Virtuous(84)

I’m officially wavering. My plan to avoid men and sex has been shattered by one incredibly handsome, sexy, kind, sweet man, but I can’t get past the fact that I’ve known him only a week. How could years of resolute determination be undone so quickly?

I need Leah, but she’s working a day shift at the bar. When I get out of the shower, I go directly to my phone to text her. Can you talk?

Yeah, it’s dead here. Call me.

“Hey,” I say when she answers.

“How’s LA? Tell me everything.”

“I’ll tell you everything as soon as you tell me how my baby Fluff is doing.”

“She’s been a raging bitch all day because her mama went away and left her.”

“Don’t say that about her!”

“She’s in her usual cranky mood, but we’re hanging in there. Now tell me about LA!”

“It’s awesome. I met Marlowe Sloane today.”

I have to hold the phone away from my ear when she screams. “Shut the f*ck up! What was she like?”

“Imagine the coolest person you’ve ever met.”

“Oh my God, I’m so jealous, I’m seething. First Flynn and now Marlowe. This is too crazy. Are you having so much fun?”

“We are. It’s been… Leah, I’m so confused.”

“How come?”

“I want to have sex with him.”

“Halle-freaking-lujah! It’s about f*cking time!”

“It’s been a week, Leah.”

“He’s Flynn Godfrey, Natalie.”

“That’s got nothing to do with this. I don’t care what he does for a living. I care about him.”

“If you care about him, Nat, there’s nothing wrong with sleeping with him.”

I don’t bother to mention that I’ve already slept with him, because I know that’s not what she means.

“Nat?”

“I’m here.”

“Look, I don’t know your whole story, but I’ve managed to put two and two together to get that you went through some sort of trauma. I’m sorry for whatever happened to you. But if you care about this guy, really care for him and he cares for you, there’s nothing at all wrong with being with him. You know that, right?”

“I do. I know.” For some reason, tears are rolling down my face. Frustrated by them, I brush them away.

“Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I think I am.”

“I’m here if you need a friend.”

“Thank you. You said exactly what I needed to hear.”

“That poor guy won’t know what hit him when he gets pent-up Natalie in his bed.”

“On that note…”

Her laughter rings through the phone and makes me smile.

“We’re going to dinner with his family.”

“Jesus H. Christ! You’re going to meet Max and Estelle?”

“Yep,” I say, laughing at her reaction. “It’s their anniversary.”

“I think I just passed out over here. Have a fantastic time and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, which gives you permission to do anything and everything.”

I’m still laughing as we say our good-byes. She promises to give Fluff lots of kisses from me. I dry my hair and take the time to apply eyeliner, shadow and mascara before finishing up with lip gloss. I put on the same black dress I wore a week ago tonight for my first date with Flynn. As I take a final look in the mirror, I think about how I asked him to take me home after we left Leah’s bar.

I’m thankful he talked me out of that, because I would’ve hated to miss out on what’s happened since.

A soft knock on the door has me taking a deep breath to prepare for the evening ahead. “Come in.”

He steps into the room wearing a gorgeous gray suit with a black button-down shirt and no tie. He’s so beautiful.

“Natalie… You look lovely.”

“Funny, I was just thinking the same thing about you.”

He holds out his hand to me. “Shall we go?”

I take his hand. “Flynn.”

“What, honey?”

“Later, after we get back, I think I might want to try.”

His body goes rigid with tension. “By try, you mean…”

“I want to have sex. With you. Tonight.”