The Man Test

by Amanda Aksel

  Anderson was a complete stranger. Well, not a total stranger. I did spend the past hour or so talking, and not talking, to him. That’s enough, right? Besides, there was a task at hand, and if I wanted to be like one of the boys, I’d have to play like them too.

  “Don’t worry. It’ll be fine. Just text me the address and call me when you get home.”

  “Okay.” I held my breath and headed toward the door.

  “Hey, Marin,” Telly called. I turned back.

  “Yeah?”

  “Just have fun.” I gave her a playful grin and strolled out. Anderson stood on the sidewalk checking his phone. He looked so cool and sexy in his suit and open collar. Just looking at him turned me on. His arm was wrapped tightly around my waist as we walked the few blocks to his place. He squeezed me into him and whispered sensual innuendos in my ear.

  Everything was tidy in his upscale condo. Light colored wood floors led to his dark brown leather seating. Asian accents like Buddha statues, gongs, and scrolls adorned the space. Too bad I wasn’t into him for real. He had style.

  “I love your place,” I said with excitement as I glanced around.

  “Thanks,” he said. “I had a decorator help me.”

  “Did your decorator shop primarily in Chinatown?” I asked.

  He chuckled. “ Looks like it, huh?”

  His keys hit the table and moments later his body was pressed up against my back. His soft breath tickled my neck as he pulled my hair away, kissing up to my ear.

  “If you like this, you’ll love the bedroom,” he said.

  “Can you show me?”

  “Uh huh. That’s not all I’m gonna show you,” he said between kisses.

  “I just need to powder my nose first.” Powder my nose? Do women still say that?

  “The bathroom’s down the hall.” He pointed through the kitchen. Once safely in the bathroom, I sent a quick text to let Telly know where I was. It was a little unreal, but there I was in his bathroom, touching up my make-up, spritzing myself with perfume, and adjusting my dress for better cleavage display. I forgot my mini mouthwash, so I sifted through his medicine cabinet finding only aftershave, toothpaste, a razor, deodorant, and a pink lady bic? Why would he need two razors, one of which was a lady’s razor? Red flag. I searched for other women’s paraphernalia, but I couldn’t find anything except for a questionable bottle of Clinique moisturizer. Maybe it was his ex-girlfriend’s. Maybe it belonged to his sister, or maybe he liked women’s razors and quality creams. True, it was suspect, but it wasn’t enough to sabotage the night.

  He met me in the hall and directed me into his candle lit bedroom. Though the evening had an element of risky romance, the addition of candles tipped it to the sleazy side. I took a moment to refocus before he came up behind me and softly kissed the tops of my shoulders. He grabbed my waist and turned me to face him. My heart was pounding, echoing loudly in my ears. My body stiffened. Chad was the only man I had been with for so long.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  I nodded and swallowed my nerves with his kiss. Our mouths moved with intensity. My fingers loosened the buttons on his shirt and revealed his defined abdomen and amaretto-colored skin. I kissed his smooth chest and he brought me over to the bed where he laid me down. He sank on top of me, kissing all over my face and neck. The weight of his body felt good. His kisses trailed past my neck and he pulled my dress down to reveal my black lace bra. “Mmm, you taste so good,” he said. His words muffled between his mouth and my thigh. Beep, beep, beep.

  “What’s that?” I said. He dropped his head and sighed.

  “It’s the hospital.” He picked up the pager from the nightstand and turned it off.

  “I’m sorry, Marin. Rain check?” I lifted myself up on my elbows and nodded. “I’ll call you a cab.”

  I left him my number and kissed him goodnight. He paid my cab fare, which was a chivalrous gesture. It was disappointing to end the night without my expected finale, but what could I do? Anderson would probably be saving a real life instead of resuscitating my libido.

  The late night resulted in too much hangover and too little sleep. A recipe of Excedrin and coffee got me through the workday. Exhausted from the previous night’s events, I settled in early with my latest infidelity research, See the Signs: How to Catch a Cheater. I was finishing a section about the kind of opportunities men will go for, when my phone rang.

  “Hello?”

  “Hi, Marin, it’s Anderson,” he said in a low, sexy tone. I didn’t feel like sleeping any more.

  “How did everything work out at the hospital?” I asked.

  “Good, my patient’s been stable since last night. Thanks for asking.” I smiled and waited for him to carry the conversation. “I’m sorry we had to end things so abruptly.”

  “Life of a doctor, I guess,” I said with a sigh.

  “I’d like to make it up to you. How’s dinner Friday night?” he asked.

  “It’s a date.”

  “Great, I’ll see you then.” I could hear him smiling on the phone.

  “Good night, Anderson,” I said softly.

  “Sweet dreams, Marin,” he replied, making me blush. I tucked my phone away and fell asleep contemplating all the ways I could bait and reel him in.

  The week dragged on as I waited for my date with Anderson. Finally, Friday evening arrived. I heard a knock at the door and I quickly slipped on my nude shoes that matched my nude colored dress. I checked my makeup one last time before answering the door.

  “Anderson,” I said with a big greeting smile. He looked like James Bond in his black suit and white shirt.

  “These are for you,” he said handing me a bouquet of red flowers that had been hiding behind his back. I smelled their strong fragrance and faked enthusiasm as I cared little for red roses. There was something insincere about their cliché nature, but it was a thoughtful gesture.

  “Thank you, they’re beautiful,” I said and took them to the kitchen.

  “So this is your place, huh?” he said, looking around my apartment.

  “Yep.” I smiled at him as I filled the vase with water.

  “It’s nice, you even have a fireplace.” I smirked, remembering burning every last thing that reminded me of Chad. I placed the roses nicely on my breakfast bar.

  “Ready?” he asked.

  I nodded. He escorted me to his black BMW, the same model as Telly’s. I took it as a good omen.

  “Are you okay?” Anderson asked on the way to the restaurant.

  “Yeah, I’m fine,” I insisted.

  I was being quiet, not as uninhibited as I was on Monday night. I let Anderson go on about his week at the hospital and an experimental surgery he took part in. We arrived at a sushi restaurant on the other side of town. It was small, dim, and somewhat empty.

  Our conversation was casual—work, personal interests, favorite places in Frisco. Anderson ordered a bottle of warm sake and after a few drinks I loosened up. He did too. We shared rolls and sashimi, all while inching closer to one another. His hand softly rubbed my knee and tickled my thigh playfully. Things were starting to heat up again. He leaned in and softly kissed my neck, shooting a tingling sensation throughout my body. I giggled and batted my eyelashes at him.

  “Should I get the check?” he asked.

  I nodded. He seemed anxious to finish what we started the other night and soon we were back at my apartment making out against the front door. I turned to unlock it while Anderson continually kissed and caressed my body. We stumbled inside, locked at the mouth. The door slammed, and we clumsily made our way into my bedroom, stripping off items of clothing on the way. I stood wearing nothing but my lace panties and heels. He stared down at me as I unbuckled his pants and dropped them to the ground revealing his rather well endowed . . . instrument. My eyes drew up his naked body from the definition in his abs, to his pecks, his chiseled jaw, and finally meeting his lustrous green eyes.

  He backed me to the edge of the bed and passionately
threw me down. He climbed on top of me, caressing my face with his hand and moving down my body until he reached my panties. He squeezed my thigh with his hand and slipped the lace off.

  “Stay right there.” He retrieved a condom from his pants pocket and returned ready. Then, a hard passionate kiss with an equally passionate thrust. The sex was hot, and new, and uninhibited. Oh, yes, to be with a man again. He made love to me with such fervor. I wanted to show him that I was an equal force to be reckoned with, so I pushed him down onto the bed and gracefully climbed on top. I rode him like a seasoned cowgirl, and moaned with each sensation of pleasure. All I could think was, I’m glad to be back in the saddle. He sat up and caressed my chest and breasts with his tongue, which threw me over the edge.

  The feeling became more intense.

  “Mmm, you’re so sexy,” he said in a low seductive voice. I threw my head back as I reached the point of no return. Waves of thunderous pleasure came over my entire body.

  “Oh, Anderson!” I cried and he held me tighter and let out a sexual grunt. He had made it too. A relieved laugh left my lips as I stared into his eyes. He joined with an exhausted smile. I rolled over on my back and looked up at the ceiling. It was truly amazing. Never before had I been able to reach an orgasm with someone that I wasn’t in love with. It was a liberating accomplishment. The same exhilarating feeling I had when I finished Unspoken: The Secret Lives of Men.

  Anderson lay next to me. “That was great,” he said, trying to catch his breath.

  “Yeah.” I looked over at him. The buzz from the sex was starting to subside. I wanted more. I traced my finger around his chest and looked into his eyes.

  “Wanna go again?” I asked, lifting a single eyebrow.

  “Now?”

  “Uh huh,” I said and climbed on top of him kissing his chest.

  “Okay,” he said and rolled me on my back as I let out a playful squeal. After a couple more rounds, he left my apartment. He said he had to work over the weekend, but would plan to see me again on Monday. That night, I slept like a baby.

  The next morning I went for a power walk with Telly and Holly in the park. I was in a brilliant mood over the night’s events and the prospect of starting my mission. Anderson was perfect. He was a gorgeous surgeon, and I had no doubt he would eventually cheat on me. Since I’d know it was coming, I could enjoy the other things about Anderson like the sex, and well, the sex.

  “Anderson and I had our date last night,” I said.

  “How did it go?” Telly asked.

  “Great! He’s perfect.”

  “Did you sleep together?” Sex was among Telly’s favorite subjects.

  “Telly!” Holly said.

  “Yep,” I said.

  “Really?” Telly asked. “And?”

  “And it was amazing. He was so, ya know, grrr, about it.” I tried to articulate the feeling.

  “Marin, you barely know this guy,” Holly said.

  “I know him enough. He’s going to be my new boyfriend.”

  “They’re having a fauxmance,” Telly said, holding her interwoven hands up to her face and batting her eyelashes.

  “You know, when you start dating someone, even if it’s fake, you have to play by the rules. If you give it up too early it won’t last,” Holly said.

  “I’m not looking for it to last. I’m looking for him to prove my point.”

  “The only way he can prove your point is if he is really with you. Exclusively.” Holly made an excellent point. Infidelity can’t exist without first establishing fidelity.

  “Don’t worry. I sleep with all my boyfriends early on,” Telly said, but her words only invoked panic.

  Telly hadn’t had a real relationship in four years. Most of her “boyfriends” were gone within a couple of months. She was a relationship nomad, never stayed with anyone too long. I always thought it was because she was afraid to get her heart broken, then I understood it was because she knew better. Holly on the other hand had one boyfriend in high school, another in college, and her last boyfriend, which ended about a year ago. She didn’t have much of a desire to get married, but when she was with someone she was committed. Holly could keep a guy around for years. I had to heed her advice. The damage, if any, had already been done. I hoped that it hadn’t set me back too far.

  I tried to keep myself busy that weekend by spending as much time with Holly as I could. She would be leaving Monday night, and I knew she was feeling tense about being gone for so long even though she tried to hide it. Anderson didn’t call, but sent a few sexy texts. He promised we would get together on Monday for another date. His interest seemed strong enough, but I wouldn’t know for sure until I saw him again. I tried not to sweat it since I wasn’t interested in him for real.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  What Goes Around . . .

  Outside of a little bistro, Holly and I enjoyed iced tea and warm weather.

  “When does your flight leave tonight?” I asked taking a bite of my panini.

  “About nine o’clock,” she said.

  “Is it one of those flights you can sleep on?”

  “Yeah, thank God. I’m exhausted from all the preparations.”

  I imagined her flying across the world not to be heard from for six months and felt the pangs of her absence.

  “I’m gonna miss you, Holly.”

  She grabbed my hand. “Me too.”

  Afterward, we walked back to my office, our pace slow and our words few.

  “Will you stop by before I leave tonight?” Holly asked as we approached the building.

  “Sure.”

  “The cab gets me at seven.”

  “I’ll be there.” I gave her a big hug and waved goodbye.

  I settled back into work with plenty of time to catch up on some paper work before my last two appointments. Then my cell rang. It was Anderson.

  “Hey, you.”

  “Hey, beautiful,” he said.

  “Are we still on for later?” I asked.

  “Actually, I have to cancel. I had an emergency surgery come up, and I’m not sure when I’ll be able to leave tonight. Can we reschedule for Wednesday?”

  “Of course,” I said all the while thinking Holly was right. We moved too far too fast, and now he would probably put me off a couple more times before he stopped calling all together. Damn.

  “Good. I can’t wait to see you again. Especially after the other night,” he said. His words were a little encouraging.

  When my three o’clock appointment ended, I got the message that my four o’clock had cancelled. Relieved to leave early and spend more time with Holly, I hurried down the hall, then froze. Anderson? Could it really be him, I blinked my eyes for reassurance. Yes, it was definitely him.

  Anderson sat in the waiting room next to a small-framed woman. She leaned close to him with her hand resting on his wrist, and flipped her shiny black hair. Her eyes flirted with him in a familiar sort of way. Only one reason for them to be sitting in my waiting room. Couples counseling.

  Emergency surgery, huh? I tried to remain calm and not jump to conclusions. We had barely started dating, and already I was getting duped. I should’ve known with all the “emergencies,” the lady bic razor, and the need to take me home so early in our fictitious relationship. He was trouble, and I knew better. Instead, I let my ambition get in the way of my judgment.

  After cursing him ruthlessly to myself, I realized that a rare opportunity had presented itself. It was my chance to get even. I ran back into my office and called Diana’s desk.

  “Hellooo,” Diana said almost in a yodel.

  “Diana, that couple in the waiting room, who are they here to see?”

  “Dr. Barrett,” she said.

  “Does she know they’re here?” I tried to keep my composure, but the sound of a ticking clock echoed in my mind.

  “No, I was just about to tell her—”

  “Diana, don’t call Katie. Make sure those patients stay put.”

  “Okay, bu
t—”

  I hung up and made a mad dash for Katie’s office. My heightened adrenaline from seeing Anderson in the waiting room and my mini run had me gasping to catch my breath. I shot Katie’s door open. She was madly filling out paperwork with folders and loose paper cluttering her desk. Her eyes glanced up at me for only a moment, then went back to her consuming task.

  “You okay?” I asked.

  “No, Cooper’s going to a new private school. I have a million and a half forms to sign and it’s all due tomorrow. Plus I’m behind on all my files because I was out of town a couple of days last week, and I feel like I will never leave this office again.” She slammed her hands on the desk.

  “Oh, okay . . . I just wanted to tell you Anderson Harper and the other woman, are out front.”

  “What?” she whined. “Is it four o’clock already?”

  “Yep,” I said.

  “Shit,” she said under her breath. “I really don’t have time for new patients right now.” She took a moment to think. It could not have worked out any better if I had planned it.

  “Listen, my four o’clock cancelled. Let me take these two off your hands.” Relief spilled over her face as the words left my mouth.

  “Really?” she said almost in tears.

  “Of course. That’s what we do. We help each other out.”

  “Thanks, Marin, I really appreciate it.” She smiled.

  “Don’t mention it,” I said, and dashed to my office.

  Diana brought me their file, and I told her I would be out to get them momentarily. I took a deep breath as I read the names, Anderson Harper and Miko Wada. Sounds Japanese. Boy, did he have a type. My hands trembled as I walked out to the waiting area. I paused to gain control and took a deep breath, relishing, and yet fearing, the potential outcome of the moment. Then, I strolled in confidently, smiling at them. Anderson looked up and his face turned alarmingly pale.

  “Hi, I’m Dr. Johns. Dr. Barrett had an emergency come up,” I darted at Anderson. “So I’ll be seeing you today.” I shook their hands.

  “Nice to meet you, Dr. Johns. I’m Miko, this is my boyfriend, Anderson,” Miko said, about a week too late. We were already acquainted. Three times in my apartment acquainted.