Operation Foreplay (34 page)

“We should go somewhere,” he said after a few moments.

“Yeah? Where do you want to go?”

“I don’t know. Maybe just somewhere for the weekend.”

“This weekend?” I picked my head up and looked at him.

“No. God, my sister’s already annoyed she isn’t celebrating with you on your actual birthday. Imagine if I took away the weekend?”

I laughed. “Don’t mess with your sister.”

“Ha. Don’t I know it?” He raised our clutched hands and kissed my knuckles. “Maybe next weekend or the weekend after. What do you think?”

“I think a whole weekend away with you sounds amazing.”

“Where do you want to go?”

“Surprise me. You seem to be good at that.” Of course I was referring to the way he dropped into my life and flipped my whole view on relationships. He was the best kind of surprise.

“Likewise.” He pressed his lips against my head.

*  *  *

1 Day

I was antsy. I came home from work and paced. Nerves were getting the best of me and it drove me nuts. Of all things I should be anxious about, sex was not one of them. Sex was no big deal. Sex was something I did to pass the time. Something that got me off. Something that I was very good at. And instead of getting ready, I was wearing a hole in the hardwood and sipping Chardonnay a bit faster than I should.

I knew Jared was on his way over and I couldn’t unknot my stomach. I was afraid of changing what we had and hoped that what was between us didn’t hinge on anticipation. The door buzzing knocked me out of my thoughts.
Odd
, I thought. Jared had a key.

“Hello?”

“Hey sweetie! Surprise!” My mom’s voice shouted through the speaker.

“We came to visit for your birthday!” My dad added.

What the everloving fuck
.

“Oh that’s great,” I managed to squeak out. I squeezed my eyes shut and pressed my head against the wall.
This isn’t happening.

“Are you going to open the door?”

“Yeah. Sorry.” I buzzed them in and opened my apartment door.

I was sitting on the arm of my chair when they walked in, with Jared bringing up the rear. His eyes were wide and he could barely contain his laugh.

“Look who we found!” My dad thumbed toward Jared.

“We can all have dinner together,” my mom added.

“Hey! I didn’t know you were coming.” I hugged my dad.

“Well, it wouldn’t be a surprise if we told you,” my mom clucked and walked to the kitchen. She immediately grabbed a sponge and did the few dishes that I’d left in the sink.

“Mom, you don’t have to do that.”

“It’s okay, sweetie. Go get dressed. We will go out to dinner and maybe tomorrow we can have a girls’ day and get our nails done.”

I stared at Jared and he shrugged before dropping his head.

“You’re staying?”

“Yes. I mean, we didn’t get a hotel. I figured we could sleep on the couch or a blow-up mattress. You have one of those?”

“No, Mom. I don’t. I didn’t have one the last time you dropped in either.”

“Oh, well your father and I can make do. I can sleep on the floor.” And the guilt was suddenly very thick.

“You guys can take my bed. I’ll sleep on the couch.” I grabbed my mom’s bag and carried it to my room. “Jared, can you grab my dad’s bag and bring it in here?”

“On it.” He all but jogged the few steps to my room.

“What the fuck is happening?” I whispered.

“I don’t know. But it’s pretty comical.”

“What is comical about this?”

“To be honest, after this long waiting, a few more hours won’t kill us.”

“A few more hours? They are sleeping over. In my room. In my bed.”

“Are those new sheets?”

“Yeah. I got them…Focus. What are we going to do?”

“Not each other. At least not in the immediate future.” His laugh was shallow.

I smacked his arm. “Be serious.”

“Look”—he placed his hands on my arms—“it’s okay. It’s a bump. We can handle bumps. And you know what?” He pulled me in to a hug.

“What?” I wrapped my arms around him and pressed my cheek against his chest.

“I think that waiting a bit longer will make it better. Instead of waiting for the clock to hit midnight, we can maybe take our time. Make it special.”

“You’re right,” I mumbled into his plaid shirt. “I hate that you’re the voice of reason.”

He lifted my chin. “If you hear me muttering about stinky pussies too loudly at dinner, promise you’ll kick me in the shin.”

“I promise.” I kissed him, nipping his lip before I pulled away. “Let’s go bring the folks out to dinner.”

Chapter Twenty-Nine

J
ared stayed until the clock struck midnight and wished me a happy birthday. My parents were fast asleep and unaware of the wicked make-out session that was going on in the next room. My lips were still sore. Once he left, however, I lay wide awake staring at the ceiling, attempting to count the number of times the fan spun. I was keyed up, nervous, excited, terrified. The ache that had disappeared days ago suddenly returned with a vengeance.

By the time the sun rose, I was dressed and out the door. My parents were still asleep and I decided to go for a run. But not before I called Berk and convinced him to meet me at the diner. He wasn’t happy, but after I pointed out what day it was, he was out the door before he clicked off the call.

I was a sweaty, starving mess by the time I found Berk sitting in a booth, two coffees poured, sweetened, and creamed. Berk very well may have been my soul mate.

“Happy birthday, sweaty bitch! I ordered your coffee.” He pulled me in for a hug so tight I thought my head would pop off.

“Happy birthday! Thank you.” I plopped into the booth. “You’re in a good mood.”

“I got laid last night but I don’t think that’s why you called. I feel like you’re going to tell me a juicy story. Spill. You and Jared did the deed! Don’t leave out any juicy detail.”

I held up a finger and drank deeply. I could feel my eyes focus. I needed that moment, that small minute sitting across from my friend. Thankfully he was patient.

“We did not do the deed. I have no juicy details unless you count the fact that my lips are still swollen from the marathon make-out session we had on my couch last night. ”

“Wait. What happened to banging at midnight? Did his cock turn into a pumpkin? Did you lose your shoes?”

“Well”—I sighed and dropped my head to the table—“my parents showed up last night. Took me and Jared out to dinner. Slept over.”

“No!”

“Yes. It was a ‘surprise.’”

“Wow.”

“Why are you laughing?” I tossed a balled-up napkin at him.

“It’s funny.”

“It’s not funny.”

“It’s a little funny.”

“Fine. It’s a
little
funny.”

The waitress delivered our meals. Berk had opted for healthful oatmeal and fruit whereas I had ordered a plateful of eggs, bacon, potatoes, and toast with butter.

“I can’t believe you are going to eat that.” He made a face.

“You know I eat when I’m stressed.”

“What are you stressed about?”

With my mouth full, I answered, “Weareshuposedhavseshtoday.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t hear you through the amount of food falling from your mouth.”

I chewed, swallowed, and took a large gulp of coffee. “We are supposed to have sex today.”

“Didn’t we just cover that?”

“Yeah.”

“Then this is not news. What’s tripping you up?”

“I think I love him.”

His coffee cup held steady halfway to his mouth. “Come again?”

“You heard me.”

“You think or you do?”

“Want to. Don’t look at me like that.”

“If he said it right now, would you say it back?”

“What?” I shoved half a piece of toast in my mouth.

“Attractive. Pretend I’m him.” Berk puffed up his chest. “I love you, Melody.”

“Ha ha. Funny.” I downed a glass of orange juice.

“Seriously. What would you say?”

“I don’t know.”

“You do know.”

“I guess I’d say it back.”

“You guess or you know?” His cocked eyebrow was really annoying.

Without missing a beat, I replied, “I know.”

“When are you seeing him?”

“Tonight. Mom is taking me out today for some girl time.”

“Then get out of here, go hang out with your mom, and when you see him later, tell him.”

“I can’t do that.” I fiddled with my fork. “Can I do that?”

“People do it every day, apparently.”

“So I should tell him I love him. Just like that.”

“Yes. And then call me tomorrow and tell me what happens. I mean, I don’t need to know the ins and outs”—he wiggled his eyebrows—“of his response, but still.”

“Perv!” I threw my napkin at him.

“You love it. Go before I make you pay for this meal.”

“Fine.” I jumped up, walked around the table, and kissed Berk on the cheek. “You’re the best.”

“Yeah, yeah. You’re giving me a big head.”

*  *  *

I ran all the way home only to find my parents awake. The sheets and blanket I’d used were folded neatly on the arm of the couch. Coffee was made, my favorite cup sitting in front of the coffeemaker.

“Hey Dad.” I kissed him on the cheek as he read the paper.

“Hey. Your mom is getting dressed. Jared stopped by.”

I whipped my head around. “He what?”

“He left you a note.” He held up an envelope.

I opened the bottom cabinet, lifted the lid of my spaghetti pot, and reached in to grab a handful of my favorite candy. Then I flipped open the envelope and unfolded the piece of paper inside.

Happy birthday. Have a great day with your parents. Dinner tonight? My place? Pizza? Six? Nothing too fancy. See you then. ~Jared

I popped the last of my gummy bears in my mouth and stared at myself in the mirror. I still had eight hours before I had to be at his house. So I did what any sane thirty-year-old woman who had just realized she was in love would do at ten in the morning. I opened a bottle of champagne and made a mimosa.

Chapter Thirty

M
y stomach was churning and I wasn’t sure if I should turn around and walk back to my apartment or knock to let Jared know I was there. Behind me was my life. Currently happy and robust and full of everything I could want. He and I were in a good place. A place I never thought I’d be. But there I was. Nervous over what was about to happen. Had we built it up so much that all we were headed for was disappointment? Had we been thinking too much about it? Not enough? Would the reality be so disappointing that I would lose the most important thing to happen to me since I could remember? Beyond his door was something new, unexpected, frightening, and, if I was being honest, sexy as fuck.

With my eyes closed, I blew out the breath I’d long been holding and rapped my knuckles on his door.

I barely remember his face as he opened the door wide enough for me to step in. I barely remember the sound of the lock engaging.

What I do remember, what I could still see and feel, are the few seconds I spent standing in front of him. Heat spread throughout my body and for a moment it felt as if I’d caught on fire. Only a couple inches separated us as I watched him lick his lips, and I bit down on mine. I wanted to live in that moment. That small moment right before the kiss. One that filled me with so much anticipation it hurt.

Two deep breaths.

In. My eyes shifted to the door.

Out. I closed them and wiped it all away.

In. I opened my eyes. He was closer than he was a breath ago.

Out. A ball of nerves caught in my throat.

And then his mouth crashed on mine, my hands clutched his face. My body pressed against him as his pushed me to the wall with a step.

Jared’s lips pressed against my neck and my head fell back against the wall. His good hand fisted the fabric of my skirt and slowly pulled the floor-length cotton up over my thighs. Fingers explored me, pressed against me, entered me.

I laid my hands on the top of his head as he dropped to his knees and pulled my lace panties to the side. His tongue darted out, snatching the strength from my legs. His grip on my hips nearly immobilized me. My foot rested on his shoulder, opening myself up more, giving him more access.

Slowly, slowly I slid down the wall.

Slowly, slowly I lost the ability to stand.

“Bedroom,” I breathed, unable to form more than two syllables.