CHAPTER TWENTY
We were seated at a fashionable café in the arts district. It was a novelty to be back there for a day, a contrast to the beach wonderland I now called home. Despite the grimy hustle and bustle of the city, it was fun to hang out with Tabitha, who was ebullient after I’d just bought her a pair of red jeans that cost an average weekly salary.
“So, Clarissa Moone, you’re now a woman,” said Tabitha, sizing me up. She looked around and whispered, “Did it hurt? Did you come?”
I rolled my eyes. “Subtle as always.” I giggled. “A little.”
As expected, Tabitha threw one of her impatient frowns. I had to laugh at her exasperation. “I’ll take that as a yes. Is he well-endowed?” Tabitha raised an eyebrow.
My face fired up, and I grinned.
“Oh, he is. Mm…” said Tabitha.
“You’re incorrigible, Tabs.” I giggled. Her reaction reflected my exact sentiments. It sent yet another electrical charge travelling down to my deliciously aching lower region.
“Did you come with his finger, tongue, or penetration?” Tabitha was leaning in towards me on her elbows.
“All of that,” I said with a tight smile.
“Wow, he’s a super lover, then?” Tabitha persisted.
“I don’t know what to compare him to,” I said, sipping on my coffee, which burned my swollen lips, a reminder of Aidan’s passionate kisses. “Suffice it to say that if all men made love like Aidan, I imagine those columns filled with complaints about men not satisfying them would no longer exist.”
“Far out…he was that good.” Tabitha was starry-eyed.
“Uh-huh.” I sighed. “Beyond anything I could have ever imagined.”
“Wow…how many times did you do it?”
“Four,” I answered, grinning.
“In one session! Fuck, Clarissa, was he on Viagra?” She laughed.
I shook my head. “Isn’t that normal?”
Tabitha’s laugh was so loud everyone’s attention turned to our table.
“I hope they didn’t hear,” I whispered.
“It’s not normal. The guy has stamina, lucky you. And he also hit your G-spot. He’s not only hot but a sex god too. You really hit the jackpot, babes.”
“It may be the only time. I can’t get too attached.” A sudden cold knot formed in my tummy at the thought of being a one-night stand.
My phone pinged, making me jump. It was Aidan. My heart leapt to my mouth. It was only four hours ago that he’d left, and he was messaging me already: Hi…thinking of you (haven’t stopped). I arrived on time. XXX Aidan.
My huge smile piqued my nosey girlfriend’s interest. She attempted a glance at the screen. “Who’s that?”
With “haven’t stopped” circling around and around in my head, I passed her the phone.
“Shit, he’s got the hots for you, Clary.” Tabitha’s excited, high-pitched voice summed up my feelings. She passed me back the phone. “What are you going to say?”
I shrugged. “I don’t know. What would you suggest?”
“Tell him that your pussy’s throbbing and can’t wait to have him inside of you again.” Tabitha’s green eyes danced with mischief.
“You lascivious woman you,” I said, shaking my head.
“And make sure you don’t intimidate him with your antiquated words.”
“He likes intelligent women,” I said.
“I know, send a photo of yourself,” she said, grabbing my phone.
“Do you think?” I asked, wondering how I looked.
“Yeah, I do. Here, let’s undo that braid and have your hair loose.” Tabitha unraveled my hair and arranged it so that it framed my face. Then she undid the top buttons of my blouse to expose some cleavage.
I protested. “That’s taking it too far, just my face. Damn, I don’t have any make-up on. And I have slept little.”
“Oh, be quiet. You look gorgeous. You have that just-been-fucked glow about you. Now, lean forward, elbow to the side so we can see that cleavage.” She held the phone and clicked away. “Smile seductively. Think of him taking you, making your toes curl.”
“You’re too much, Tabs.”
“Come on,” Tabitha said. “Just think of how he felt inside you the second time.”
I curled my lips.
“That’s perfect.” Tabitha clicked again and again.
She studied the shots. “That’s the one. Your smile is angelic, not slutty. But then he sees that knock-dead cleavage and, well…” She passed it to me. My cleavage was plunging in that photo, which wasn’t hard to do with my boobs. But I liked the shot.
“Okay, I’ll send that,” I said.
Noticing my hands trembling, Tabitha grabbed the phone. “Here, I’ll do it.” With typical deftness, she sent it off.
“I should send a text.”
“Just did that,” Tabitha said with a cheeky grin.
“Shit, Tabs. What did you write?”
Tabitha passed me the phone, laughing. “God, you should see your face. You’ve got it bad. I didn’t write anything. Here, do it.” She passed me the phone.
After staring down at the screen for a while, I wrote: I’m so glad you got there safely. XXX Clarissa.
Tabitha reached over to look at what I’d written. She rocked her head to and fro. “Hmm…a bit tame, but I suppose it’s too soon for sex banter.”
“I’m not a sex-banter kind of person, Tabs,” I said, exasperated more with myself for being artless in this game of seduction.
“I can see I’ll have to train you.” Her green eyes twinkled. “A man like Aidan will need some of that, I’d imagine.”
I exhaled sharply. Tabitha was right. Aidan was a sex god. How the hell could an inexperienced girl like me handle that?
“You’ll have to go on the pill. As soon as possible— today even.” Tabitha pushed buttons on her phone.
Before I could respond, I heard her say, “Hello, are there any appointments available this afternoon?”
I glared at her. She was making me an appointment. That was Tabitha—impatient and bossy. I shook my head and rolled my eyes.
She hung up. “Two o’clock. That’s ideal. You start today, and by the time he returns, you can go au-naturel, skin to skin. That’s after he’s shown you a blood test clearing him of STDs.”
“What? I can’t ask him for that,” I whispered.
“It’s common practice, Clarissa. Everyone does it these days,” said Tabitha patting my hand.
“Tell me about your new boyfriend,” I said, taking a forkful of the yummy chocolate cake. It slinked down and made my stomach grumble with approval. I was so hungry despite having had a hot breakfast, three hours earlier.
Tabitha’s face lit up. “He’s tall, dark, and handsome. You know my tastes.” She arched a brow. “And he likes to eat pussy,” she said, fanning her face and giggling.
“Gross, Tabs. Too much information,” I sang. “I’m really glad you’ve given Steve his marching orders, though.” I wiped my mouth after polishing off the cake.
“Keep this Saturday night free, Clary, because it’s Josh’s birthday.”