She sighed, brushing my cheek with her thumb before she pulled away, and with one last wave of her fingers, she disappeared down the hall and into the elevator.
Belle
I burst through Gemma’s door at seven on the dot the next morning.
“We have a problem.”
Zach and Gemma were both in the kitchen, their hair a mess, sleep still in their eyes, Gemma mid-yawn while Zach hadn’t even poured the coffee grounds into the filter yet. He cocked a brow at Gemma, who managed a smile before leaning her hip against the kitchen counter and addressing me. “Well, good morning, Belle. Happy Saturday to you, too.”
“I know we agreed I couldn’t come over before ten on the weekends, but this is an emergency,” I said, nudging Zach out of the way and taking over where he was in the coffee-making process. I’d barely slept, and if I didn’t get some caffeine in the next ten minutes, I’d become a monster. “Shoo.”
Zach chuckled, throwing his hands up and backing out of the kitchen.
“What’s the emergency?” Gemma asked, wrapping her arms around Zach’s waist when he joined her.
“He didn’t want to have sex with me.”
Their silence was my only answer, and I huffed, slamming the top of the coffee pot closed as I thrust the carafe under the faucet and turned it on.
“I’m confused,” Gemma finally said.
“HE DIDN’T WANT TO HAVE SEX WITH ME,” I repeated.
“Like, he’s not interested?”
“No, like, he had a thick, raging hard-on threatening to break loose from his jeans, but didn’t do anything about it.” I turned the faucet off with more aggression than necessary, slamming the carafe into place and flicking on the power switch. I crossed my arms and faced them when it started brewing. “He kissed me on the freaking cheek, guys.”
Gemma chuckled, and Zach looked at her before he turned his confused expression on me. “That’s not an emergency. That’s not even a problem at all. That’s him being a gentleman.”
Gemma and I exchanged looks this time. “Please tell me you’re not on his side here.”
“I mean…” Gemma bit her lip, looking at her fiancé with a shrug. “That is kind of weird nowadays, anyway.”
Zach’s mouth popped open.
Gemma threw her hands up. “I mean, even we hooked up on our first date. Remember?”
Zach didn’t respond to that.
“Thank you,” I said, gesturing to Gemma before I let my hand fall to slap my thigh. “I mean, there we are, post-dinner and all talked out, and I’m running my hands all over his freaking tattoos. I start unbuttoning his shirt and he stops me.” I pause for dramatic effect. “The man stopped me from stripping him.”
“Maybe he’s really shy,” Gemma suggested.
“I don’t think that’s it. I mean, you saw him in the office. The man is confidence embodied.”
“True,” she agreed. “Oh, what if he’s into really freaky stuff? You know. Whips and chains, nipple clamps, all that. And he wants to ease you into it.”
I considered it, and I wasn’t mad at that possibility. “A Christian Grey, perhaps?”
“Could be! Did he have a room locked off that he wouldn’t let you go in?”
My shoulders sagged at that. “No, I saw his whole place. And the man brought everything he owns from California in maybe two-dozen boxes. I think he hired me because he lived like a college bachelor before now.” I shook my head. “I don’t think it’s because he’s so kinky he thinks he’ll scare me.”
“Maybe he just wants to get to know you before he has sex with you,” Zach said, deadpan, as if he couldn’t believe he even had to say that out loud.
I scoffed, crossing my arms again. “We talked all night. He knew me plenty well enough to bend me over his kitchen counter.” Then, all the blood drained from my face. “Oh my God, what if he has a micropenis?”
Gemma’s eyes shot open, and she covered her mouth. “No! You don’t honestly think?”
I shook my head, slumping against the counter once more. “Nah. I saw his bulge. No way was that a sock.”
We stood in silence for a bit, thinking.
“Maybe he has a weird-shaped dick. Or a mole or something,” Gemma said.
“He wouldn’t let me take off his shirt. Maybe it’s a third nipple,” I guessed.
Gemma lit up like I’d told her her hair looked pretty. “Oh, that wouldn’t be so bad!”
“Maybe it’s the three-date rule.”
I blinked a few times before I turned to look at Zach, confused. “Three-date rule?”
“Yeah. You know… he doesn’t want to have sex until the third date. It’s like the classic dating handbook rule number one.”
I looked at Gemma, who tilted her head to the side as she considered it. “That does make sense.”
“So, you’re saying I’m not going to get any until he takes me out on two more dates?” I groaned, pulling three coffee cups from the cabinet and topping them all off. I handed one to each of them before wrapping my hands around mine. “Who on Earth still does that?”
“Nice guys. Good guys. Guys who are interested in more than just getting in your pants.” Zach shook his head. “Belle, come on. This is a good thing.”
“Tell that to my throbbing clitoris, Zach.”
Gemma nearly spit out her coffee, and Zach chuckled, throwing up his free hand in surrender. “And on that note, I’m going to watch SportsCenter.” He kissed Gemma’s cheek before turning to me. “Good luck with your emergency.”
I wiggled my fingers in a goodbye to him, and Gemma and I shared a knowing smile once he was gone.
“So, what was the rest of the night like?” Gemma asked. “I mean, aside from the lack of coitus at the end.”
“It was…” I sighed, eyes falling to where the steam was rising out of my coffee cup. “Perfect. Like, straight out of a romance movie perfect. He cooked dinner — which was absolutely terrible, by the way,” I added on a laugh.
