by Amanda Adams
Honk! Honk!
I stop my walk just in time to avoid a speeding sedan. The red hand of the crosswalk light reminds me I have not been paying attention during my walk to the coffee shop and yet here I am, arrived already. I can see Lindsey staring at me through the window and waiting for me at a table. She shrugs at me and shakes her head. All I can do is smile and fan myself. How can I be so hot? It’s December and can’t be over 40 degrees out. The light changes and I head into my favorite coffee shop to deal with Lindsey’s curious gaze.
“Where have you been? You’re late.”
3
Bethany
Lindsey’s scolding me again, acting like a big sister more than a friend. She pulls the sister act when she thinks I am messing up.
“I’ve had quite a day.”
“What is going on? Come on, spill it. You’re flushed.” She ducks lower and whispers, “If I didn’t know better, I would say you just finished having sex.”
I glance around and over my shoulder to make sure nobody can hear. The only person within earshot is an elderly lady seated behind me, but she is probably hard of hearing anyway. “He finally talked to me.”
“Who, the hot guy at work? Is that why you hung up on me?”
“Yep.”
“You bitch. Tell me everything.” Lindsey leans forward in her chair.
“Did you order us anything?” I ask and turn toward the front counter as I realize we have nothing to drink.
“Yes, now stop delaying and tell me.”
“Ugggh.” I lean back in my chair and laugh at my pitiful self. “I made an ass of myself, couldn’t even remember my own name. How could I be such an idiot? There is no way he will ever want to talk to me again.”
“Well, what did he say?”
“I was so flustered, I can’t even remember.” I shrug my shoulders and sit up in my chair. “It doesn’t matter. He only stopped to talk to Alexa, anyway.”
“You are so much prettier than her.”
“Thanks, but she seems more his type. He probably likes the slutty type. There is a reason she gets so much attention at work.”
“Because she acts like a prostitute.” Lindsey rolls her eyes. “Trust me, a real man doesn’t want that, not long term. That’s the kind of girl you screw, but you don’t, what?”
“Take home to meet your mother.” I finish Lindsey’s sentence.
“Exactly.”
I’ve heard her preach it a thousand times. Trouble is, women like Alexa always seem to have dates. Meanwhile, up-tight good girls like us? We sit home every Valentine’s day watching bad movies and eating chocolate ice cream. Even last year. My fiancé got roped into working on a big corporate client’s tax documents. Engaged, at last, and still alone for every major holiday.
I need to invest in some make-up and heels.
No. I’d just end up looking like a clown and falling on my ass.
“Well he didn’t stop just to talk to me.” I place my elbows on the table and rest my chin in my hands. “At least he asked if I was going to the Christmas party. That is more than enough for me today.”
“Wait. What do you mean? Did you? Were you daydreaming again? Is that why you were so flushed and nearly got run over?”
I only needed to smile in response and Lindsey burst out laughing.
“You are so bad.”
A young guy behind the counter called out, “Two vanilla lattes for Lindsey.”
“Pause,” Lindsey said as she stood and moved toward the counter. “You’re telling me everything and don’t even think about skipping any details.”
By the time we finish our first round of lattes, and I finish my story, Lindsey could only say, “Oh my God, oh my God, you are so bad. So bad.” She pauses and stares into space. “So bad.” She checks her phone. “And now I have to go.”
“What?” I said. “So soon? We haven’t even had our second round.”
“You were late, bitch.” I’ve never understood why she loves calling me that, but I take it as a sign of affection. “I have to go back to work. Michael is in the office today and I never miss any time when he is in, if you know what I mean.”
“Who’s bad now?” She’s always had a crush on her boss even though he is at least ten years older than her. It didn’t hurt that he made over a billion dollars when he sold his first tech company to one of the big three. Handsome. Smart. Rich. Yeah, she has it bad for him.
“A girl can dream.” She leans over and hugs me. “I paid for a pastry for you, just pick one out.”
“You mean you flirted with the kid behind the counter and he offered you one for free?”
“At least I’ve still got it.” She smiles and waves as she walks out the door.
I walk to the counter and wait as the young guy behind the counter finishes with a customer. His nametag is a generic, Hi, My Name is:. The name Chris is written in barely legible black marker beneath the label. He looks about my age with long blond hair, blue eyes, a nice smile and a wanna-be beard that is more like an overgrown goat in need of a trim. I cast him my best flirting smile and wave him over. “Hey Chris, my friend said I could pick out a pastry?”
“Sure.” He smiles at me and pauses a little too long, his gaze a little too direct. “She said you thought I was hot.”
“Oh, she did, did she?” Damn Lindsey, she is always pulling shit like this. I lie and say, “Well, you are very cute. And she shouldn’t be telling all my secrets.”
That last bit makes his eyes light up.
“Can I have a piece of pumpkin bread?”
He wraps up a huge piece of warm bread and hands it to me. “You wanna go out sometime?”
“Oh, sorry.” I say and wave my left hand in the air. “I’m engaged.”
“You’re savage.” He wags his finger at me as I walk back to my table. “I’m going to keep my eye on you two.”
As I sit down at the table to enjoy my “gift” from Lindsey, I smile and shake my head. Lindsey. That little turkey is always trying to jam me up like that, with all kinds of men. My phone vibrates, and it’s a text from her, it’s almost as though she can sense that I am laughing at her. A simple smiley face with its tongue sticking out says it all. Now it’s my turn to call her a bitch. I type it in my phone with my free hand, press send and smile again as a hand touches my shoulder.
The little old lady that was seated behind me moves up beside me. Before I can react, she’s joined me, a kind smile on her face. “Hello Dearie”, she says in the sweetest old lady voice.
“Oh, hello.”
“I don’t mean to intrude.” She reaches down and grabs hold of my hand. “I couldn’t help but overhear your story. The one you told your girlfriend.”
“Oh my God. No.” I sense my face turn red with heat. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be talking so loud.”
“I thought it was wonderful, you made it all sound so wonderful.”
“I am so embarrassed.” I swallow hard on the bite of pumpkin bread I didn’t realized I still held in my mouth. “You didn’t hear everything, did you?”
“Oh, yes.” She nods “I just love hearing stories of true love.”
“Oh, no.” I shake my head. “We’re not really in love. I barely know him and I’m not really his type.” Besides, I’m engaged.
“I think you might surprise yourself, if you try. True love is often found where you least expect it. Trust me, sometimes an old lady knows more than you think.” Her eyes twinkle, I can’t decide if they’re green or blue, and her smile grows wider as I am captivated by her stare. Her lips are painted a bright, cheerful red. And her cheekbones, when she smiles, you could trace them with a pencil.
“Yes, but, but…”
“Yes, I know.” She interrupts. “But you’re not really engaged, you just need to tell him. It’s not going to work out. And don’t worry, dear. He knows.”
“How do you know that?” Now I am freaking out. How could she know about my boring, work-a-holic fiancé and our less than passionate
sex life?
“I told you. Sometimes an old lady just knows these things.” She rubs the top of my hand and a tingle runs up my arm and into my chest. My head spins and I grab the table with my free hand to keep from falling out of my chair. The room is spinning, full tilt-a-whirl, just got off the carnival ride, spin. “Just trust in your heart. Everything you need lies within in you. Your true love, and your destiny, awaits.” She pats my hand and turns to walk away.
I am speechless as the door closes behind her. I breathe deep and hold onto the table until the spinning stops. I sit in silence with my mouth hanging open. Am I more embarrassed or stunned? The poor old lady overheard my tale of raunchy shower sex… but seemed to like it.
Okay… a little weird and humiliating but… okay. But how could she know about Elliott? Our relationship died a slow and uneventful death months ago. And true, we hadn’t talked about it yet, but we both understood. I just hadn’t seen him to give him his grandmother’s ring back.
Our parents will cry when we tell them. We’ve been together for three years. But I’m not about to marry a man just to make our mothers happy.
Elliott’s a decent enough guy, but milquetoast boring and more interested in his work than me. And he’s an accountant, a man who actually enjoys working the numbers.
I want a man who enjoys working me.
We acted the part after announcing our engagement, the whole debacle arranged by our parents, but passion never joined our play. We both came to realize that we have nothing in common and less than zero chemistry in the bedroom. I want a man to take charge in bed and crave my body like a caveman. Trouble is, I think Elliott wants the same thing. He always wanted to be bossed around in bed. I mean, not by a guy… at least I don’t think so.
I get it, some guys like that from a woman, but I want a man with raw animal lust for my body, an out-of-control craving he unleashes at just the right moment. I want someone like the Zach of my dreams.
And the little old woman was right. Elliott and I are over.
I noticed Zach glance at my hand. If I hadn’t been wearing this ring, he might have asked me to the Christmas party.
Hah! A girl can dream.
Right then I decide to call Elliott on my way back to the office. I need to give him back his ring. Time to make it official.
I didn’t plan on doing anything this weekend. And, a few hours ago, I had no intention of going to the Christmas party. But all that tingling must have made me crazy. I’m feeling powerful and strong. I’m one hundred percent sure what I want and it’s time to take charge of my life.
I want Zach Steal. Under me. Over me. Inside me.
I want caveman sex.
First, I’ll need a sexy red dress.
I pull out my phone and text Lindsey before I get up to return to work. I’ll need her help. I’m uncertain what that old lady did but my body is humming like I’m made of electricity. My fingers fly across my screen as I type.
It’s caveman hunting season... Send.
And I have a Christmas party to go to. Devil smiley face. Send.
4
Zach
As I stand on the sidewalk waiting for the car to pick me up, I dig my finger under the stiff collar of my starched white shirt and pull it away from my neck. I can’t stand ties and stiff dress shirts. In fact, I have spent my entire life avoiding situations that necessitate wearing formal clothing. But I get it. It’s Christmas and everybody wants a Christmas party.
Not me, but everybody else.
I’m only going because the partners insisted I come and bring a date.
Alexa screamed in the phone when I called her to accept her invitation. And she insisted that we arrive in style. Which is why I’m standing in the freezing cold waiting for the damn limousine. If I had driven, we would be there already.
Where is this fucking guy?
I’m about ready to get in my truck when a set of headlights turns the corner and the black car pulls to the curb in front of me. The driver hops out and hurries around the car to open the back door.
“Thanks, you didn’t have to do that, I can get the door myself.” I’ve never liked making a workingman work harder than they already do. Not on my account.
“My pleasure, sir.” He opens the door and motions for me to enter.
As I duck to enter the back seat, two long legs greet me and I follow them up to a tight blue dress and Alexa’s smiling face. She shifts her hips left, turns her knees my direction and crosses her legs. Wow. This woman is a pro, and she is not afraid to put all her assets on display. She has amazing legs, and that dress leaves little to the imagination. I smile and sit next to her. “Hey, Alexa.”
“Hi, Zach.”
“I thought I was being picked up first.”
“Well, I wanted to have maximum time in the car with you, before the party.” She smiles and reaches for a glass half full of what looks like straight Scotch, no ice. “Would you like a drink?”
“No, I’m fine.”
“You sure?” She reaches down and puts her hand on my knee. “It might help warm you up.”
Typical Alexa. She comes out with both barrels blazing. If I wanted, we could skip the party, go up to my place and get down to business right now. Hell, I’m shocked she hasn’t suggested it already.
But she likes to show off and make her presence felt, hence the limousine and the incredible dress. I’m not so sure I’m not just part of her show for the night. Alexa turns to the window and sips her drink with perfectly painted lips.
“I stopped by your office the other day.”
“You did?”
“Didn’t Bethany tell you?”
“Who?”
“Bethany.” I can’t tell Alexa but I want to say, you know, the girl I haven’t been able to stop thinking about. “She sits right outside your office. She’s young and blonde, wears glasses.”
She turns back to face me with intense interest, almost alarm on her face and I wish I hadn’t brought it up. “Oh, that girl.”
“Bethany works for you, right?”
“She helps several account reps, but yes she works for me, though I rarely talk to her.”
“She seems very nice.”
“Oh, Zach.” Alexa smiles and moves her hand up to my thigh. “Naughty girls are so much more fun. And we are going to have a lot of fun tonight.”
When we arrive at the party Alexa moves into full socialite mode. I’ve never heard more phony, small talk in my life. She’s an expert. She must have a master’s degree in bullshit with a doctorate in ego stroking. I’m sure every financial partner over the age of fifty has a hard on by the time she’s done stroking their backs and their egos. After the first hour, I’m about ready to throw up and I’m exhausted. I can’t wait to go home, to escape; yet I haven’t spoken a word.
Alexa doesn’t let go of me until we cover every social circle, spending extra time with the executives, and everybody knows we’ve arrived, and that we are together. When we reach the CEO’s table, she finally releases my arm and sits down. “Zach, honey, will you please get us a drink? You know what I like.” She shoots me her fake smile before turning her attention to Jack Simpson, the CEO.
I know Jack and he knows me. We share a discreet smile as I roll my eyes and head to the bar. I have no idea what this woman drinks and I don’t care either.
Thankfully, the bar is on the other side of the room and I take my sweet time getting there.
I nod to the bartender. “How you doin’ tonight?”
“Good, sir. How are you?”
I pull a twenty-dollar bill out of my wallet and put it in his tip jar. “It’ll be great if you don’t call me sir.” I reach up to my tight as fuck shirt collar and unbutton the top two buttons so I can breathe. “My name is Zach. What’s yours?”
“Thank you, brother.” He reaches across the bar and shakes my hand. I see he’s got ink from wrist to elbow and I grin. My kind of guy. “I’m Joe. What can I get you?”
“Joe, I need
two drinks. I’ll take a Jack and Coke. And the second drink, I don’t give a fuck. Just make me something for a woman.”
“Coming right up.”
I turn back to the party to watch the sea of humanity as I wait. The dance floor is empty. Though the DJ is pumping out electronica, not enough drinks are flowing to embolden everyone to flail about and feel the beat. Most of the employees are milling around tables getting acquainted, feeling each other out in the party setting. I only recognize about ten percent of the people, but those that I have talked to at work seem nice. Jack deserves a lot of credit, he put together a very sharp group of young techies and proud nerds.
The bartender hands me my drinks and I turn to head back to Jack’s table when I see her. The most gorgeous and curvaceous woman just walked in the main entrance across the room. She looks as though every light in the place is reflecting off her pale skin and long blonde hair. Her whole body is fucking sparkling, like she’s got glitter everywhere, even in her hair. And that dress. I’m getting hard for the first time tonight just looking at her body rocking that fucking dress. It’s sexy, and red and damn. Her shoes are bright red and her legs a mile long.
It’s Bethany.
And she is staring straight at me.
My heart seizes in my chest. I’m frozen in place and I can’t breathe.
“Is this one mine?” Alexa appears out of nowhere and blocks my view. “Thank you, sweetie. Shall we head back? I got us a place at Jack’s table.”
“Uh.” I still haven’t gained my composure and step to Alexa’s side to see past her. Bethany is gone. Where could she have gone?
“Zach?” Alexa puts her arm through mine and tugs. “Shall we?”
5
Bethany
As I stand in front of the mirror one last time I almost can’t believe my eyes. My dress is amazing. So what if my outfit cost me a whole paycheck? I don’t care.