12
So, Ben. What kind of day has it been?
He expected to tell himself today, and days after, that it could have been worse. The day that marked his exit from his government job could have been much, much more humiliating. Much, much more demoralizing. Much, much more terrifying. That was just the way of the world now. Instead…
Instead it was still the same day, and yet at this moment he was rolling a condom over his hard, so hard, so painfully hard dick and pushing it into her. This brand of condom Naya carried was better than his usual, or maybe it was not having done this in a while, but he felt welcomed, hugged by her tight warmth.
It was kind of intense.
She gave him a pass to walk away at any point but damn, this day. He wouldn’t ever be described as the impulsive type but he did like to see things through.
Yes, that was his excuse.
He didn’t want to move. He was all the way inside her and he wanted to stay like that for as long as he could.
“Fuck,” he said.
“Yeah, get on that.”
How to, without coming within a second? “Gimme a sec,” Ben pleaded. Then—then he began counting presidents. And years in office. In order. He did not mean to do that—told himself never to do that again—but he needed to focus and it just happened.
He withdrew slowly and plunged back inside her...and he did it. He could do it again. His will was back, it was stronger, he might get through this without ruining it for both of them.
However, it turned out he at least would get to have this memory, and know that Naya was worth it. He loved the sounds she made, how her lips felt on his skin, how her fingers touched him. Taken together it was all the signs of want, of wanting, of needing, of relief at getting. He wanted to be right about how he read this. Whenever he pushed into her, he wanted more; he took her tongue in his mouth and wanted it again and again.
Taking all of the cues again, she seemed to have liked it even more when he took her from behind. The moans were louder, more urgent. She was holding her breasts, squeezing them, and he took over that and filled his hands with soft curves. She came once this way, dropped her forehead to the bed, falling to the mattress because the pillow was somewhere else, and let out a low scream. He felt her come, felt her pulsing around him.
Ben got through that. Not that he congratulated himself because then Naya shifted positions, got on her back, and told him just how she wanted him to take her. Standing up, she said, driving into her as she looked up at him from the bed.
He could barely touch her, in this position. He was holding on to her thighs, but touching wasn’t the point. The point was watching, and it was overwhelming, seeing how her body quivered with each thrust. And she was watching him, how tight his torso had gotten, how his face focused on this one thing, because he stopped thinking about pace and lasting and just wanted to fuck. Her. Them. He came hard. It was a new record, not that he had a way of stack ranking them. But this was hard, and he felt spent, boneless, obliterated.
Also he felt like he was on top of the world.
What a day.
Ben wasn’t really obliterated by the sex. He liked using those words sometimes. Truth was, seconds after coming, his good sense came back and he eased out of her to check if the condom caught everything. It did.
Great, in terms of things actually working.
By the time he came back from throwing the used condom and washing himself, Naya had crawled up to the middle of the bed and wrapped a sheet around her. “Hey,” she said.
He was naked, and felt it. She probably wouldn’t mind if he started dressing up, so he picked up his pants and boxers and started at it. “That might have turned my day around.”
She laughed. “Yes, that definitely did not suck.”
Naya was smiling, but she was letting her gaze go around the room, and she wasn’t telling him to keep his clothes off. Ben didn’t have to have that translated for him.
“What’s proper etiquette post-travel hookup?” he said.
“All we have to do is agree that we’re not obligated to contact each other after. Or do this again.” Naya hugged the blanket around herself. “Some people do meet the love of their life traveling, but most will not. Or they could have something at the moment but it’s a bubble, and it won’t be the same even if they try to make it work. Their real lives are just so…”
“Unstable?”
“...different.”
Of course. Never mind if this was the best sex he’d had in years; he was still going to wake up tomorrow without a job. Possibly with bridges burned across different places where he could work. He might not have a reputation to hang on to; they might have ruined even that by the time the sun came up again.
“That’s fair,” Ben said. “I had...I had a great day, Naya. I can’t even believe the day I had.”
Naya pulled herself up to her knees, blanket wrapped around her, and made her way closer to him. He was at the right angle to kiss her, so he did, and she kissed him back nice and lazy and slow. “You don’t suck, Ben. Good night.”
He couldn’t feel bad about that.
13
Five months later
* * *
Melly: Are you going to reply?
It took Naya a full second to register that the message came from Melly, and not the depths of her subconscious showing up as a text on her phone.
Naya: Of course.
She and Ben had not kept in touch since he showed up in her van and then…walked out of her hotel room. Part of the arrangement, and even though there were ways to find him, she didn’t. Some nights were rough, she had to admit. Like that date her mom got her into, and it was not fun at all, and Naya was looking at her watch at eleven p.m. and telling herself if she knew where Ben was, she could still save that day.
But that was wrong.
Anyway. A message she got on her tour promo page that morning, but sent at three a.m.:
Naya, sorry this is short notice but can we meet tomorrow? Or today, because you’ll probably see this in the morning. Tell me where. Breakfast, or as early as you can. Thank you.
(It’s for work.)
Hello, good morning. :)
The page’s messages could be seen by Melly too, even if their “income-generating hobby” partnership had come to an end. Which Naya insisted was totally okay, and Melly normally didn’t come back in with opinions about what she was doing, until right now.
Melly: Contacting you for work wink wink
Naya: I’m a real-life communications consultant with media training DUH.
Melly: You also real-life travel flung him heehee
Naya: You know my thing about that
Melly: I’m not judging, I am totally shipping. And you crossed your own line when you travel flung a guy who lives in Manila DUH.
Naya: Travel flung is not a word
Melly: That’s what you DID. Is it so bad that he wants to see you again and maybe not just for work?
Naya: It doesn’t work out when you meet outside your regular life like that. I know.
Melly: But every day of your life is like that who else are you going to meet and what else will be a regular life for you both???
Naya: Stop that
Melly: I love you and want you to have a good day every day
Naya: That can’t happen
Melly: But you make it happen for people every time
Naya: These things end and I don’t have patience for the recovery time required, babe
Melly: Boo hoo
Naya: Boo hoo you. What are you doing checking the page? We’re not partners anymore.
Melly: I do still check it. You might need me.
Naya did, because Melly not being available anymore meant Naya had to hire a driver, and get a van that wasn’t as nice when she needed to tour, and that ate into either the experience or what she earned. Because she didn’t want the experience to erode, she earned less instead. But Melly had been extremely supportive alre
ady for as long as she could, agreeing to earning percentages instead of charging per day she helped out. Then her deadline came and she went back to work, teaching college-level marketing and working on her MBA.
Naya was happy for her cousin, swear to God. Melly was also her landlord now, of sorts, so she had no right to be snippy.
Naya: Right. Get your chismis elsewhere today.
Melly: If I didn’t leave so early I’d hang out with you both haha. Tell me everything ha!!!
Breakfast, or as early as possible, Ben had asked. Naya had a schedule, an entire day planned without him. There was that thing she had been putting off forever, that she was sort of maybe going to do finally…
She had a life, damn it, and there were rules to getting back in touch with the travel fling. Was she the kind of girl who got sent messages at three a.m. and then showed up at breakfast hours later?
Naya told Ben she’d meet him at ten-thirty.
He looked…like Ben on the day she met him. Round neck shirt underneath a buttoned charcoal blazer. Dark jeans. Glasses on, hair still wet from a recent shower. She asked him to meet her at the park at Six 32 Central, because they could buy takeout coffee and talk there. Outdoor, conveniently near her next appointment, and it didn’t have to mean anything.
She wouldn’t have looked exactly the same. Today was Serious Errand Day, and she had to look the part. Brown trousers, white lace top, belt that looked like a scarf. Embroidered flats, instead of her usual sneakers. Not enough time to get her hair done, but it was cooperating after a spritz of hair mist, so that would do.
He was already waiting, sitting on one of the benches when she showed up. Maybe he didn’t expect seeing her cleaned up, but something changed in his face. He kind of looked floored. Naya was not sure how to feel about that.
“Naya.”
“Ben.”
Started with a handshake, an awkward touch then half a jiggle, then they both kind of pressed forward and then it was a little hug. She told herself she’d be cool, when she saw him again. She was very cool, for sure. Naya was also hoping for another round. Girl needed her good sex, though not exactly that moment.
“Thank you for meeting me,” he said. “And I moved to a place near here so it was a nice walk. Do you live nearby too?”
“Oh, no. But I’m supposed to be in the area for a thing anyway.”
A pause, and then a lot of breathing of faintly-floral scented air.
“It’s so good to see you, Naya.”
“You shouldn’t be emailing people at three a.m.”
“Are you kidding me? Only true friends do that. Trusted confidantes. You’re in my circle of trust, is what that means.”
“What do you need?”
“Let’s sit down?” He offered the bench and they sat there together. “So I do need something from you today, but I did want to get in touch before now. For the record.”
“For the record, I did too.”
“I had a great time. That one and only time.”
“Hmm.” So unfortunate. Maybe we should schedule something. But Naya remained cool, remembered herself.
“And you don’t know how many times I wanted to call you, to meet up because I wanted to ask you about things. Like actual career things. But I didn’t know if you wanted that. I didn’t want the next time I saw you to be you consoling me again over drinks about my unemployment. There was a lot of that the past few months.”
“Are you okay, Ben?” It didn’t sound so horrible though, the idea of going out for a drink, talking about work. Or lack thereof.
“Yes, I am. It took a while, but I’m getting there.”
“You look okay,” Naya said, sincere as hell. She had been more than a little worried about him, at first when she was reading news about his resignation, and then more when the news cycle moved on. His name on the news was a quick blip—not even enough to make him a household name. That also meant she stopped getting updates about him and he dropped out of her life as suddenly as how he had come in.
“Thank you. It got rough for a bit. I mean, you saw how it started.”
Ben didn’t just look okay. He looked energized. A bit tired, but put together. This was way closer to the guy she saw giving a speech to high school students, charming and intelligent, ready with something to say.
“How are you, Naya?”
She was starting to feel like her trousers were too much and her top was too lacy. “Same. I mean, I have things to do today, but that’s not for several hours.”
“Still doing tours, right? I mean, you answered the message I sent on your page.”
“I am. But by myself now, because Melly’s gone off to do her thing.”
“Is that harder?”
“Kind of.” It was slightly overcast, which was a good thing because it wasn’t too hot, and she could stay out there with him and maintain her composure somewhat. Composure she’d lose for sure if she opened up about the work troubles now. “What do you need?” she said again. What else could he need from her? He seemed to have gotten his life back on track just fine on his own.
Ben’s smile was mischievous, a little sneaky, and completely cute. “Your tour guide powers.”
“Today? Right now?”
“Today, Naya. It’s that kind of day. Will you help me?”
14
Ben had wanted to call Naya the next day, honest truth.
However, he had a talk with himself and accepted that it wasn’t the right time. First, moping. Then, getting his life back on track. He resolved to only meet up with her again when he was in a better place, and he wasn’t exactly there yet, but he needed her anyway, so what was the harm in skipping over a few things.
Today he was being ambitious. Maybe he’d volunteered to do too much. He only knew that Naya would help him and she wouldn’t stab him in the back. Which should have given him pause about his course of action, but anyway.
“I can’t do that,” Naya said, surprising him, after he told her “the plan.”
He was up late, had little sleep, and maybe it wasn’t the best plan—but the way she was reacting, maybe asking her to get her friends to leak David Alano’s hotel room number at the Carter Pacific was over the top.
“Why not?” he asked. “Can’t your friends do that?”
“It’s unethical to give out that kind of information, or put my friends in that position,” she said, like it was the most natural thing in the world. “That’s why you came to find me? To get my friends fired?”
“Well no. Of course we’re not doing anything unethical.” But now Naya’s arms were crossed and she was giving him a stern look. “I was speculating on what was possible, given your connections in the hotel industry. Of course I’m not asking you to violate anyone’s privacy. Of course.”
“Why can’t you just text him? Like how people do it. You have his number, don’t you? Ask him what his room number is, maybe he’ll actually tell you.”
Yes, that would actually make sense, wouldn’t it? Ben had only recently returned to the fringes of political life and already he was being reminded how absurd it was on a daily basis. Maybe Naya had forgotten; it had been a while for her. “He has a work phone and work social media profiles and I never know who is looking at it at any given time. The other person who has access to it is exactly the person who shouldn’t see it.”
“You can’t talk to him anywhere else?” Naya was chewing her lip now. “Seems like it would be easier to ‘run into’ him at a public event.”
He thought of this, but when he managed to ask a former colleague about David’s schedule, it didn’t look like the he would be able to sneak in. Ben wasn’t welcome at the Senator’s office, not right now. It would raise too many questions, and he didn’t want his presence to be a red flag. Not that he was any good at being “on the field”—but he was working now, and he volunteered, and he wanted to do well.
And maybe he thought he could always ask Naya for help.
Ben started working again a mo
nth ago. One month, almost to the day, when he finally got to use that card.
I don’t know how to do that. I’ll ask Naya for help.
So here they were. “I already checked—he’ll be at work all day until he heads out for dinner and then the hotel.”
“And you can’t show up at the office.”
“No, that’s probably going to make things worse.”
“You’re sure the hotel will be the Carter Pacific?”
“I know for sure it’s the Carter Pacific. He’s delivering a keynote early in the morning at a conference there, and it’s too far from where he lives; he usually books a room the night before.”
“Is he with people when he’s at the hotel?”
“He’ll be with the guy—with Elmo—all day. He’ll probably be having drinks with him at the hotel right before he goes up to his room. It’s a thing they do.”
“Ben.”
“Yes?”
“Is this shady stuff?”
“It looks like it? But I assure you it’s not that bad.”
“It’s politics.”
“Okay, so it’s sort of shady. But it’s me. Would you believe me if I said I’m trying to do the right thing here?”
“What exactly are you doing?”
“Delivering a message. Making sure he gets to talk to someone tonight.”
She looked out toward the mall beyond the park, maybe thinking of a solution to his problem, maybe forming the right words to send him away. He hoped it wasn’t the latter. “Ben, admit it.”
Words clogged his throat. What? he thought, but didn’t say.
“You were up for an adventure today, weren’t you?”
He felt a surge of relief from not being dismissed yet. An adventure. He wouldn’t have said that. That was a Naya phrase, because she probably used that and applied it to life. See, that was why he wanted her back already. Any kind of framing of this scary life change to an adventure was going to be helpful, would keep him from backing out.
“I know the Carter Pacific,” Naya said. “The front desk isn’t at the lobby. There’s a café instead, and two lounges up at the front desk floor. You’ll have various interception points and probably won’t cause a scene, if you find him at the right time, and there’s no need to find out what his room number is. How long do you need to speak to him?”
What Kind of Day Page 7