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CHAPTER SEVEN
Zach
Icouldn’tshake off the entire situation from Saturday. This disturbing and unfamiliar feeling of wanting agirl who Ididn’tlove to be no one else’sclung to me throughout the weekend, and strengthened its grip strangely well into Monday morning at work.
“Zach.” Kevin raised an eyebrow when Ientered our offices’ glass doors without aword, preoccupied with Laura.
“Kevin, sorry, hi.” Iwaved and continued my trajectory to my office.
He followed close behind, wearing agray suit that matched his eyes, and holding amug of steaming coffee and his tablet. The twenty-five-year-old administrator, and the best thing that’dhappened to our firm, didn’tlet my silence deter him from going on about our morning routine. In fact, nothing deterred him from doing his job, which was why Ilamented his impending promotion come fall.
Kevin wasn’tyour usual administrator. He arrived two years ago fresh out of his BA through Joel’ssister-in-law and Kevin’sbest friend, Adelaide, and said he’ddo just about any job to prove himself and save up for his master’s. By the end of the first year, we were so impressed with his work ethic that we signed him as apart-time associate for when his school started, which was in about six short months.
“I’dsay good morning if it didn’tlook like you just stepped out of one long night.” Taking his seat in front of me, Kevin scrolled through the partners’ agendas, landing on mine. “Did you stay up late prepping for tomorrow’smeeting with Powell?”
Inodded, not supplying him with the real reason for why Icouldn’tfinish it today instead.
“Cool, okay.” He pushed the coffee mug toward me. “So, while you wake up with this caffeinated voodoo magic, I’ll run your meetings by you for this week.”
There was no point in arguing with him. Itook asip from the hot drink, which did wake me up, but instead of bringing my focus to work, it strayed to Laura. Again.
My longest relationship lasted less than three months, in high school. The other women Ihad dated since could’ve seen anyone they wanted and Inever batted an eye. With Laura Ihad even less than adating relationship, and Ishouldn’thave been obsessed about why it pissed me off thinking about her with another man.
It shouldn’thave, but it did.
My mind went to borderline shady areas where it had no business wandering. And then the solution to fixing it, to directing it back on track struck me like lightning. If Iwanted feelings and complicated thoughts out of the equation, Ihad to put sex first instead. To make it so impersonal, that everything else would evaporate.
Regular sex missed the mark, or even worse, diverted us toward the wrong mark entirely. Looking into her eyes, that close contact that simulated normal couples having sex did things to me that it shouldn’t. To reach to the zone where Ididn’tcare whether Laura stayed or went, sex had to be fun with astrong measure of detachment. We’dneed abuffer.
Asexy, dirty buffer.
“Kevin, Ihave four o’clock scheduled for office hours, right?” Iasked him while texting Laura if Icould see her that night.
“Yes, until five.”
“Good. Better mark that asout of office.”
“Okay…” He clicked on the tablet and then glanced up to the ceiling and out the window to the city.
“Kev?”
“Searching for flying pigs.”
Another reason why this guy and Iworked well together, he was fucking hilarious. “Don’thold your breath. They’re on standby, waiting for you and Adelaide.”
He rolled his eyes, the same response for whenever Imentioned what agreat couple they’dmake, and left me to the pile of work, emails, and calls that were waiting for me. Before Idove into the new week, Iunlocked my phone and texted Laura.
Me:Ihope you’re clean and your uterus is baby-proofed.
Laura:That’san interesting way to say happy new week.
Me:Not as interesting as the evening Ihave planned for us.
Laura:Yes for interesting. And also yes to clean and un-babied. Be here at 11.
The glimmer in her eyes as she greeted me at her threshold looked even more sinister than usual. Iassumed my cryptic text had alot to do with it. She moved to the side to let me in, pointing at the black nylon bag Ibrought with me. “What’sthis?”
Ipaused for amoment when my eyes adjusted to the light and got abetter look at her. And what asight that was. From her long, blonde locks, to her soft lips parted in ahalf smile, and those freckles, those freaking freckles. Laura was abeauty.
