Page 29 of Cocky Nerd
I love my house, but I made a decision to be as frugal as possible after the first round of funding for Brainy Biz. I’d seen so many of my colleagues blow their wad right out of the gate, burning out in the lifespan of a firefly. I only own one home, in Palo Alto, and I stay in hotels everywhere else. I don’t buy or rent a private jet for domestic or long-distance travel, and I only own one car which I use when Richard isn’t driving me, as long as I don’t have any calls scheduled. I spent three million on my house, and it is worth every penny, if only because of how impressed and relieved Olivia looks when she realizes where she’ll be spending the nighttonight.
It’s a four bedroom mid-century modern bungalow, with clean lines, and a lot of windows at the rear of the house. The front face of the house is charcoal grey with a lemon yellow door, private, with excellent landscaping and good night lighting. It’s very tasteful and I’m proud of it, but more importantly, I feel good here, and I had a feeling that Olivia would feel good heretoo.
I squeeze her hand before unbuckling my seatbelt. Richard opens the door for her, and she steps out into the quiet nightsighing.
“I like the yellow door.”
“It’s an Eichler,” I say, as we step into the livingroom.
She looks up at the high arched beam and decking ceiling, her mouth openslightly.
“He’s a famousarchitect.”
“I know who Joseph Eichler is,” she says, not quite snapping at me. A verbal slap of thewrist.
This is pleasing to me. “You do? I thought you only cared about dance and dance-related artforms.”
She smiles and shakes her head as she reaches out to touch the orchids on the coffee table. They’re real. “I’m not that boring. I do have a Pinterest board called ‘Dream Homes,’ and most of the images are of Eichlerhouses.”
“Oh. Well, welcome to your dreamhome.”
“It’s funny, I never really pictured you init.”
“In anEichler?”
“No, in my dreamhome.”
“Well, like I said, I’m afraid you just haven’t been aiming highenough.”
She doesn’t smile like I thought she would, but she doesn’t scowl either. I’ll take it. “I can see why you thought my place is such adump.”
“I didn’t say it was a dump, it’s very charming. I’ll show you the guest room, and then you can check out the kitchen.” I hold up her overnight bag and gesture for her to follow me. She is happy, I know, because she does a leap across thefloor.
“I love the openspace.”
“Good. I had a ballet barre set up in the exerciseroom.”
She stops in her tracks. “You did?Really?”
“Yes.Really.”
She skips over to me and puts her hand on my back, leaning into me. “What else did you set up forme?”
I grin and wink at her. “You’ll see.” I can’t wait for her to findout.
* * *
I lookat my watch when I hear her shrieking. It’s after midnight and I’m at the desk in my bedroom, wearing pajama bottoms, working on my laptop. She must have just gotten into bed and found the rubber snakes I put between the sheets. I pretend to focus on my work when I hear her running down the hall in my direction, swearing like amarine.
She strides through the open door. “You massive turd! I almost had a heartattack!”
I keep my eyes on my laptop but I can’t hide my smile. “Which is what I kept telling you every time you did it tome.”
She pummels me with her fists—not hard. She’s laughing, but there’s real anger there. Or maybe it’s just adrenaline. “Don’t ignore me, you fucker!” She shovesme.
I stand up, grab her by the waist and toss her onto my bed. She is so adept at flying through the air, she lands on the mattress gracefully, her hair magnificently tousled. She lifts her torso up, her eyes hooded, staring at my mouth. I push her shoulders back down and hover inches above her, just watching her. She lifts her head up to kiss me, but I pull back, teasing her. Her eyes flash with excitement. She likes to be teased. I thought so. She does it again. I push her down harder, staring at her quiveringlips.
She is up for a fight, but I lower down and disarm her by kissing her softly, slowly. My tongue is unhurried, but knows where it’s heading. Her body tenses up even as her lips respond to mine. She is moaning quietly already and I’m alreadyhard.
