point.

  JULIA: Holy shit, for real? You're not just saying that because you want to have sex with me?

  TYRONE: Oh, I want to fuck you, don't get me wrong, but I really am a master, and you’re so sexy I’m dying to taste you.

  JULIA: OMG, every time you say stuff like that I get so wet. My pussy starts to pulsate just thinking about what you’re going to do to me.

  TYRONE: You know we need to see each other soon.

  JULIA: I’m still fighting it, but your words are starting to unravel me, little by little.

  TYRONE: Stop fighting it, Julia. I know we will be together. If it’s not today, it’ll be tomorrow. If not tomorrow, it’ll be next week or next month. At this point, I have no doubt about “if.” It’s just “when.”

  Tyrone didn’t text me on Saturday, so by the time Sunday night came around, I was aching to hear from him. Our relationship had gone from light flirtation to a desperate need in just a few short days. My heart skipped a beat when I got his text.

  TYRONE: Hey, beautiful, I want to hear your voice. Can I call you?

  JULIA: Sure. Aaron is out and my daughter is asleep. Call me in five.

  I ran into my kitchen to get a glass of wine. When I got back to my office, my phone rang; I almost dropped it, I was so excited to hear his voice. We were one step closer to being together.

  “Hello.” I tried to sound upbeat.