Wet

She grins. “That’s so pretty.”

I shrug. It’s no big deal and she needs to eat fruits and vegetables. “It’s the designer in me.”

While she eats I gather the clothes I’m going to change into so she doesn’t have to watch me walk through the apartment naked. I know she probably wouldn’t mind that, but we’re still on unsteady ground so it’s better to play it safe. She’s humming a little song in between bites when I head to the bathroom and it makes me smile.

But I’m not even out of the shower for a minute and preparing to shave when she knocks on the bathroom door. I quickly pull a towel around my waist and yank the door open.

Her mouth falls agape as her gaze scans from my shoulders, across my chest, and then lingers right where the towel is wrapped tight. What did she expect?

Her cheeks turn pink as she looks back up to me.

“Your body,” she whispers.

“Yes?”

“It’s amazing. And you’re so tall and handsome too. You could model you know.”

“Uh, definitely not my thing, but thanks. I’m glad you think so.”

There’s a tightness of anticipation in my chest. It wouldn’t surprise me if Elle reached forward and tugged at the towel. I start to get hard just thinking about it.

She blinks, I blink. Damn, I want to kiss her so bad.

She sighs and looks at my shoulder and then just beyond.

What’s she thinking? “You want to take a shower?” I ask, hoping she knows I’m teasing.

“With you?” She actually looks hopeful.

I tip my head sideways and give her a half-smile before I shake my head.

“I just showered, where were you then? I would’ve liked having my back soaped up.”

Her eyes light up. “Just your back?”

She glances down as if she knows the damn towel is starting to tent, but then she reaches out to hold onto the door jam.

“You okay?” I ask, trying to get her to look up at my face.

She nods and clears her throat. “Sorry to interrupt, but I’m kind of dizzy. Do you mind if I lie on your couch?”

“You don’t need to ask that, of course you can.”

“But it doesn’t look like a couch you lie on.”

I roll my eyes knowing she’s right. That’s what I get for buying a designer sofa. All looks but no comfort.

“Do you know why you’re dizzy?”

“I over-did it today.”

I gesture to the doorway just past where we’re standing. “Please lie on the bed. I’m pretty sure I made it this morning.”

She nods and turns toward the bedroom.

After I finish pulling on clean jeans and a T-shirt, I check in the kitchen and grab her unfinished sandwich and a glass of milk. I find her stretched out on my bed with her eyes closed. I set the stuff down on the side table and rest my hand on her calf.

“Hey, you okay?”

She silently nods without opening her eyes.

“I brought your sandwich in. Why don’t you eat some more?”

“Are you mad I dropped by?”

“No, I’m not mad. Just surprised. But now that you know where I am you can drop by whenever you want.”

The corners of her mouth turn up and her eyes pop open. “Really?”

I scoot her legs over and sit on the edge of the bed. “Sure.”

She sits up and picks up the glass of milk, and taking several long sips she starts back in on the sandwich. While she eats she regards my bedroom, and seems to be taking everything in with great interest. It makes me see my stuff with a fresh eye.

She points to the black and white prints framed on my walls. “What’s with all the photos of bridges?”

I tip my head as I scan the images. “I think they’re fascinating. Bridges get you places. If they weren’t there you’d have a hard time going to those places.”

She looks at me with a surprised expression, like I have a milk mustache I forgot to wipe off or something.

“What?”

“That’s really great. I didn’t know you were so deep.” She winks at me.

“Oh, I’m deep, so deep—an endless well really. I’m surprised you didn’t pick up on that until now.”

I’m glad to see her looking better.

“Well, now I know. And I like your place. It’s cool. Not exactly like I imagined.”

“And how did you imagine it?”

“Not so thought out. Everything works together design wise . . . it’s pretty sophisticated for a dude.”

“You still think I’m your sprinkler man, don’t you? I’m a designer, remember?”

“Well that explains the sage-colored walls and couch you can’t lie down on.”

I fold my arms over my chest. “Are you really going to shame me for my couch?”

She bites her lip. She looks like she’s holding back a grin. “Nah. You know I love designer stuff.”

“I’ll say. Look at your place.”

“Watch out. I’m feeling hormonal.”

I drop my arms down to my sides. “Thanks for the warning.”

She pats the spot on the bed next to her. “Come sit over here.”

When I sit on the opposite side of the bed she slides a little closer to me.

“So which is your favorite bridge picture?”

I don’t even pause to think about it. “The one of the Golden Gate Bridge. I love how it’s rising out of the fog. It’s like you don’t know where you’re going to end up or how you got there.”

“But because it’s a steady bridge you trust that it’s going to be okay on the other side,” she says quietly.

I nod.

She slides farther down on the bed and I follow suit.

“So how was your date last night?”

“Is that why you came over?”

“Well you didn’t return my call, so I figured something big must have happened.”

“What if it did? Would you be happy?”

Her eyebrows knit together like she’s thinking really hard, but finally she says softly, “Yes, I would be happy.”

“Well yeah, something really big happened.” I’m about to tell her what a let- down the evening was when she jumps in with a true Elle inquiry.

“Oh my God. Was the sex phenomenal?”

“I promised you we wouldn’t talk about that.”

“But I need to hear.”

“Why?”

“If I can’t have mind-blowing sex at least I can live vicariously through you.”

“And what if it wasn’t mind-blowing?”

“Make something up, damn it! And make me believe it.”

“But I promised not to do this!”

She grabs my T-shirt in the center of my chest, makes a fist of it and pulls hard until we are face-to-face.

“To hell with the promise! I need it, Paul. I was up all night imagining it.”

Her cheeks are hot pink and I remember the hormone warning. At this point I’d tell her anything to keep her calm considering the shape she was in when she showed up here.

“Okay, I’ll tell you if it’s really what you want.”

She nods and lets out a sigh. Her fingers loosen on my T-shirt.

Where do I start with this fiction story? At least the first detail can be honest.

“So Melanie and I met at Osteria Mozza.”

She shakes her head firmly. “I don’t want to hear about the restaurant unless you had sex in the bathroom.”

This woman.

“So no build-up? Got it.”

“Yeah, get to the good stuff.”

“We’d both been drinking and the flirting was really intense, so when we got out to the valet stand she pushed me up against the building and ground all that sexiness up against me.”

“In front of everyone?” she says with her mouth agape.

“Oh yeah. I bet I could have fucked her right there and she would have gone for it. She dug her hand into my back pocket and grabbed my ass like she meant business.”

“Was the anaconda awake?”

“Hell yes,” I lie.

“Oh God, I bet she liked that.”

“Judging from the way she grabbed onto it and moaned I would say so.”

“Hot damn. So there was grinding and what else? Kissing?”

“Naturally.”

“Is she a good kisser?”

“Incredible kisser.” I’m full on lying now. What the fuck?

She sighs. “Oh man, I love great kissing.”

“Yeah, it was so hot.”

“Was there lots of tongue action? Was it so good you got dizzy?”