AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I shrug, my competitive streak sated for the moment. “Bring it.”
“Fine then,” he continues, “but let’s not get arrested before your big party, okay?”
Back at the Bonded Crest building, ensconced in sterile air no doubt filtered multiple times against the unfortunate Manhattan outdoors, I look around. I’m hoping to catch a glimpse of Ava, either clicking across the lobby in her sky-high heels, or even in the elevator where she’d be trapped with me, at least for the twenty-some-odd floors we need to travel.
Only, no such luck. She’s probably back in herGlistenoffice, surrounded by beautiful creatures like herself who couldn’t be bothered with us jocks from another floor.
We might all work for the same publisher, but our daily lives couldn’t be further apart. My plan is to do something about that, though.
* * *
12
ETHAN
I endmy fifth Zoom call of the day and get up to stretch. Down on the street, people remind me of little bugs, moving quickly and intently, the cabs adding color to the otherwise mostly grey landscape. I enjoy watching the world below from up in my office, where I can observe the craziness in complete silence.
I love New York. I do. And I’m making great fucking money. But it can be a grind, with stupid inconveniences like noise and crowds and bad smells most everywhere you go. It’s worth it, most days.
I’m lucky in a lot of ways. I fell into this sales job at Sports Inc., and started kicking ass almost from day one, smiling and dialing prospective customers from a crappy cube with a crappy swivel chair, surrounded by the commotion of an office fueled with enough testosterone to power a freight train. It didn’t take long for the boss to move me out of the cube from hell into my own little glass-encased oasis to get away from the noise, so I could continue to sell even more ad space. Naturally, the walls of my new home-away-from-home are decorated with covers from our swimsuit issues—probably one of the few places left where you can have hot girls on your walls without coming off as an asshole—and the rest is history. I’ve been outselling every other salesperson for the past couple years, and I have to admit, the money is fucking sweet. It almost makes up for my failed basketball career. Almost.
Despite my run-in with today’s crazy bicyclist, I’m in a surprisingly good mood. I had no idea Jasper’s roommate was such a looker, and I’m pleased she said yes to my senior center invite, however halfhearted. I know it’s a lame as hell thing to bring a woman like her to, but it was the first thing to pop into my mind in the few seconds I had in the confines of the elevator. Once I have the chance to win her over, I can upgrade. Take her to dinner at the city’s hottest new restaurant.
Jasper’s warning about Ava’s protective big brother flits through my thoughts, but I shoo it away like the annoyance that it is. I couldn’t give a shit about some guy who tries to control his sister’s life from hundreds of miles away, whether he’s a friend or not. What a freak. Although he sure has Jasper’s knickers in a twist. Jesus Christ. If I didn’t know better, I’d think Jas was afraid of him.
Or… is it that Jasper wants to have Ava to himself?
Drama aside, what’s really puzzling me is how such a lovely young woman has issues with orgasming. I’ve heard that some women have an actual physical problem that can sometimes be addressed medically. That might be her deal. Regardless, from the texts the guys and I read between her and her friend, it sounds like she’s out to remedy the problem, or at least try to. So maybe she’s just been with loser guys who couldn’t find her clit if there was a bullseye on it?
Damn if her half-smile isn’t on repeat in my little brain, intruding on my thoughts, even as I negotiate one of the biggest ad sales the magazine has ever seen. In fact, I have to force my attention back to the call more than once, that’s how distracted I am.
I close my eyes against the city skyline and her image is right there, blindingly clear as if we’re back in that elevator. And instead of her half-assed enthusiasm about my lame invite to the senior center, she’s happy to see me. So happy, in fact, that she wants me to help with her little ‘problem,’ which, while once an inconvenience, will soon be a forgotten memory.
* * *
13
AVA
“So I’ve been doingsome thinking.”
Cue the warning bells.
Cami’s voice is low and conspiratorial as her eyes dart around. She’s either checking to make sure no one can hear us, or she’s afraid to look me in the eye. Or both
I’m not getting a good feeling about whatever’s coming.
“I… well, Ava, let’s hear it from you first. What are you gonna do about… you know, ‘the problem’?” She uses air quotes around ‘the problem,’ as if I won’t immediately know what she’s talking about.
In any case, her question’s a good one. Idon’tknow what to do. The only thing I do know is that if I don’t act fast, ‘the problem’ will be worse than just the boring-ass sex I had with my ex, Bran. The one ofNew York Timesengagement announcement fame.
Now that I have some distance from that fiasco, I can honestly say I feel sorry for his fiancé, striving for her own Big O with his sorry little dick and frantic rabbit thrusting.
“I… I have some ideas,” I lie.
Cami might be my work bestie, but I am too embarrassed to admit, even to her, that I am falling down on this one.
I’ve tried with vibrators.
