by E. L. Todd
“So, how’s Skinny Boy?”
I knew Volt would bring it up at some point. “I don’t know whom you’re referring to.”
“Yes, you do.” He had a gleam in his eyes, telling me he enjoyed teasing me.
“I’m dating a guy called Drew. Is that whom you’re referring to?”
“AKA Skinny Boy.”
I rolled my eyes.
“What’s new with him?”
I remembered our night together with fondness. He stayed over, and we had breakfast the next morning at a little diner around the corner. “Things are really good. We’re getting serious.”
“Really?” The teasing note left his voice.
“Yeah. He slept over the other night.” I flipped through my lesson plan and decided I should just throw the whole thing out. “Do you think the cheek swab lab will still work?” I remembered doing it when I was in high school, and I liked it.
“Whoa, what? He slept over?”
“Yeah.” I looked at him, unsure what the big deal was.
“So you slept with him?”
“Yeah.”
His expression was unreadable…and ice-cold. “How was he?”
“Oh my god, I’m not talking about that with you.”
“Why not? I tell you about all my conquests. It’s not like I asked how small his dick was.”
I smacked him in the shoulder.
“What?” he asked innocently.
“Stop picking on him.”
“That’s never gonna happen, so you may as well not bother. And how was he?”
I shrugged. “It was good.”
“Just good?” he asked. “A man is supposed to rock your world until your vocal chords go out. Not just be satisfactory.”
“He’s not Christian Grey.”
“Then dump him.”
“You’re ridiculous, you know that?”
“Did he make you come?”
My jaw almost dropped. “Volt—”
“Did he?” he pressed.
I shut my mouth and turned away.
“So, he didn’t.”
“The first time you sleep with someone is always awkward.”
“Uh, no. I’m a gentleman. And gentlemen make their ladies come.”
“How heroic…”
“I’m serious,” he said. “If he can’t complete that simple task, then he’s no good. Kick him to the curb.”
“Relationships aren’t all about sex.”
“But the good ones are.”
I turned back to my lesson plan. “Should I do the cheek swab thing?”
“No. One of my students had a sperm swimming around in her mouth. You don’t want to go there.”
“Seriously?”
“You’re the perfect woman, Taylor. This guy should be busting his ass to be with you, not half-assed pussy shit.”
My neck almost snapped at the sudden change in subject. “I’m the perfect woman?” Did Volt just give me an amazing compliment?
“Yeah. You’re classy, smart, funny, whatever. And those kind of girls don’t go out with losers like him.”
“Again, you don’t know him.”
“He should have cared enough to finish you off. There are tons of ways to do that.”
Now I regretted telling him the truth. “Just drop it, alright?”
“You told me you were looking for Mr. Right. I’m trying to save you some time here.”
“I care more about having a good relationship with a good man. I want someone I can trust, who makes me laugh, and is a good guy all-around. I’m looking for a partnership, not just a night.”
“Why can’t you have both? Why can’t you have the perfect relationship and have amazing sex?”
“I’m not saying I can’t. I’m just saying I don’t value it as much.”
“Well, you should. And it’s clear you’ve never had good sex.”
“That’s not true,” I said defensively.
“Yes, it is. You’ve never had that kind of orgasm that curls your toes. You’ve never had the kind of pleasure that makes you scream so loud people think you’re dying. You’ve never had a man give it to you so hard that you actually enjoy being sore the next day. I can tell, Taylor. And that’s just a shame.”
Goose bumps emerged on my arm. When my hair stood on end, I knew he was right. When he described it in that way, I knew I’d never experienced it. I’d been with men who made me come, but not like that. But I refused to admit it.
“Are you going to keep seeing him?”
All these questions were giving me a headache. “Maybe I liked it better when we weren’t friends. Fewer questions.”
“Well, too late. You’re stuck.”
“Stuck?”
“Yeah. Friends forever. So, are you going to go out with him again?”
I tried to dodge the question by looking away.
Now I could feel Volt roll his eyes. “You’re wasting your time. And I’ll be there to say I told you so.”
***
Sara and I were shopping at the mall. All my clothes were ancient and starting to lose their color and elasticity. Maybe a change of wardrobe would make the kids listen to me.
“So…you like Rick?” We hadn’t talked about it since that night. The last thing I heard was he walked her home. But what happened after that was a mystery.
“Yeah,” she said quietly. “He’s cute.”
“So…did anything happen?” I was so eager for her to move on that I couldn’t care less who she chose to mess around with. She needed to get back on the horse—any horse.
“No. We just said good night, and he left.”
Damn. “And that’s it?”
“Well, he got my number, and we’re going out on Saturday.”
Seriously? That was the best news I’d heard in a long time. “That’s so great. You guys will have so much fun.”
“I hope so. It just feels weird dating again.”
“It shouldn’t. You’ve waited long enough.” Too long, actually.
“I’ll see where it goes.”
I hoped it would go to the bedroom. She just needed to get under a man so she could move on and scope out the other fish in the sea. “Good for you. Maybe we can do another double date.”
“Yeah, that would be fun.”
***
Drew came over, and we watched TV in my living room. I had a platter of cheese and cured meats sitting on the coffee table, and we sipped our cabernet as we sat close to each other.
I kept thinking about what Volt said. Sex with Drew wasn’t amazing, but did that really mean anything? I’d been with a decent number of partners, and I’d never had that mind-blowing kind of sex that people talked about. Maybe I was the problem. Maybe Drew thought it was amazing, and I just didn’t.
“Rick told me he likes Sara. Thinks she’s charming.”
“That’s great.”
“He says she’s a little rusty, though. He can tell she hasn’t dated in a while.”
“Yeah…her relationship ended a while ago. But I think she’s getting over it. I’ve tried getting her to date for months, but nothing worked. But I guess she likes Rick.”
“A perfect match.” He clinked his glass against mine before he took a drink.
I looked into his eyes as I drank my wine, thinking about his full lips and how they would feel against my mouth.
When he set down his glass, I suspected a kiss was coming. That worked out in my favor because if he didn’t kiss me, I was going to kiss him. His hand moved to my arm before it slowly slid up to my shoulder. He let it rest there for a few heartbeats before his fingers moved to my neck then my hair. A deep breath escaped him, smelling like wine, before he leaned in and pressed a kiss to my lips.
I felt the heat like I always did. But I had to admit, the foreplay before the sex was better than the sex itself. Maybe if we fooled around longer before we got to the finale, the explosion would be better.
An intrusive doorbell rang, and not just once, but thr
ee times in a row.
Drew ended the kiss abruptly, immediately flinching at the unwelcome sound. “Expecting anyone?”
“No.” Who the hell was that? I was about to get laid before I was rudely interrupted.
“Well, it sounds important…since they rang so many times.”
“It’s probably a kid or something.” I walked to the front door and tried not to look too vicious. I’d scare the kid away for good if he saw how pissed I was. When I opened the door, I didn’t come face-to-face with a kid. I was looking at a six foot two grown man who was so beautiful it was painful. His rugged jaw led to soft and thin lips. His blue eyes were brighter than usual, hypnotizing. “Volt?”
“Hey, Tayz.” He wore dark jeans and a gray t-shirt, not his usual attire if he wanted to go out and do something. Then he held up a bottle of wine. “I say we drink and watch South Park.”
He’d never come over unannounced before. I didn’t mind him stopping by, but it was a little weird since I was seeing someone. It didn’t exactly make me look good. “Uh…”
Volt walked inside like he lived there. “I was on the subway this morning, and you’ll never guess who I saw.” He stopped when he spotted Drew sitting on the couch. The bottle was still in his hand, and he almost dropped it.
I needed to defuse the situation as quickly as possible. “I suppose it’s time the two of you met each other. Volt, this is Drew.” Not Skinny Boy. Drew.
Volt stared at him coldly, and it didn’t seem like he was going to say anything.
“Drew, this is my friend, Volt. We’ve been working together on my lesson plans and class-management projects.”
“Didn’t know you had company.” Volt spun the bottle in his hand.
“Well, you certainly didn’t ask as you barged in here,” I snapped.
“You barge into my place all the time,” Volt argued.
“What are you talking about?” I asked. “Not once.”
Volt sat on the couch where I’d been sitting and extended his hand to Drew. “Nice to meet you. Heard all about you.” A malicious gleam was in his eye, the slight kind that Drew didn’t pick up on.
“Likewise.” Drew shook his hand and quickly dropped it. “I hate to say I don’t know much about you.”
“Taylor and I are besties.”
What the hell did he just say?
“You know, as the women call it,” Volt explained.
Drew examined him closely, his eyes narrowing. “I think I recognize you now. You were in the bar when Taylor and I met.”
Volt tapped his fingers against his temple. “You’re a smart guy.”
Now that Volt knew Drew and I were on a date, why was he still here?
“Whatcha guys doing?” Volt asked as he rested his arm over the back of the couch.
“What does it look like we’re doing?” I snapped. “We’re on a date.”
“Oh.” Volt looked at the display of fine cheeses and meats but still didn’t get up. “They are having a South Park marathon. We should watch it.”
“Maybe tomorrow.” I sat down on the couch and was forced to the opposite end, Volt in between Drew and me.
“So, you work in a lab?” Volt asked.
“Yeah,” Drew answered. “I work in the medical office at NYU.”
“Then you mainly examine specimens for STDs,” Volt teased.
I rolled my eyes even though neither of the men was looking at me.
“I guess,” Drew said with a chuckle. “It seems to be the number one thing people come in for.”
“Been there, done that,” Volt said. “So, Tayz tells me you two are getting pretty serious.”
I’m going to murder him. I mean it. “Volt, why don’t you just go?”
Volt held up his hand to my face without looking at me. “Let the men talk.”
Now my eyes burned with lava.
“I guess,” Drew answered. “We’re having fun too.”
“Good,” Volt said. “Always have to have some fun.” He poured himself a glass of wine. “Sports fan?”
“Not really,” Drew answered.
Volt stared at him like he didn’t know what to think. He was shocked. “You don’t watch sports?”
“If they’re on, I guess. But in general, no.”
Volt still had the same blank look on his face. “Then what the hell do you do all the time?”
“I play games.”
“Like board games?” Volt asked incredulously.
“No. Video games,” Drew answered. “Like Call of Duty. Stuff like that.”
Volt turned my way, and without saying anything, he gave me a look that said, “Seriously? This guy?”
I gave him the same look of loathing in return.
Volt sighed before turning back to Drew. “What are your plans for the future?”
Drew gave him a blank look. How was he supposed to respond to that?
“Stop interrogating him,” I hissed.
“I’m just curious,” Volt said without looking at me. “Where do you see yourself in five years?”
“Uh, is this a job interview?” Drew asked. “Because last time I checked, I wasn’t applying for anything.”
Volt narrowed his eyes in obvious threat.
“He’s just joking.” I tried to defuse the tension as much as possible, but I suspected nothing I did would make a difference. I clapped Volt on the thigh and smiled through the ordeal. “Now, I think it’s time for you to go.”
“What about the South Park marathon?” Volt asked.
“Maybe some other time.” He was really cramping my style and ruining any chance I had of getting laid. I wouldn’t be surprised if Drew just walked out since he was being interrogated like a prisoner of war.
Volt sipped his wine, and it didn’t seem like he was moving anywhere. “At least let me finish this exquisite wine.”
I glared at him. “It was five bucks at Target.”
He sipped it again. “Well, it’s delicious.”
I sighed and leaned back into the chair, irritated that Volt ruined my evening.
Chapter Eight
Volt
I just finished a game of Candy Crush on my phone when Scott walked into my office. I immediately shoved my phone into my pocket so I wouldn’t look like the laziest boss in the world. “What’s up?”
His glasses were sliding off his nose, and sweat was sprinkled on his forehead. “My mom just called. She’s been in a car accident.”
Oh, shit.
“She’s at the hospital. Can I go?”
What kind of question is that? “Of course. Don’t worry about anything.”
“All my clients left for the day, so I just need someone to man the front desk.” His voice was raspy like he hadn’t drunk enough water. His vocal chords had shriveled like leaves in a hot desert.
“Don’t even worry about that.” I left the chair and came to his side, wrapping my arm around his shoulder to console him. “Take care of your mom. Work will always be here when you get back.”
“Thanks, Mr. Rosenthal.” He gave me some form of a smile before he walked out.
I watched him walk down the hallway and disappear before I went to the front desk. My fingers moved through my hair, and I released the breath I was holding. Scott was a great guy, and I pitied him for going through this. If something happened to my mom, I wouldn’t know what to do with myself. I’d always been close to my parents. The last thing Scott needed to worry about was work. I could handle it for the rest of the day until I found another worker to cover for him.
I sat at the front desk and pulled out my phone again. The office was dead quiet because everyone had left for the day. First Chance Education was on the tenth floor of one of the many skyscrapers in Manhattan. Large windows covered the rear wall, and a perfect picture of the city was captured. I remodeled the floor and transformed it into a glorified coffee house, giving it a comfortable aura so the kids would feel at ease when they were being tutored. People could laugh all they wanted, but
I believed having an environment like this really made a difference in the learning process. I learned about it in a case study when I was doing the research.
But now that I sat at the front desk, I was bored out of my mind. The silence was deafening, and this crisp suit was becoming more uncomfortable by the minute. I hadn’t had a private tutoring session in over a year because I did all the management and paperwork, so I wasn’t even sure what to do with myself. All I had to do was wait a few hours before we were officially closed. Then I could be on my way to the gym and home.
I turned my attention to my phone when I heard the elevator beep. The monitor near the ceiling said it was approaching my floor. I was about to have a guest, which surprised me since it was seven o’ clock in the evening. Most kids were home by now.
The doors opened, and instead of a concerned mother or father walking out, it was a high school student. His jeans were whitewashed and faded, having enormous patches in both knees. Strings of fabric hung from the area, the beginning of another rip. He wore a red t-shirt that looked too small for him, as if he grew out of it a few years ago. The end barely reached the top of his jeans. The backpack over his shoulder was packed to the max, looking heavier than a car. He pulled out his map and looked around the lobby.
I whistled quietly and raised a hand. “You’re in the right place, kid.”
He quickly shoved the map into his pocket and approached the desk, timid and uneasy. He didn’t make direct eye contact with me, keeping his head low and trying to avoid as much attention as possible.
Which was pretty difficult considering he was the only person in there.
“What can I do for you, kiddo?” I put my phone away and gave him all my attention. When he was this close to me, I noticed his haircut. It was peculiar, to say the least. The brown locks trailed down his forehead, but it was uneven all the way around. There was no way a professional would have done that, so I could only assume he did it himself.
Small freckles sprinkled his face, and a tiny nose blended in with the rest of his features. He looked too small to be in high school—and definitely too skinny. He opened his backpack and pulled out an application form. His messy handwriting filled the blanks, barely legible.