your place, or do you have something else in mind?”
He doesn’t look like a man who’s had enough of me. His eyes are heavy and filled with desire.
“Yes, you can come straight to my place, and I’ll take care of everything. You just show up and bring at least one change of clothes—no pajamas because you won’t need them. I promise to make sure you won’t get cold. Do you remember how to get to my house?”
“Yep, shall I bring wine or something to eat?”
“Just bring yourself. The code to the gate is 0615. Come at six o’clock.”
Since Damon and I spent most of my lunch break pleasuring each other, I have a mere ten minutes to gobble up the Caesar salad he ordered.
As I leave the office, the cool air circulates around me, making me fully aware that my panties are in his pocket.
“Have a nice afternoon, Ms. Cross.” Every day I see Greta her smile gets bigger. She has to know what’s going on between us because she’s right outside the door, for goodness sake.
Chapter Seventeen
Em and I go to a spa called The Four Elements, where we enjoy a hot stone massage, a body scrub, a manicure, and a pedicure, courtesy of Anthony Haywood.
Every muscle I’ve tensed up over the last few days relaxes under the masseuse’s capable hands. The release today, combined with the spa treatment, turns me to jelly. All I need is a glass of wine, and the world will be perfect.
After our treatments, we arrive at Anthony Haywood’s Restaurant. It’s standing room only, but there’s a table reserved for us. Em offers to go somewhere else, but I don’t mind coming here.
She abandons me briefly to say hello to her man, and I take a moment to text Damon and tell him how wonderful the afternoon was.
He responds immediately, letting me know I rocked his world.
When Em comes back, she looks like a teenager in love.
“Anthony made us something special and is delivering it himself.”
We sip glasses of merlot and talk about all the things we haven’t had time to tell each other. For me, it’s the gift bags and how proud I am of how they turned out. Then there’s our upcoming graduation, which is only ten days away.
Next week the craziness begins. I have two papers due and two finals to take. Em has one paper and two exams.
She shares her plans to help Anthony with his marketing since it’s her major, and I’m pleased to see he values her as a woman, a professional, and a person.
Anthony arrives with two plates, both beautifully presented with lamb chops, rosemary potatoes, and steamed spinach. Everything Em loves. They say the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, but it’s the same for Emma.
Before he leaves, Anthony kisses my best friend like he owns her heart, and I’m certain he does. Em and I have been best friends since the seventh grade, and she’s never acted so enamored.
“Tomorrow is the big night,” Em singsongs.
I blush and look away so she won’t read anything into the grin on my face, but when I face her, it’s obvious she’s on to me.
“Spill it, Cross. Something’s happened between you two. Did you give in and put out last night?”
“No, it’s not like that. We want it to be life-altering, but we were both too worked up to last until Friday, so we did some other stuff.”
She leans in. “I want to know all the dirty details.”
“I don’t kiss and tell, but I’ll say it was amazing.”
“Look at you! My virginal friend finally succumbs to the earth-shattering effects of ‘other stuff.’”
“I’m not a virgin,” I insist much too loudly, but instead of feeling horrified, I laugh.
“There’s nothing better than great sex ... unless it’s great sex with an amazing man. I want you to have it all, girlfriend. Let’s toast,” she says.
We both raise our wine glasses, and Em proposes a toast.
“Here’s to men who will care for and adore us until our dying breaths.” We tap our glasses in the obligatory fashion and toss back the rest of our wine.
There’s no more time for dining when there’s shopping to do.
Em drags me to several stores, where she advises me on lingerie purchases and helps pick out a rocking-hot outfit for tomorrow night.
Our last stop is the drugstore where she equips me with a large box of condoms, new razors for a clean, close shave, and the body butter she swears by.
Back at home, she