I took a deep breath.
This was what you wanted, remember Meredith? Get back in the game.
I nodded. “Okay, yes. That would be nice.”
“Nice? Ooh I can see I will need to impress you more than I must be doing. I don’t want our date to be nice, I want you so excited you can’t sit still, not able to wait until we meet again.”
My face must have frozen because he reached over to touch my hand.
“I am joking. Shit, your ex really did a number on you, huh?”
I ran a hand through my bangs. “It’s just been a while. I’ll get there. Maybe I can sit on a bench full of ants so I can get that can’t sit still feeling?”
We both laughed, and it helped break the tension.
“Now where would you like me to take you on our date?”
“Could we go to Olive Garden, maybe? Then to the top of Rockefeller? It’s ages since I’ve done anything touristy. I’ve done Empire State but I’ve never been up Rockefeller.
“Sounds like a plan. Well, actually, sounds like a date.” He winked. “So, when is this date going to happen? Is tomorrow too soon?”
“Tomorrow sounds good actually because I reckon I will ache too much to go to the gym after today.”
“Tomorrow it is then, and Mer?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t rule out the possibility of other things that could make you ache tomorrow.”
I shook my head at him. “You are so bad.”
He laughed. “I can’t help it when I’m around you. My inner naughty boy comes out.”
I feel my clit pulse - naughty boy - hell, yeah, I wanted one of those.
Calling his bluff I brazen it out. “I would eat you alive, me being an older woman and all.”
He raised an eyebrow at this and smirked, “I am looking forward to tomorrow even more now.”
We said our goodbyes, and I returned to my apartment where I loafed around on the couch, replaying the coffee shop conversation. I was really pleased with myself for flirting and not acting like a scared little mouse. I’d always had a rule that I never, ever, put out on a first date, but after my tryst on campus, I decided to throw my stupid rules out of the window. If Garrett asked me back to his place tomorrow, I’d say yes; if not, I’d ask him if he wanted a coffee back at mine. My libido had decided to take center stage, and I was going to let it put on a show.
On Monday it was business as usual in the day time and I went about my classes as usual, stopping for a break and meeting Tana for lunch on campus. We rarely got together these days, but I wanted to tell her my news.
She walked towards me, her short, red, medium-length bob blew in the breeze revealing a complexion that could color-coordinate with her hair. She looked green.
“Jeez, Tana, you okay?” I queried.
“I can barely move my head. Pregnancy sucks. If I move it too fast, I just want to hurl.”
She sat on a bench next to me - slowly.
“Oh dear.”
“Yup. I can look forward to at least another four weeks of this, possibly. Maybe even longer. It’s worse than any drunken experience I have ever had. Everything smells, like way, way intense and strange. The fucking toilets, dear God. Professor Trainor’s irritable bowel has been playing up. I can’t deal.” She took in big breaths of fresh air. “God, this is lovely. Can’t I teach outside?”
“I have a date.” I interrupted her. We didn’t get long for lunch and I didn’t wish to sound mean but she would spend all of it moaning about her pregnancy if I let her.
Tana twisted her head round to me quickly and groaned. “Bitch, if I’m sick on your shoes, it’s your fault for giving me such a shock. You have a date? Who? When?”