by Becca Taylor
Jeremy's last text just came through, and I don't know if I should laugh or be disgusted. I laughed because Brandy says something similar.
“Bring on the men.”
Instructed to stay at our table, we are informed the men will move when our time is up. On the table will be a bowl filled with questions that we are to choose from and ask each other. Afterward, we are to toss them in the empty bowl next to it. Easy enough.
We walk through the decorated room where we are to meet our dream date. Another nice-looking waiter hands me a fresh drink, and I can't help but wonder if they are trying to get us drunk or at least loosen our tongue. The lighting is brighter than I expected although I'm not really sure what I expected. Chairs and tables with fresh flowers in a low vase are scattered throughout the room, but before I can soak in much more than that, they announce it is time to sit. Table twenty-six is smack dab in the middle of the room, and me being the center of attention is not my specialty. This is taking me out of my comfort zone, but then I see Jeremy. For some reason, it eases my mind that someone I know is here. I give him a good luck thumbs-up and sit down.
The man across from me is my type. The name tag he's wearing says David, and I think that's a nice safe name to start with. The bell rings, and we both reach for the question bowl. Our hands bump, and it's enough to break the ice.
“You first, Jade,” he says as he squints to read my name tag.
I look at the question I'm to ask and wonder who the person was to come up with the thousands of them. “Are you a dog or cat person?”
“Seeing as I'm allergic to fur, I would have to say neither.”
I get it now. Right then, I find David and I are not a good match because I'm an animal person. Even though I don't have a pet right now, I was ready to start looking.
“Sorry to hear that. I can't imagine growing up without a pet. What's your question for me?”
“Water, wine, or beer?” he asks seriously, almost too serious. He's so stiff sitting there in his suit.
“Water, but I’d never pass up a good chardonnay.”
“Coffee. I don’t drink alcohol,” he states.
I wonder why he came to a “mixer” at a bar then. Shouldn’t he just have gone to a coffeehouse? David doesn't say anything other than that. Luckily, I'm saved by the bell.
Twenty men have sat across from me, and they were all nice, but I didn't feel a spark with any of them. I did get a kick out of some of the conversation, though. Ooh, and the cocktails. I think I've had two since we sat down.
The bell rings again, and Jeremy sits down.
When I am about to say hello, he shushes then pushes the bowl toward me before choosing his own question. The time starts.
“Are you going to ask your question?” he asks me.
I read it and want to laugh. “What's your favorite music?”
“That was very anticlimactic. Mine says sunrise or sunset? What is that even supposed to tell you about a person?”
I answer the question anyway. “Since we are on Florida’s west coast, I'll have to say sunset. Are you having fun?”
He takes the paper from my hand, studying it. “That's not written here. Are we allowed to talk? And it's been interesting.”
“Yes, we can talk. We still have three minutes.”
“Then we’d better hurry. You meet anyone who does it for you?”
“There were a few who were okay, but I'm waiting for the guy at fourteen. I think he may be the one. What about you?”
“Fourteen is a jackass. And yes, it's been educationally fun, but nope.”
The waiter comes over with another drink, and Jeremy hands me one while he picks a drink for himself.
“The waiter is cute. I wish he was in the mix,” I say as cutie walks away.
“I think he's taken.”
I watch where he's pointing, and it's toward Brandy, who's slipping him a piece of paper. “Darn it; I thought you and Brandy would hit it off.”
Jeremy laughs. “Funny you say that because Brandy said the same about you. Are you ready to tap out?”
“Tap out?” I ask.
“Call it a night.”
“But we paid for four hours. We're only half done,” I whine.
“Well, I'm starving. They have a nice spread in the next room included in the fee, and I'm going to eat.”
The bell rings, and our seven minutes are up. Jeremy picks up a orange rose and holds it out to me. He's giving me puppy dog eyes and looks adorable. Right then, my stomach decides to tell me I should eat. Especially after all the drinks I've had, so I take both the flower and his offered hand. When our fingers touch, a tingle runs through my body, making me feel dizzy. Alcohol, it's the alcohol.
Jeremy never releases me as we head into the bar area. This room is more what I pictured us to be in with dim lights, high tables, and a buffet of fancy finger foods in every corner. Drinks and food are on the house, and since I’m not going to find my mate, I might as well enjoy the food.
“Do you want another drink or food first?” Jeremy asks me.
“Food.”
He helps me up on the chair and goes to fill a plate for each of us.
“I grabbed you a little of everything, and magically, this lovely lady appeared too.”
A waitress carrying a tray of drinks smiles while placing four drinks on the table. “It’s happy hour, or at least it would be if it was a normal night. Wave me over if you need anything else,” she says.
Jeremy sits across from me and takes a sip of his drink.
“What is that you're drinking? I picture you as more of a beer man than a mixed drink kind of guy.”
“Vodka gimlet. And I am, but since you forced me to pay that hefty registration fee, I'm drinking my money's worth too.”
I hold up my Cosmopolitan, and we clink glasses. “Well, here's to two hundred dollars’ worth of alcohol. At least it's the good stuff.”
“Drink up? We have about seven more to go after this,” Jeremy says as he slams back his drink.
I start adding it up, and that's only about three-quarters. “That's not right. We need to drink at least a total of twenty drinks a piece to hit that dollar amount, Superman. There is no way I can drink that.”
“I'm counting food and tip in that, smarty pants.”
“Oh, yeah. Still, I'm not drinking seven drinks.”
But I did. To be fair, I'm including what I drank earlier. Driving home is not an option, so Jeremy and I decide it would be in our best interests to stay at the hotel.
He just ran out to his car first while I am here talking to the front desk clerk.
“We only have a king room left. All other rooms are occupied.”
“Is there a sofa?”
“Yes, there is one in the sitting area,” he says
“I'll take it.”
With a bag slung over his shoulder, Jeremy walks through the front door.
“You okay with sharing a room with me, Superman?”
He wiggles his eyebrows at me. “It looks like it's my lucky night.”
Playfully, I push him and go to take out my card to pay. The alcohol makes unzipping my little clutch an outright battle. Jeremy whips out his wallet quicker and the phrase Faster than a speeding bullet comes to mind. It makes me laugh. Loudly.
“All right, Foxy. Let’s get you up to bed.”
The ride in the elevator doesn’t help my current inebriated state. With each floor up, I feel like everything is going right to my head. It’s probably not a good thing, but to me, I feel wonderful. The buzzer rings, and we head five doors down the hall.
Jeremy takes the liberty of opening the room door, and although he had the same number of drinks as I did, he seems perfectly fine. In fact, I would ask why he was bothering to stay at all, but maybe he’s just good at hiding it.
Being the gentleman he is, Jeremy stepped back to let me in the room first. The room is very nice. I’ve never stayed here before, but then again, I never had a reason to. The sitti
ng area with the sofa is large. I assumed that it was a pullout, but there is no way that it does. It’s shaped like a kidney bean and velvety. Immediately, I want to run my fingers over it to see if it’s as soft as it looks. The bed is ginormous compared to my little queen-size one I sleep on at home.
I sit on the couch and take off my heels. The carpet is extra soft against my aching feet. Then I realize I have another problem. The first one being I have to sleep on the couch or sleep in the same bed as Jeremy. Second, I don’t have anything to wear to sleep. My dress is not soft like the long t-shirt I usually wear. It’s tight, short, and not wrinkle free.
Like he just read my mind, Jeremy places his bag down on the chair next to me, unzips it, and hands me a t-shirt.
“Do you always carry a duffle bag of clothes in your truck? Thank you for this,” I say as I hold up the shirt in my hand.
“I always have a travel bag with me. In my line of work, I tend to get a little messy. More than once, I’ve spilled paint or been covered in insulation—which is very itchy, by the way. I learned it’s easier to keep spare clothes at all times.”
There is a knock on the door, and I’m wondering who the heck would be here at … my gosh, it’s only eight o’clock. What the heck? I thought it was much later than that. The speed date ran from four to seven, but we left halfway.
Jeremy answers the door, and it is the hotel staff.
“We didn’t order anything,” he informs them in confusion.
“It’s compliments of Intuitions. Anyone who attended and reserves a room receives the gift baskets.”
A cart gets wheeled in the room, and I can’t imagine what the heck is going on. He deposits one basket on the little coffee table loaded with fruit, snacks, water, and a bottle of wine. The second basket he brings to the bathroom. Jeremy hands him a tip when he leaves, and I race to see what’s in the basket in there.
A his and her bathroom kit, hangover medicine, and at the bottom is a box of love. What were they thinking? I’m reading the box—massage oil, lubricant, and condoms. Jeremy grabs the kit from my hand and smiles. I take the box back and hide it under the extra towels. Out of sight, out of mind. Because now, I’m thinking about all the sex I won’t be getting again. This dating around is not working out in my favor.
“I’m going to change.” I kick him out of the bathroom. The one thing I’m grateful to see is the new toothbrush.
As I start brushing my teeth, Jeremy yells to me. “Do you want to rent a movie?”
I have a mouth full of toothpaste when I enter the hall. “Sure. Nothing scary, though.”
Quickly, I rinse and then take off my dress. This is not good. I wore a strapless bra and a thong tonight. There is no way I can sleep in that bra, and I’m pretty sure the shirt is going to play peek-a-boo with my derriere. I put on the t-shirt with Jeremy’s construction logo on it, praying it will cover me, but the second I lower it over my body and his scent hits me, all my thoughts are gone. I can’t tell you if it’s cologne or detergent, but it smells so good. Manly. I bring the collar to my nose and sniff it again. It must be laced with some kind of pheromones because all of a sudden, a feeling of desire rushes through me. My nipples harden underneath the fabric, and I think of the man in the other room who must have worn this a million times because it’s so darn soft. I’m turned on in a way I haven’t been in a very, very long time.
I drop the shirt from my nose, hoping that the smell will go away, but it doesn’t. I’ve never thought of Jeremy in that way, and now it’s all I seem to be thinking about. Why didn’t I notice him before? He’s very handsome. Not handsome, he’s downright sexy. With his brown hair and darks eyes. That goatee is what sets him apart from the clean-cut men who are my normal type. Then his muscles. I’ve not seen them up close and personal, but there is no hiding them while he’s working.
“The movie’s about to start,” Jeremy lets me know. While I’m in the bathroom having dirty thoughts, he’s out there being a nice guy. Not having dirty thoughts.
Shoot, this is really bad. I splash some cold water on my face, neck, and wrists, hoping it will cool down my overheated body. It works too. That is until I walk back out by him, wearing nothing but a pair of sweatpants. That extra-large and very naked chest of his is on display. Then he pats the bed, right next to where he’s lying.
Nervously, I tug on the t-shirt. By pull it forward and down, I’m hoping that he can’t see the way my body is reacting to him. I climb on the bed next to him, but what I really wanted to do is get under the covers and hide. But if I did, he would know I’m embarrassed. I pull some confidence out of somewhere and sit next to him.
“Do you want a glass of wine?”
Yes, wine. That’s good. Because somewhere between the elevator and the bathroom, I seem to have sobered up. “That would be great.”
He hands me a plastic wine cup and pulls out some snacks for us. Chocolate, nuts, and chocolate-covered nuts. Then the movie comes to life. I look at Jeremy because it’s my favorite movie. He needs to stop this, or I’m going to do something stupid.
“50 First Dates? You know this is a chick flick, right?” I question Jeremy because he does not look like the chick flick type.
“Yes. But it was either this or some movie about a haunted house. Since we will be sharing a room and I don’t want you to be freaked out all night, I chose this. Besides, it seemed appropriate after tonight even though we didn’t make it through many dates.”
“Well, it so happens that this is my go-to movie.”
“I’ve never seen it.”
I look back at the bed and wonder if we are sharing. We didn’t really discuss it. I’d rather get it out of the way. “Are we sleeping in here together?”
He pauses the movie. “I’ll sleep on the couch,” he offers.
“Jeremy. That’s way too small for you. I don’t mind sharing, and this bed is definitely big enough for the two of us.” Clearly, the wine is getting to me even without having a sip.
“Thank fuck. I tested that thing, and it’s not soft at all.” He folds the pillow and leans back on the bed, making himself comfortable.
The movie starts as I lean back on the fluffiest pillow I’ve ever rested on. “This bed is seriously the bomb.com.”
“Really, Jade?”
“I never joke about a comfortable bed,” I say honestly.
By the time we get to the first kiss scene, I’m feeling the wine again. Between us, we finished the bottle. I wonder if I’ll ever have that with a man. I look at Jeremy and wonder ... It’s been a long time since I’ve felt desire for a man at all, but I don’t want a relationship, though. I’m not ready to commit myself to anyone.
I scoot closer to Jeremy. Then a little more. I keep scooting until I’m on his arm and my leg is lying on top of his. “Is this okay?”
When I reposition myself, putting my cheek against his chest, I can feel his heartbeat speed up.
“What are you doing, Jade?” Jeremy curls a finger under my chin and lifts, forcing me to look in his eyes.
“Do you want the truth?” I blink once then close my eyes, trying to work up the courage to say what I want.
“I always want to the truth. Now, open your eyes.”
“I want you to kiss me.”
“Why?”
“Because it’s been so long since I’ve been kissed.”
He studies me for a moment then he lowers his mouth to mine. And it’s everything I’ve been missing. Everything I don’t want, yet at the same time, it’s everything I need.
I'M A DUMB fuck on many levels. Coming to this thing was just the start of it. Drinking in excess did not help. Getting a hotel room was about the only smart thing I’ve done tonight, but sleeping in the same bed as Jade? Not a brilliant move. Drinking some more and kissing her was the fucking worst idea of all.
She has the softest lips I've ever kissed, and then she does this thing with her teeth. I can't call it a bite because it's more of a soft graze each time she touches my botto
m lip. Fuck, it feels good.
Probably rougher than I should, I grab the back of her neck and her lips part, allowing me complete access to her. I tilt her head how I want, work her tongue against mine how I like, and grip her as hard as I please. This is me taking back control. I have to be the one in control or else she could ruin me. And I'm not on the market to be ruined again.
The problem is Jade seems to like it. Her arms move underneath mine, reach around to my back, and she pulls me on top of her. When those long legs of hers wrap around my waist and lock me in, it’s not like I’m trying hard to resist it either. As soon as she raises her hips and starts grinding against me, I know it's time to put an end to whatever is happening between us.
“Jade. This is a bad idea,” I tell her.
Slowly, her lids open. Her green eyes look right into mine, and for a minute, I get lost in them.
“Yeah, we should stop,” Jade says, but I’m not convinced she wants to. Her arms aren’t letting go of me.
“This can't happen,” I say, not knowing if I'm trying to convince her or me. The answer becomes clear when she starts slowly rocking against my hard cock. Then I know it’s definitely me.
“You're right.”
“You should stop doing that.” It’s a lie. I don't want her to stop. Ever. As I say the words, my body automatically presses into hers, hard. Just her underwear and my sweats separate us, and that's not much. It feels too fucking good.
“What if we just do this once?” she asks me.
“Jade,” I growl out. With everything in me, I’m trying to be the good guy, but my dick is telling me to ignore that guy and give the fuck in.
“Just listen to me.”
I nod my head. Then it goes from bad to worse.
“It's been a long time. And if it wasn't you here, it might have been any of the guys downstairs. And I'd much rather it be you than one of them.”
Fuck.
She continues, “I know you aren’t looking for anything serious, and I’m not either. This doesn’t have to mean anything more than chemistry. Just two people taking comfort in each other’s bodies for one night.”