Today was a long day.

But more than a long day, it was a good day. Sure, kicking drunk assholes out of my bar isn’t how I like to spend my time, but this time it was well worth it. I wouldn’t mind dealing with assholes like that if it meant I’d have Emily right after every time.

Ah, Emily… I have no idea how, but fucking her inside my office was even better than our first time together. If I was smitten by her before, I don’t even know how to describe the state I’m in right now.

Still, despite all that, I didn’t find the guts to ask her to come home with me. She could be here right now, couldn’t she? But no, I had to let her leave, and now here I am, alone in my apartment and feeling like a complete idiot. Yeah, just how I wanted to end my day, depressed about stupid shit like this.

Kicking off my shoes and throwing my jacket over the couch, I drag my feet all the way to the bathroom and turn the shower head on. I get undressed and then step under the running water, gritting my teeth as its coldness slaps my naked skin.

I thought that a cold shower would help me take my mind off Emily, but what do you know? I can’t take her off my mind no matter what I do. I remain under the cold water for God knows how long, reliving the moment I just shared with her inside my office… My God, her lips, her curves, the wetness between her thighs… She isn’t a woman; she’s Lust itself.

Sighing heavily, I feel my cock twitch, and it doesn’t take long for me to be as hard as a rock. How could it be otherwise? Curling my fingers around my shaft, I close my eyes and start moving my hand back and forth, allowing the image of Emily’s naked body to take over my mind.

I keep stroking myself, surrendering to the wickedest thoughts my mind can conceive, and it doesn’t take long for my whole body to tense up like a nocked arrow. “Fuck,” I groan, breathing hard as one hard spasm makes my cock twitch against my fingers. Even though I’ve came just a few hours ago, here I am, gushing rope after rope of my seed.

“Fuck, I must be going crazy,” I whisper, throwing my head back and allowing pleasure to wash all over me. I stand there for a few minutes longer, waiting to see if stroking myself helped, but I quickly give up. I get out of the shower, dry myself up, and then wrap a towel around my waist.

I’ll be insane in a few days if I keep going like this. I don’t know how it’s possible, but she’s on my mind 24/7. I can’t even sleep through the night without dreaming of her. Open up a dictionary and look up the word ‘madness’; I’ll bet that Emily is right in the definition.

Deep down, though, I know that I’m the one to blame. I’ve been on my own for so long that I don’t even know if I’m ready for a relationship of any kind.

I’m about to start getting dressed when I hear my phone ringing from the living room. Still with my feet wet, I tip-toe my way there. I grab my cellphone from the coffee table, and my heart skips a beat as I see the name on the screen.

Yeah, speak of the Devil.

“Emily?” I say out loud, taking her call and pressing the phone against my ear. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah. I just wanted to… Well, I just wanted to thank you, Kirk,” she tells me, and I remain silent for a couple of seconds.

“Thank me? For what?”

“For everything, really…” she whispers. “You saved me from that guy and —”

“I didn’t save you from anything. I bet you would’ve kicked his ass anyway,” I laugh, although I can’t help but feel a little smug about the whole thing. I mean, all guys like to pretend they’ve been put on Earth to defend women’s honor, and I’m no different.

“Maybe,” she agrees with me, laughing as well. “But then there was the sex… I guess I ought to thank you for that too.”

“That’s a new one… I don’t think I ever had someone thanking me for sex,” I tell her, and it’s the complete truth. Even though some women really looked thankful about it, they never went ahead and said it out loud.

“Maybe I’m polite… Or maybe you were a virgin before you met me,” she says, teasing me with a carefully placed jab.

“Did I look like a virgin to you?” I ask her, a big stupid smile on my face as I talk with her. I must look like a schoolgirl right now, giggling on her phone as she talks to her boyfriend. How the mighty fall.

“No, you didn’t…” she admits. “In fact, you seemed like everything but a virgin…” She continues, lowering her voice. “I can’t wait to do it again…”

“Why don’t you come over? We can do it right now,” I tell her, the words coming out of my lips before I can put a stop to it. Oh, well, it’s done, besides, I should’ve already told her to come over a long time ago.

I keep waiting for her to reply, but on the other side of the line there’s only silence.

“Emily?”

“Yeah… I’m here. I’d to love to but…” Oh, fuck, is she shooting me down? It took me this long to muster enough courage to ask her to come over, and now this. Perfect.

“But?”

“Well, I have lots of work to do…” she says, and I can tell that she’s struggling with her words. Is that because she’s giving me an excuse, or does she really have work to do?

“Work, I see. It’s alright.”

“No, I’m serious…! It’s not an excuse! I should start on a new project tonight, or else Lana is going to have my scalp.”

“A new project? What do you do? A wine bar reviewer?” I tease her, glad to hear the honest tone in her voice. She’s not giving me an excuse.

“No… I’m not a wine bar reviewer,” she laughs, “but… Uh, it’s complicated.”

Complicated?

Now I’m curious.