Page 45 of Analysing Her Assets

Too Short Phone Calls

(52 days to end of year finish line, 26 days to new position)

23. Gideon

“Hey, good morning!” He smiled at her, happy he timed this correctly. He had only been waiting here, at the entrance to her building, running in place, for ten minutes.

“Hi,” she said, following Giddy to the long-suffering tree he marked as his every morning. She wore no bra, never did in the mornings, which was also part of the incentive.

“Where is Shemesh?”

“He wasn’t in the mood, he isn’t energetic like Giddy. Some dogs are lazier than others.” As he was talking, he stepped into her building’s small front enclosure and plucked two plumeria flowers. He returned to the street and gave Tamar a flower, keeping one to himself. He buried his nose in the soft petals and sniffed deeply. It was, truly, the best smelling flower. She mimicked him, closing her eyes gluing her nose to the yellow core.

“It’s my favorite flower tree, although it’s technically a bush,” Tamar said. “It’s lovely that we have these all over Tel Aviv. Have you ever noticed that the white ones have a much stronger smell than the pink?”

“It’s my favorite bush, too. No, actually second favorite.” He winked at her playfully, and Tamar laughed. Now they would be okay at work.

“I had a great time last night, Tamar. You’re a very good... coach.”

If he lived to be a hundred, he would still remember every moment of last night.

Giddy barked and approached him, wagging his tail furiously.

“He knows that if he asks nicely, you’ll take him for his run,” Tamar said.

“I’m arranging a boarding house for Shemesh,” Gideon said as he took out a running leash and hooked Giddy to his pouch, “for when we go to the offsite in Eilat. It’s in a place south of Beer Sheva with the nicest lady. I booked Giddy as well.”

“Thanks!”

Giddy heard his name and barked.

“Down, boy,” he told him in that voice he used for dogs. Giddy quieted.

“Oh, wow, he sure listens to you.”

“Either you train him, or he trains you.” He’d taken a course for training dogs, and a good-natured puppy like Giddy was a dream. “I’ll drive down there with Giddy and Shemesh. You can take Peaks’ coach.”

“The party is in the Dolphins Reef,” Tamar said. Her foot made circles on the ground. Giddy sniffed it suspiciously. “I heard we’re getting to snorkel with the dolphins.”

“That’s a real treat!”

“I’ll have to wear...” She stopped. “Never mind.”

What would she wear in the Reef? Oh, a bathing suit. He’d never seen her naked before. Just parts and portions. And she always covered herself so heavily at work. Her sister’s lifelong remarks and insults like Nir’s could make anyone conscious about their body.

“There’s a wetsuit they give you there. It covers the whole body.”

Tamar’s shoulders relaxed.

“Can we meet tonight?” Gideon asked.

He jerked off last night in the shower, replaying the scene at Tamar’s. He was still horny as hell, and he had a deal that involved sex. If it were up to him, he would be with her every night and early mornings too.

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