Page 17 of Raise The Bar
“How bad was that from your vantage point?” she asks as the light turns green and we start to cross the street.
“I’m surprised he didn’t ask you to hop on the table so he could perform a complete physical exam.” Relief floods through me when she laughs and we both relax, our pace slowing a bit. “At least I learned that probing, health-related questions are not in fact the way to a woman’s heart.”
“Something tells me you would have figured that out on your own.” She grins, shaking her head. I love that she’s smiling again. You hear about people who can light up a room, but Maggie lights up an entire city block. It’s almost midday and the sun is at full strength. I can feel a bead of perspiration roll down my back, eventually being absorbed by the fabric of my t-shirt. Despite the heat, Maggie seems to have cooled down considerably since leaving the coffee shop. “Seriously, though? Who throws shade at a woman’s cinnamon roll?”
“You would think after all those years of medical school, he would be smarter than that.”
“Exactly. I cared deeply for that cinnamon roll. Maybe even loved it. I’ve had orgasms that brought me less pleasure than that cinnamon roll.”
Wait a minute, what? Who was responsible for these orgasms? And why do I suddenly feel compelled to outdo them? Given the opportunity, access, and the absolute privilege, I guarantee that I could make her feel far more than a pastry ever could.
I’m now experiencing jealousy towards baked goods. It’s a new personal low.
“I don’t think this is going to work out,” Maggie sighs as we arrive at her apartment building. “It’s a waste of my time and energy.” Her shoulders are slumped and the fire has disappeared from her eyes. She looks defeated and it’s killing me. I want to pull her into my chest and wrap my arms around her, but I don’t. I do move within arm’s reach of her and gently bring my hand to rest under her face.
“It was two bad dates,” I say tilting her chin up so she meets my eyes. That speck of frosting is still just above her lips, taunting me.
“I don’t know if I want to put myself through a third.” There is so much disappointment in her eyes and I can’t stand it. “It’s okay, really. I just thought having a date for the wedding would help take some of the pressure off, you know? Everyone in my family expected me to be the one getting married next. I almost feel like I let them down. But it will be fine.”
“Maggie.” My hand is still holding her face and I gently brush the icing away with the pad of my thumb because I just can’t help myself. We’re standing so close. Her lips part the tiniest bit. She smells like cinnamon sugar and it’s going straight to my head. I’ve never felt drawn to someone like this before. But like magnets, we keep finding our way back together, unable to resist the pull of the other. I lean ever so slightly toward her and she doesn’t pull away.
“What–”
Maggie and I both step away from one another and look up. Josh stands at the top of the apartment building steps, his eyes shifting back and forth between us.
“Hey, Josh!” Maggie says a little too brightly. She nervously fidgets with the strap of her purse.
“Hi, Mags,” Josh says slowly, then nods at me. “Callum.”
“Hey,” is all I return, trying to fight my annoyance at my friend. If he hadn’t interrupted, I could be kissing Maggie right now, instead of staring at his dumb face.
He did you a favor, I tell myself. What if I had kissed her? Then what? Maggie wants more than I can offer and I can’t allow myself to ignore that. It wouldn’t be fair to either of us.
“I’m doing a beer run,” he says to Maggie. “Need anything at the store?”
“No, I’m good,” she answers as she starts up the stairs. “I’ve got an appointment this afternoon that I need to get ready for.” I will her to turn around and look at me. Josh opens the door for her and she pauses before walking through, looking quickly over her shoulder in my general direction. “Thanks for the coffee, Callum. I’ll see you around.” And she’s gone.
See you around.Shit.
“Walk to the store with me?” Josh asks as he jogs down the steps and starts up the street.
“I’m not really going that way.” I motion over my shoulder in the other direction.
“You are now,” he calls back without looking and I know he’s not really asking, he’s telling me. I catch up to him quickly and we walk the first block in silence. Josh and I have been friends for years. We met in college and remained in touch after we graduated. We’ve hung out a lot since he moved back to Boston last year. He is one of my few friends that doesn’t treat me differently now that I’m rich. I know him well enough to know that his quick pace and pursed lips are signs he’s irritated. But we continue walking in silence and I start to think that maybe he won’t call me out. He turns his head to look at me without slowing his stride. “What the hell, man?”
Maybe not.
“What?” Just because I’m smart, doesn’t mean I can’t play dumb.
“You were about to kiss Maggie.”
“No, I wasn’t.”
“Sure as hell looked like it from where I was standing. You were leaning in and touching her face.”
“She had some frosting on her lip.”
Josh’s eyes widen. “Is that some kind of euphemism?”
