How to Fail at Flirting(23)
Ten
Jake: I can’t wait to see you again.
Jake: When are you free? I should be good after 9:00.
I wrapped a fluffy towel around my chest and leaned against the sink in my bathroom. I’d left Jake’s hotel room around two in the morning and taken an Uber home after a searing kiss in the hotel lobby. He’d invited me to stay, but that felt too big, so I told him I had an early meeting. After only five hours of sleep, I should have been a wreck, but I was buzzing with energy. Multiple orgasms: more effective than coffee. Who knew?
Naya: I have to do a favor for my boss tonight so 9 will be good.
Jake: I can’t wait to see you again.
Naya: You already said that
Jake: I know. I have no chill.
Jake: Also, I can’t wait to see you again.
Positioning the camera in selfie mode and finding that perfect angle that thinned my face, I snapped a photo. My shoulders were dappled with water drops, the towel hugged my breasts, and the sunlight from my bathroom window cast my skin in a great light.
Though the thrill of being a little naughty and turning him on made my temperature rise, I debated whether I should send it. Davis had taken photos of me when we dated, and I always feared he’d share them.
But Jake’s not Davis.
Once again, I imagined the sweet smile from the ice cream shop and the heated gaze after we kissed. “They’re different,” I said to the empty room, and hit send.
Naya: And now you don’t have to wait to see me.
The three dots bounced, indicating he was composing a reply before the buzz came a minute later.
Jake: Wow.
Jake: I will have this image at my fingertips all day—you are so cruel.
* * *
I walked casually across the quad between meetings, enjoying the fresh air and open sidewalks. Students had started their mass exodus from campus, and everything was peaceful. I’d wanted to work at TU because of the chance to collaborate with top scholars, but the campus grounds still took my breath away after all these years. Daylilies peeked up toward the sky, dotting the manicured lawn with yellow and red touches that made the sunshine just a bit brighter. Nearby, the splash of water from a stone fountain mixed with the sounds of music blasting from a group of students gathered around a laptop. This looked like the cover of an instructional manual on how to have the perfect day. I briefly considered twirling in the breeze.
What the hell is going on with me?
What was going on with me was definitely my handsome stranger who didn’t seem like much of a stranger anymore. I continued down the path to my office, a smile plastered on my face.
“You look like you’re in a good mood.” The familiar voice of a colleague interrupted my thoughts as she slowed her speed going in the other direction. “End of the year, right?”
I chuckled and nodded. “Exactly.” Jill was a few years my junior and taught in the business school. We’d served on a few committees and project groups together, and she was always kind and pleasant. The perfect person to chat with when I feel this good. “Do you have plans for the summer?”
“Hopefully not looking for another job. Do you know much about the rumors of departments getting cut?”
“Not much,” I conceded, though I couldn’t imagine her area—accounting—going anywhere. Mine, on the other hand . . .
“A mentor of mine at State used to work here.” She looked left and right and leaned in to speak in a low voice, as if having a mentor at one of the area’s elite universities was classified information. “He gave me the inside scoop, and I guess the president is bringing in some people and pulling together committees or something.”
Her face twisted into a grimace, and I didn’t blame her. Every time I tried to think through what it would mean to lose this job, I wanted to cower. In that moment, though, I still felt like I was floating a few inches in the air. Even talking about the rumor of cuts wasn’t quite pulling me back to Earth.
“It will be an interesting summer,” she said, shaking her head. “Davis said—”
“What?” I heard my own voice become strained, my mood plummeting to the ground. I intentionally slowed my speech. “I mean, sorry, did you say Davis?”
She may not have noticed the shift. “Davis Garner. Did you know him? I don’t think he’s ever mentioned you.”
My feet were now firmly planted, though my stomach lurched. My clothes suddenly felt too constricting and the sun’s rays too bright. I counted to three in my head, trying to dull the panic her words had inspired. She was looking at me expectantly, and I stammered out, “I knew him, yes.”
“Well, anyway, if I hear anything else, I’ll keep you posted. Talk to you later, Naya.” She flashed a bright grin before turning to head in the other direction.
“Same here, Jill.” My response was markedly less enthusiastic, but I returned her smile and waved. I hated how his name still sent me into this physical state where I wanted to jump out of my own skin and curl up in an out-of-the-way corner.
In my pocket, my phone buzzed.
Jake: What should we do tonight?
Jake: BASE jumping? Skydiving? You seem to have a thing for heights.