“Who is this?” The Waiter asked. I looked at him like he had two heads.
“Seriously? I don’t know if I can know you anymore if you’re not down with the sheer perfection that is Introducing the Hardline According to Terrence Trent D’Arby. It’s one of the best albums ever made.”
“I thought he was dead,” The Waiter said. I fake fainted into his arms. He laughed. I continued dancing.
“Dude, that was insane!” Josh said as he and the others bellied up to the bar. “Thank you so much!”
“Yes! Thank you!” Lucy said.
“Of course. I knew you guys would love it. Nick will be out in a few minutes. I’ll introduce you to him.”
“He’s probably got bruises from where I dug my fingers into him.” I stopped dancing long enough to take a sip of my martini. “What if I was afraid of heights?”
“I don’t think you’re afraid of anything.” If he only knew.
He sat down on a bar stool. Then he grabbed me by the waist with both hands and pulled me over to him. Instinctively, I placed my hand on his face, tracing the outline of his perfect cheekbone.
“That was so much fun,” I said. “This has officially been one of the greatest nights of my life.”
“We’re just getting started baby.” He gave me a long kiss and then ran his thumb slowly back and forth across my mouth.
“These lips are gonna be the death of me,” he said.
“People made fun of me in grammar school because I had big lips. They called me Mick Jagger.”
“Seriously?”
“Yep. Now those bitches pay big money to get lips like this.”
“They’re beautiful. You’re beautiful.”
Now the DJ was playing Christina Aguilera’s “Genie in a Bottle.” The Waiter buried his face in my neck, moving his lips randomly across my skin.
“You smell so good. What is that?”
“Gucci Rush.”
“It’s sexy.”
Everything about this night was sexy. The show was sexy. This song was sexy. The Waiter was definitely sexy. And for the first time in months, I actually felt sexy too.
“There he is,” The Waiter said as Nick walked over to us.
“Oh my god, thank you so much!” I said to him.
“Did you have fun?”
“It was amazing! I can’t believe you guys get to do this every single night.”
“Did he tell you we’re going into business together?” Nick asked.
I looked at The Waiter. “No, he didn’t.”
“Yeah,” The Waiter said. “We’re opening a new concept gym. Aerialist training, boxing, martial arts, that kind of stuff.”
“That’s incredible,” I responded. “Where?”
“Not sure yet. We’re scouting places now,” Nick responded. “Mr. MBA here is the brains. I’m the brawn.”
The Waiter laughed. “I’ve been taking boxing lessons from this guy for the last two years. He’s the best.”
We stayed at the after-party for another hour drinking and dancing and chatting with the cast. We left around one-thirty. Kyle and Lucy headed downtown to their apartment on the Lower East Side while Josh, Katie, The Waiter and I shared a cab uptown.
“Two stops,” Josh said, as he hopped into the front seat of the cab with the driver. “Seventy-seventh and Broadway then Riverside and Tiemann.”
I sat in the middle between Katie and The Waiter. I knew that if Josh and Katie weren’t in the cab, The Waiter and I would be making out like crazy. The sexual tension was palpable.
“What are you guys doing tomorrow?” Josh turned around and asked.
“I’m working from noon until six,” The Waiter responded. “But then I can meet you guys wherever after that.”
“I’m meeting Lucy at one for brunch. Then I wanna go scout out the place I’m interviewing on Monday.”
“Where is it?” Josh asked.
“On 60th Street, between Broadway and Columbus.”
“Oh, that’s right at Columbus Circle. We can meet you there.”
The cab stopped on the corner of Broadway in front of Fishs Eddy. The Waiter reached for his wallet.
“I got this,” Josh said immediately. “We’ll see you guys tomorrow.”
“Thanks, man,” The Waiter said. He got out and extended his hand to me. I hugged Katie goodbye and exited the cab. Josh got out to join Katie in the back. I hugged him.
“Have fun tonight, cuz,” he said smiling. I gave him a look.
The Waiter and I walked inside the lobby of the hotel right into an open elevator. I pressed the button. When the doors closed, he kissed me. The kiss lasted all nine floors. The doors opened and I stepped out into the corridor, taking him by the hand and leading him down the narrow hallway to my room. The anticipation was glorious. When we got to the door, I fumbled through my bag for the key. The Waiter kissed my neck as he unhooked my choker necklace. The touch of his fingertips on my skin made me tremble. I finally found the room key and opened the door.
The moonlight coming through the hotel window cast a perfect glow across the bed. I didn’t even bother to turn on the light. I did bother to put the “Do Not Disturb” sign out. As soon as we stepped inside, The Waiter grabbed me and kissed me. I dropped my bag and the room key. He dropped my choker necklace. Finally, I was able to kiss him the way I wanted to. Full-on, passionately and without worry about being in public. I ran my fingers through his hair. He lifted my tank top over my head and tossed it. Then he unbuckled my belt. I stepped out of my boots and took off my jeans. He took off his shirt. I couldn’t help running my hands up and over his abs, chest and shoulders. The very same shoulders I couldn’t stop staring at in Central Park were now in my possession.
I ran my hands back down his body and slowly unbuckled his belt. He picked me up and walked over to the bed. He laid me down and took off his jeans. Then he was on top of me.
“You are so fucking sexy,” he said, kissing my face and neck and slowly working his way down my body. He kissed my stomach.
“That tickles,” I said. He looked up at me and smiled.
“How about here?” He slid my panties down and gently planted a kiss above my right hipbone.
“There too,” I said.
He moved over to my left side and planted another kiss. “And what about here?”
He continued down. I had been fantasizing about this moment since the day I met him. Now it was happening. And it was better than I could have ever imagined.
“Please tell me you have a condom,” I said.
“Of course I do.” He grabbed his jeans and pulled one out of the pocket. He tossed it on the bed and I immediately opened it. I wanted to scream “hurry” because I couldn’t wait, but I didn’t.
He laid back on top of me, propping himself on his left forearm, causing his bicep to flex hard. It wasn’t the only thing that was flexing hard. His mouth covered mine. His body covered mine. And then it happened.
For the first time in years, I was having sex with someone that wasn’t Dalton. And I didn’t feel the least bit guilty inside.
The only thing I felt inside of me was The Waiter.
CHAPTER 12
◆◆◆
I woke up with The Waiter’s arms around me. I could feel his breath on the back of my neck as he slept. My initial instinct was to try to get up without waking him, brush my teeth, freshen my makeup, and sneak back into bed. But I didn’t dare move. I wanted this moment to last as long as possible.
My cell phone began to ring. Goddammit! It was in my bag on the floor, along with my room key, my necklace, and all of my clothes. All of his clothes too. I knew it was Dana calling to see if I had gotten laid. She’d made me promise to call her first thing Sunday morning. I had no intention of getting up to answer the phone. I knew she’d understand.
The sound of the phone ringing woke The Waiter up. “What time is it?”
I leaned over and looked at the clock. “It’s almost eight.”
“Good,” he groaned and s
tretched, reaching over and pulling me back. “We can stay in bed for a while.” He turned me over and kissed my forehead. Then the tip of my nose. “How did you sleep?”
“Like the dead. You wore me out last night with the flying circus and the after-party and then the after-after-party.”
“I’m about to do it all over again,” he said, rolling over on top of me.
“Right now? You’re taking me to the flying circus again?”
“Something like that.”
Two hours later, The Waiter had to go home and get ready for work. He got up and got dressed while I watched from the bed like a pervert in a peep box with a pocketful of quarters.
“Leave a message on my cell where you guys are gonna be tonight and I’ll meet you when I get off.”
“Okay.”
He leaned down and kissed me. “Later, Red.”
As soon as he left, I got up and put on the hotel robe. I needed to take a shower, but I wasn’t quite ready to lose the scent of him all over my body. I wanted to just lie in bed and replay every single minute. My phone started ringing again. I laughed out loud. I knew Dana couldn’t wait to hear about my night with The Waiter, and I couldn’t wait to tell her.
“I’m sorry, Dana,” I said as I answered the phone. “I’ve been kinda busy.”
“It’s Dalton.” Oh fuck. It was Dalton.
“Oh, hey. Dana’s been calling me all morning, so I thought it was her.”
“Just exactly who was keeping you so busy this morning?” His voice was ominous.
There was a knock at the door. I figured the “Do Not Disturb” sign had fallen off and the maid was here to clean the room. It was a welcome interruption to this phone call.
“Hang on Dalton, the maid is here.” I opened the door.
“Hey babe, I left my wallet,” The Waiter said as he walked back inside.
“Who the fuck is that?” Dalton yelled into the phone. I knew they had both heard each other.
“None of your fucking business. I have to go.” I hung up.
The Waiter stood there looking at me. “Are you okay? Who was that?”
I had already lied to Dalton about The Waiter. But I wasn’t about to lie now.
“That was the plague.”
He looked confused. “Are you back together with him?”
“God, no!” I responded. “It’s a long, ugly story. I can tell you tonight if you want to hear it. But no, I am definitely not back with him.”
“Good.” He wrapped his arms around me. “Because I’m kinda crazy about you.”
I looked up at him and smiled. “I’m kinda crazy about you, too.”
“Maybe we’re both just crazy.” He leaned in and gave me a long kiss. “I’ll see you tonight.”
As soon as he left, I knew I had to call Dalton back and tell him the truth. I had just come clean with The Waiter - well, somewhat clean. The rest of the cleansing would come tonight. Now I had to be honest with Dalton. I called him.
“What the fuck?” he answered.
“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have hung up on you like that.”
“So you’re fucking some guy in New York now? That’s why you didn’t want me to come with you this weekend!” He was livid.
“Dalton, I’m sorry I lied to you. But you and I are not together anymore.”
“That’s pretty fucking obvious, Sam.” He hung up on me. I was sick to my stomach. I called Dana crying.
“Sam, you know I’ve always loved Dalton like a brother, but fuck him. Seriously, fuck him! You don’t owe him any explanation after all the shit he’s put you through.”
“I know. I just still feel so bad.”
“Forget about Dalton. Focus on your man there. And focus on getting that job.”
“You’re right.” Dana was always right.
“By the way, how was the sex?”
“It was incredible. I don’t even know how to describe it. I mean, it was weird at first, being with someone that wasn’t Dalton.”
“I’m so glad The Waiter popped your Dalton cherry.”
“That’s lovely, Dana.”
“Well, now it’ll be easier for you to move on. Move on Sammy, seriously.”
Dana’s pep-talk motivated me just enough to get in the shower, get dressed, and head down to Balthazar to meet Lucy for brunch. I wanted to focus on the job interview and learn as much as I could about her friend Jackie, who would hopefully become my new boss.
“You are going to love her,” Lucy said as we sat down. “She’s one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. She’s incredibly smart. And funny as hell.”
“Lucy, I can’t thank you enough for getting me this interview.”
“Girl, you got it yourself. Jackie was really impressed with your writing samples.”
Soon we were sipping mimosas, and I was diving into a bowl of French Onion Soup. “I’ve been researching the website and am totally in love with the concept. I never know what to wear.”
“You’ve got incredible style,” Lucy said. “Jackie will love that about you.”
“I saw her picture on the site. She’s intimidatingly attractive.”
“She’s a goofball. Seriously, she’s really down to earth. And she’s a redhead, like you.”
“I noticed that. How old is she?”
“She just turned 50.”
“Get the fuck out. Are you kidding me? She looks a lot younger than that.”
“Yeah, she does. She’s my icon.”
“Well now I’m really nervous about what to wear tomorrow. I brought a pantsuit and a dress, but now I don’t like either of them.”
“Don’t wear anything conservative,” Lucy said emphatically. “It’s a startup. Find something edgy. Bonus points if it’s a throwback to the seventies. That’s Jackie’s favorite fashion decade.”
“Good to know,” I responded.
“We’ll go to Scoop. It’s right across the street. You’ll find something perfect there.”
“I know I said this the night I met you, but I’m saying it again. I love you.” She laughed.
We finished brunch and headed across the street. Scoop was an adorable boutique that sold a mix of designer and indie clothing brands. The entire store was organized by color, and everything was out of my price range. But that didn’t stop me from trying on several bohemian style dresses that fit the seventies vibe I was looking for. I ended up purchasing a Missoni wrap dress that was the most money I’d ever paid for a single item in my life. But it came with a really cute reusable Scoop tote bag that Lucy said was as much of a status symbol in Manhattan as a Gucci or Chanel.
I said goodbye to Lucy, promising to call her right after my interview, and hailed a cab up to Columbus Circle. I wanted to explore what I hoped would become my new work neighborhood. There was a Starbucks on the corner directly across from Central Park and a subway stop, both incredibly convenient if this were to be my daily commute. I pictured myself coming out of the subway every morning, stopping off for a latte before heading into the office. I walked up the street until I found the address. It was a 12-story building with a gray facade situated between a post office and a courtyard. I took out my camera and snapped a photo. This is going to be my new office. I wanted this job so badly. I was determined to do everything I could to get it. Hence the hefty credit card charge for the designer dress I was carrying in my designer Scoop bag.
It was almost five o’clock. I called Josh to see where he and Katie wanted to meet.
“Let’s go to P.J. Clarke’s. It’s on the corner of Columbus and 63rd. Give us thirty-minutes.”
I left a message on The Waiter’s cell phone telling him where to meet us, and then I walked three blocks uptown. I had some time to kill, so I headed over to the fountain at Lincoln Center to take more photos. I knew I looked like a tourist, but I wanted to document the entire weekend. And hell, I was a tourist. At least for now.
Josh and Katie were already at the bar when I walked in.
“So I totally fuck
ed up my life this morning,” I announced and then promptly ordered a drink.
“What happened?” Josh asked.
I proceeded to tell him and Katie the details of my morning mix-up and how The Waiter and Dalton were now fully aware of each other.
“Damn Sammy,” Josh said. “That’s fucked up. Dalton’s gonna hunt him down and kill him.”
“Who’s Dalton?” Katie asked.
“My ex.”
“He’s a dick,” Josh said. “He’s also six-four and a black belt in karate, so I would never say that to his face.”
“Why do you even care what he thinks if he’s your ex?” Katie said.
“It’s a long story.” I realized I had the perfect opportunity to rehearse my confession for The Waiter. I told Katie everything about Dalton while Josh filled in a few of the more painful memories I’d chosen to leave out. The more I talked, the angrier I got. At myself. For putting up with it for so many years.
After listening to the entire saga, Katie was adamant in her response. “You have to stop enabling him. Why would you let him mess up the good thing you’ve got going on here?”
Josh motioned to the door. “Speaking of the good thing you’ve got going on here.”
The Waiter had just walked in. He was wearing jeans and a black t-shirt that showcased every muscle I’d spent the previous night and most of the morning getting to know intimately. He walked over and gave me a big hug.
We finished a round of drinks at the bar and then grabbed a table for dinner. I ordered a salad. My stomach was still a bit queasy from the earlier conversation. The Waiter didn’t seem the least bit phased by what had happened this morning. He repeatedly held my hand and kissed it throughout dinner, prompting an approving smile from Josh.
After dinner, Katie and Josh headed for the subway while The Waiter and I decided to walk back to my hotel.
“Call me after the interview tomorrow and let me know how it goes,” Josh said. “What time is your flight?”
“Eight-thirty.”
I hugged him and Katie goodbye. I missed them already. New York was starting to feel more like home than Atlanta. And I didn’t want to leave. I especially didn’t want to leave The Waiter.
The Waiter Page 7