One month later
Ifelt like I was treading water in all aspects of my life. After bombing the interview at Cardinal Advertising, I had gotten two more with other firms, but neither of them resulted in a job offer. My bank account was tapped out except for some emergency funds that I was desperately trying to hold onto. Lola was being generous and taking care of my expenses as they came up, but I was at the point where a full-time job at Starbucks was looking more probable than it ever had before. I was letting pride hold me back, but pride wasn’t paying the bills. Pride just had me booked on a one-way flight to homelessness if Lola’s generosity ran its course.
My relationship with Cain was still going strong. Bridget was becoming a friend. Abby was becoming the most adorable thing in my life. I went to their house for dinner every weekend, followed by a movie of Abby’s choosing most of the time.
Cain and I spent as much time together as we could, but sexual frustration was becoming a reality for me. It was something I never dreamed of feeling, but it was churning inside me like a tornado. We were at the halfway mark. It felt like an eternity had passed and we still had an eternity to go. I was no longer trying to fight it—I had changed from a virgin afraid of everything sexual to the living embodiment of a succubus straight out of fantasy novel. My finger was no longer enough—it was turning into a tease. I could no longer close my eyes and imagine Cain there with me when I pleasured myself—I needed the real thing too much. I needed the closeness, his lips on mine, the satisfaction of desire while everything collided in bliss. I was afraid Cain was going to have to beat me off with a stick—something he had jokingly mentioned more than once.
It’s time to get some answers—and figure out why we have to wait so damn long when we both know it’s right.
Grace sounded shocked when I called her, especially when I told her that I needed to have a sit down meeting. I didn’t tell her what it was about, and I still couldn’t believe I was going to talk about sex with her, but I had nobody else that I could really discuss it with. She was the one who tied our hands, so she was going to have to talk me off the ledge I was hanging onto by a thread. Lola barely came home unless she was changing clothes for work. She spent every night with the guy she was matched with. Their relationship seemed to be perfect—and they weren’t holding back at all. Why couldn’t I have that?
“Chloe!” Grace greeted me with a smile. “Please, come to my office and we can talk.”
“Thank you.” I nodded and followed her.
“I must say, I was rather surprised to hear from you. I thought things were going great with Cain.” She sat down behind her desk.
“They are.” I nodded quickly. “Really great, actually—wait, how did you hear about that?”
“I talked to Lola last week. She called to give me an update—I don’t ask for them, but some of my clients like to keep in touch.” Grace leaned back in her chair.
“Did she mention that she’s not following the rules?” I tilted my head to the side.
“Oh?” Grace raised her eyebrows. “What do you mean?”
“The three month rule.” I exhaled sharply.
The one that is killing me every time I have to say goodnight to Cain in a text message instead of falling asleep in his arms.
“She didn’t mention that part.” Grace shrugged. “But it isn’t my business. If the relationship is working, then I assume people will do what feels right.”
“Seriously?” I felt like my eyes were going to bulge out of my head. “Then why have it?”
“It’s—a precaution mostly.” She pursed her lips. “In this day and age, all of the so-called dating apps out there have become nothing more than a way for young people to hook up. Most people don’t go on Tinder looking for love—they’re just looking for sex. I’m not selling sex. My goal is to help people find relationships that last.”
“So, you don’treallyexpect people to follow the three month rule?” I titled my head inquisitively—and my heart started beating fast in my chest.
“If true intentions bring people together, then they should do what feels right.” She nodded quickly.
“Cain said that you told him people who have found meaningful relationships willswearby the rules—you made it sound like the relationship could fail if we didn’t follow them.” I shifted in my chair.
“All of my clients are different. When I met the two of you, I felt like you needed that condition—mostly because it offered you the kind of protection that would allow you to explore your relationship without complicating it. Both of you had serious hesitations to begin with—taking sex out of the equation gave you freedom you wouldn’t have had otherwise.” She smiled warmly, and everything she said was true, even if I hated to admit it.
“I see.” I nodded and held back some of things I wanted to say, mostly because I wanted to say them to Cain.
“Go with your instinct. You’ve had enough time to get to know each other.” She reached for her coffee, took a sip, and put the cup back down.
“Thank you, Grace.” I nodded and stood up.
My hands were trembling as I pulled my phone out of my purse on the way to the car. I couldn’t wait to tell Cain that the rule was more of a suggestion—and really just a precaution. We had certainly taken the time to make sure our relationship was headed in the right direction before we did anything. I felt like we had been more then respectable and gotten to know each other as well as we could in the time we spent together. I was just about to fire off a text message to him when my phone lit up with an incoming call.
Hmm. I don’t recognize this number.
“Hello?” I pressed the phone to my ear.
“Hi, is this Chloe West?” It was a woman’s voice.
“Yes.” I nodded and held my keys in my hand, ready to start my car as soon as the call was over.
