by Tabatha Kiss
I tiptoe back and forth, picking up their shirts and ties and pants around the bedroom but my underwear is nowhere in sight.
Ah, crap.
Thad rolls over, groaning in his sleep, and I freeze in fear. Total paralysis takes me over, every muscle clenches in place.
I pick my shoes up off the floor and bolt into the hallway.
My purse. Where is my purse?
I bite my lip, sliding softly into the living room area. I see it on the sofa and I breathe a sigh of relief as I rush over to grab it.
Time to go.
I twist toward the door, pausing in front of it beside the mirror hanging on the wall. My lipstick is smeared across my cheek, my hair is all over the place, and I’m a little too scared to smell my breath right now…
I tiptoe back to the hall and close the door to the bathroom behind me.
I had sex with Max Monahan and Thad Hemsley. Don’t think about it. Don’t think about it.
Don’t think about Max’s face buried between your thighs as you sucked on Thad’s—
No. No. No.
I splash my face with water before ripping off a few squares of toilet paper to wipe the old lipstick off my cheek.
They were incredible.
No.
I’ve never had it like that before.
Stop.
I run my fingers through my hair as I swish water throughout my dry mouth.
I orgasmed on Max Monahan’s face.
Girl…
Twice.
Here we go.
And I can’t even begin to guess how many times Thad made me come on his—
Shut the fuck up, Phoebe.
Another sweat breaks on my forehead. I spit the water out and wipe my lips, feeling more motivated than ever to get the hell out of here before they wake up.
I open the door and step out into the hallway.
“Phoebe.”
A gasp clenches my throat shut as I spin around to find Max standing in the hallway behind me. My eyes drop all the way down to his— yep. Naked.
He’s naked.
“You heading out?” he asks.
“Yeah. I have...” I force my eyes back up, “a thing.”
He nods. “Do you need a ride or cab fare?”
“No, I’m more than capable of paying for that myself. Thank you.”
“I didn’t mean it like that,” he says, moving up a step to stand in front of me. “You’re a big girl... and I mean that as in you’re an adult, not that you’re...” he gestures awkwardly at me, “a big girl.”
I shake my head. “It’s okay. I’ve been called much worse.”
“I’m sorry if I offended you. Just figured offering was the polite thing to do after last night.”
“No, it was. Thank you. I’m just...” I scratch an itch behind my head. “I’m feeling a little fucked up right now.”
He chuckles. “Yeah, that seems to be going around.” He points toward the kitchen. “You sure you have to leave? I can make some coffee and we can talk...”
“No, I don’t want to be late to my thing.”
“Must be important.”
“Oh, it is.” I keep my eyes raised. “It’s a very big thing.”
He smiles, melting my knees.
“Anyway...” I turn toward the door. “I guess I’ll just...”
“Phoebe.”
I pause. “Yeah?”
“You’re not wearing panties.”
I twist back around, my cheeks burning even redder as he opens his fist. My undies tumble down from his palm and hang from his hooked fingers.
“Right...” I exhale hard, stalling for an excuse that doesn’t come. “I couldn’t find them before, so I just… I wasn’t leaving them on purpose, I swear. That’d be just weird.”
“I know. I was sleeping on them. Saw them when I sat up, figured returning them would be the polite—”
“Thing to do,” we say together.
“Exactly.” He smirks. “And you wouldn’t want to go commando to your very big thing.”
“No. No, I wouldn’t.” I snatch them from his hand, quickly palming them out of view. “Thank you.You’re much more... polite than I remember.”
“And you’re a lot more fun than I remember.”
“You’d be right about that.” I shrug. “Pretty sure the fun didn’t kick in until my mid-twenties, honestly, but better late than never, right?”
“Right.” He nods.
I step back again. “Anyway, I’ll just be on my way...”
“Phoebe.”
“Hmm?”
“You’re still not wearing panties.”
My nose crinkles with shame. “You mind if I just hop back into your bathroom for a sec?”
He flattens against the wall. “Not at all.”
“Thank you.”
I pass by him, wanting so badly to stare at his dangling manhood but I successfully fight the urge as I rush into the bathroom and slam the door behind me.
“Fuck, fuck, fuck…” I whisper repeatedly to myself as I bend down and step into my underwear. “Keep it together, Pink. Fuck, fuck—”
I pull them up under my dress and yank the door open again.
“So…”
I gasp at Max, now standing right outside the door. Still naked. Still… dangling.
“You live in LA, right?” he asks me.
“Yeah,” I say, nodding. “Not in this area, though. I tend not to stray too far from Burbank anymore, mostly.”
He nods. “That would explain why I’ve never seen you around.”
“Oh, I’m sure we hung — hang — in very different circles.” I chuckle awkwardly, my neck stiff to keep my gaze as upward as possible as I pray he didn’t hear that slip.
If he did, he doesn’t bring attention to it. “Well, I’ll be keeping an eye out for you anyway.” He steps to the side to let me pass. “I’ll see you around, Phoebe Pink.”
I swallow the saliva building on my tongue. “I’ll see you around, Max Monahan.”
His lips curl.
The bedroom door opens behind him and Thad slumps out with one hand rubbing his eyes and the other scratching at his— yep. Naked.
Also naked.
“You leaving?” he asks me, mid-yawn.
I bite my inner cheek. “I have a thing.”
He pauses next to Max. “Need some cab fare?”
Max holds up a hand. “Already asked her. She’s fine.”
Thad smiles as his eyes travel to my toes and back. “Yes, she is.”
My chest twinges, growing tired from the constant palpitations. “I’m gonna go now,” I say weakly.
“You sure you don’t wanna stick around?” he asks. “I’m up for round two. Well, not right this moment but give me a few seconds...”
He reaches down to his groin and I rush away to shield my view.
“Nope! Sorry! Gotta go.”
“She has a thing,” Max tells him.
“Ahh, right,” Thad says. “Maybe some other time, then.”
I turn the corner, bashing my knee against an end table. Cursing under my breath, I keep moving with wide eyes, hoping I don’t break something.
“Phoebe, wait...”
I stall out by the door, giving Max plenty of time to catch up with me. “Yeah?” I ask.
“You’ll have to excuse Thad,” he says, leaning on the closed door and filling my vision with his perfectly chiseled chest. “I’m pretty sure he’d stick his dick in a toaster if he caught his own reflection in it just right.”
I laugh. “You don’t say?”
He reaches for the lock and slides it free before twisting the doorknob. “Have fun at your thing.”
My heart stalls for a brief second as I look back into his soft, kind eyes. “I definitely will. Thank you.”
Max smiles once again and opens the door for me.
I walk out into the cool hallway, pausing to get my bearings before seeing the elevator at the end of the hallway on my left. My knees buck
and my ankles twitch with each step but the destination never feels any closer the more I move.
“Hey, Pheebs.”
Oh, god. What now?
I cringe as I turn around to face Thad. He walks out into the hallway, seemingly without a care in the world that he’s still very, very exposed. He picks up his pace, making his penis flop against his thigh and I bite my lip to distract myself.
“What’s up, Thad?” I ask, stopping at the elevator.
He towers over me with his hands on his hips. “I like to check-in a little bit with my various conquests post-business, if you know what I mean.”
“… I really don’t.”
I rapidly tap the call button.
“On a scale of good-to-awesome, how are you feeling this morning?”
I blink. “What comes between good and awesome?”
“Great, dandy, and excellent,” he says as the doors slide open.
“Uhh…” I weigh the options as I step onto the empty elevator. “Dandy, I guess?”
“Hmm.” He bites his cheek in thought. “That’s a little low. Did you find the inclusion of a third partner hindered or advanced your sexual pleasure? With me, specifically. We’ll get to Max in a minute…”
My cheeks burn. “I…”
“You know what, I’ll email you.” He waves a hand. “You seem to be in a rush right now.”
“Yeah, my thing,” I spit out.
The doors start to close but he reaches out to block them. “One last question.”
“What?”
“Go ahead and give me your Goldilocks rating.”
I raise a brow. “Goldilocks rating?”
He gestures downward and winks. “Too big, too small, or just right?”
I let myself look at it for one long second. “It’s just right, Thad.”
He smiles and releases the elevator doors. “Nice.”
I watch him walk away, silently admiring his tight rear as he swiftly heads back into Max’s condo.
What the hell just happened to me?
Nine
Phoebe
One week later
I pinch a fry between two fingers and swipe the tip through a mountain of ketchup. Mr. Fellows sits across from me at the patio table, completely devouring his cheeseburger as if he’d never eaten one before in his life.
I’d laugh but I don’t want to break the silence. For now, we’re relaxed. Laid back. No shop-talk. Just enjoying the good food and the warm sun with an old friend. Not at all bickering over his son-in-law’s horrible, piece of sh—
“So, Phoebe…” He crushes the paper wrapper in his hand and drops it on his now empty food tray. “Did you have another chance to look over Bradley’s book?”
Ugh.
I grab at my soda and take a sip from the straw to buy a little more time while I figure out how to put this delicately.
“Yes,” I answer. “I did.”
He sits back and runs a hand through his thin, silver-speckled hair. “And?”
“Well…” I exhale. “I think it has potential.”
“Potential is good!”
“But there’s still a ways to go before I would ever consider—”
“I want you to make this your baby, Phoebe,” he says, pointing a stiff finger. “Every moment of spare time you have needs to go into making this series worthwhile. If it’s not up to your standards, I want you to personally work with Bradley to get it there.”
I cringe behind my smile. There were really only two possible outcomes to this. Best case, he dropped the thing completely and I could get on with my life. Worst case, I’d have to polish the turd. I hoped so hard for the former but I guess I already blew my good luck charm at the reunion last week.
“Mr. Fellows, I mean no disrespect, but don’t you think there’s a better use for my time than this project?”
“Not if you’re serious about the New York promotion,” he says.
It’s honest, blunt, and manipulative. The trifecta of an impatient boss.
I swallow, forcing my smile to stay on. “In that case, then I’m your girl, sir. I’ll do my best.”
“I know you will. That’s why I like you, Phoebe. You get shit done.”
“Thank you,” I say, reluctantly accepting the compliment. “I’ll check with Jackie, see if I can’t fit in a few phone meetings with Bradley over the next few weeks.”
He twitches at Jackie’s name. “Just do what you gotta do, as I always say.” His phone buzzes on the table. He takes a look and sighs. “I have to get going. They just moved my appointment from four to two…”
“Go ahead,” I tell him. “It was nice seeing you again.”
He stands up and grabs his jacket off the back of his chair. “You’re doing a great job, Phoebe. Every day I’m more sure I made the right call putting you in charge out here.”
“Thanks.”
He walks off, leaving me to pick up his trash but I guess that’s part of my job now, too.
Phoebe Pink. Professional turd-polisher.
Dammit.
I step off the elevator, taking slow steps to make the trek back to my office as long as possible. When I get there, I’ll have to check my schedule. I’ll have to find time to call little Bradley Dumbfuck, kiss his ass, and try and fix his travesty of a novel.
Jackie looks at me from her desk and instantly sits up. “So, how’s Marty?” she asks.
I ignore the sultry spike in her tone as I grab the new mail from a stack on her desk. “He’s just as determined as ever to give Bradley his moment of bestselling glory. Told me to make this project my baby.”
She winces. “Gross.”
“So, I’m just going to go in there, sit down, and…” I sigh, “read it again to try and come up with ways to fix it.”
I move toward my office but Jackie leaps from her desk to block my path.
“Lipstick,” she says.
“What?”
“You have a guest in your office and I think you might want to touch up your lipstick.”
I raise a brow. “Who?”
She snatches my purse from my hand and ruffles through it until she finds my lip balm. “You didn’t happen to bring an extra pair of panties, did you?”
“To work?” I blink. “Why would I?”
She snatches my chin and guides my face up. “Hold still.”
“Jackie…” I try not to move as she smears the balm along my mouth. “Who is in my office?”
The door swings open and she quickly dodges out of the way as my heart plunges into my stomach.
“Hey, Phoebe.”
I press my lips together, smoothing out a small clump of color as I look up at him. Black suit, blue tie, and those unforgettable green eyes.
“Max,” I squeak.
“Thought I heard your voice out here.” He looks between us. “Do you mind if we talk for a second?”
Jackie kicks my shin.
“Okay!” I quickly adjust my volume. “Yeah, no problem.”
Max moves back to let me into my office. Jackie follows but I motion her away as I turn and reach for the doorknob.
She gasps quietly. “You’re gonna make me miss this?”
I jut my chin at her and she rolls her eyes as I close the door.
“So, uh…” I clear my throat. “Have you been waiting long?”
“No,” he says. “A few minutes.”
I roll my fist and pound once on the office door.
“Ow!” Jackie gasps from the other side. “Ugh, fine.”
Max grins. “Well, she’s nosey.”
I shrug. “It’s her job.” I take a long and deep breath as I make my way toward my desk. “So, what did you want to talk about?”
“I wanted to ask you if you’d like to come to dinner with me tonight.”
The letters slip from my hands to the floor.
“Argh jer, what?” I mumble, feeling my tongue pulse and flex out of shape.
Max chuckles and drops to one knee to scoop the envelo
pes up. I don’t move. Why can’t I move?
He stands and lays the stack onto the edge of my desk. “I had a great time with you at the reunion last week,” he says. “A really great time, actually.”
“You did?”
“Didn’t you?”
“Oh, no. I did,” I say. “There was definitely some great… in that time.”
“I’ve been thinking about it a lot,” he says. “And about you.”
“Me?”
“Yeah.”
My heart thumps harder. “You’ve been thinking about me?”
“You seem like an interesting person, Phoebe,” he says. “I want to get to know you more. If you don’t feel the same way, that’s fine. No hard feelings.”
“Oh, no, I do.” I nod. Repeatedly. “There are some very hard feelings here. I mean — not hard. I just mean, yes. I…” I bite into my tongue and exhale. “Yes, I would like to get to know you more, too.”
He smiles through it all. “That’s a relief. I was actually kind of nervous about coming here.”
I laugh too hard and a snort comes out. I cover my nose and mouth as blood destroys my cheeks. “Nervous? Why?”
“After you left last week, I kind of…” he shifts on his feet, “whipped out the old Belle Academy yearbooks.”
I gulp. “Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah, I peeked through them — all four years — and I noticed something really odd.”
“What?”
He gestures at me. “You’re not in them. Anywhere. Other than the portrait sections, you’re not in any clubs or events. The caption under your senior photo actually says not pictured.”
“Pretty sure I submitted a quote from Mark Twain,” I say, crossing my arms. “Guess Sally didn’t think it was funny enough.”
“It’s like you didn’t exist,” he says, looking down. “And I realized that was probably intentional. We didn’t exactly welcome you back then, did we?”
I don’t answer. Judging by the look on his face, he already knows what I’d say anyway.
“Phoebe, I’m sorry,” he says. “You’ll never hear that from any of them but I wanted you to hear it from me.”
“Why?”
He smiles. “Because I can tell that it means something to you. You wouldn’t have come home with me that night otherwise, right?”