Page 18 of Rebound With Me
Nina
“The nanny leftthat guyfor Russell? Is she blind?”
“Oh come on. Russell’s a handsome man.”
“Yeah, in a very Brooks Brothers-bring-him-home-to-meet-Mom kind of way. This guy is so hot I would keep him as far away from my Mom as possible because she would immediately kick me to the curb and try to give him a blowjob.”
“I thought your parents are still together.”
“They are.”
Marnie came over ten minutes ago in her Lululemon outfit and sneakers, claiming to be jogging around Brooklyn, but I know she just wanted to check up on me. She had texted me every ten minutes from five-thirty this morning on until I got back to her, just making sure I didn’t get murdered. Now she wants all the juicy details and I’m trying to stall by claiming that I need a cup of coffee first. As soon as my timer goes off, she presses down on my Bodum French press, pours me a cup and says: “Now. Tell me everything.”
I woke up this morning feeling sore in places I’ve never been sore before, in a way that has never felt so damned good. I lay awake, remembering last night, still tasting him in my mouth, smelling him on my skin, but I almost couldn’t believe it wasn’t just a dream. I immediately checked my phone to see if he’d called or texted, but realized that we didn’t exchange numbers. We didn’t even exchange last names.
I can’t believe I completely surrendered myself physically to a stranger so many times, was as vulnerable as I could be, and I might never see Vince again.
The thought caused my stomach to turn—not the fact that it happened, the possibility that it won’t happen again—but now that I’ve had a shower and an hour to get used to the idea, I am almost complacent just focusing on how good he made me feel for a night and how he saved me from what would surely have been the lamest break-up drinking binge ever. He turned my closed-off anger into openness, turned that into lust, and turned that into sweet satisfaction. He’s an alchemist. I’m grateful.
I can’t stop smiling.
“Uh huh,” Marnie says.
We both collapse onto my sofa.
“Well I already know you brought him back here, because this place smells like sex and the coffee and incense did nothing to cover it up.”
I put the coffee mug down and laugh, pulling my knees up to my chin.
“So I take it he had a penis and a condom and he knew how to use them?”
“Oh, Marnie.” I drop my head to my knees and cover my face with my hands. “Oh my God.” I lift my head up, but I can’t look at her when I say it. “He also had fingers and a mouth and a tongue and his eyes, oh God his eyes are what really killed me.”
“Yeah. That and the big hard weapon between his legs, right?”
I’m blushing. I didn’t divulge much information about my sex life with Russell to Marnie, because there wasn’t that much to talk about and also we all work together so it wasn’t appropriate. But she’s easy and fun to talk to, and I have to talk about this with someone. “Oh my God. It was so amazing.”
“So the sex all happened before he told you that he had stalked you?”
“After. Well. Mostly after.”
“That’s hot. I don’t know why that’s hot, but it’s hot. Last night Dave and I binge-watchedArrested Development,made out for thirty-five seconds and then fell asleep on the couch. I woke up in the middle of the night and his hand was on my boob, his mouth was on my cheek. We literally fell asleep in the middle of making out. Your thing sounds a little more fun.”
“I would love to stay in and make out while watchingArrested Development.That’s basically my dream date.”
“Please. In case I haven’t made it clear yet—I’m proud of you. It takes guts to spread your legs for a total stranger. Guts and a blue drink.”
“I don’t know why, but I just trusted him. I mean, I knew he wouldn’t hurt me. On purpose.”
“Yeah. It’s the eyes.”
“Yeah.” I cover my face again, but that just makes it worse, because those eyes of his are all I see. And his mouth. And his chest. And his hands. And his arms. “I kind of hope he doesn’t come back.”
“Why?”
“Because I’m afraid I’ll fall in love with him. I don’t think I could handle getting my heart broken by a guy like that.”
“Awww.” She pats my knee. “Sweetie.”
