“Relax, it’s not that big of a deal.”
“What if someone at work saw it?”
“Who cares?” Harper said, with all the confidence in the world.
“I do. First the flowers, then this,” I motioned to my neck, “someone will—”
“Hold up,” Harper said. “He got you flowers?”
I nodded. “They were on my desk this morning.”
“Nice. So, are you going to tell me who this guy is?”
“It’s Jack.”
Harper frowned. “The selfie guy from a couple weekends ago?”
“Yeah. He’d been out of the country. He’s back, and…” I took a bite of my bread, because I didn’t know how to follow that up. Harper, however, had no problem pushing the topic.
“And you two had sex?”
“Yeah.” A huge smile lit my face, and I couldn’t help it or care.
“Good for you!” Harper said, but her smile faded, and she leaned in and spoke softly. “Did you handle it okay? Were you scared or…have bad memories or anything?”
She sighed, as if irritated with her own words, but I knew what she was trying to say. She was a great friend. She understood my struggle with sex and all the details, or lack thereof, when it came to my failed attempts in the past.
“Are you okay?”
“I really am,” I said, and reached for her hand. “Thank you for being so wonderful. But last night was different. Jack is different.”
Harper raised a brow. “Judging by the teeth marks, it wasn’t standard missionary.”
A small laughed escaped. “Actually, it was missionary, but there was nothing standard about it.”
“And, you were okay?” she asked again.
“Yeah,” I assured. “Jack was intense and demanding, but he was also soft when I needed him to be…and patient. It was like he could tap into my brain and turn the bad thoughts off. I just focused on him. Nothing else but him.”
“Wow, that’s quite a feat.”
It really was. Jack had taken his time, let me feel out everything. Feel him. That was, until I shifted. When he took my pleasure to a point of no return and I clawed—literally—for more. More of him. More of the moment that wasn’t terrifying, but fulfilling. I’d finally let go, given myself to someone of my own free will, and he’d taken me. With passion and so much ferocity it left me feeling strong and weak all at the same time.
“Sounds like your new boyfriend is off to a good start.”
Boyfriend? I liked the term. And while Jack said I was “his,” we’d never discussed terms beyond that.
“I wouldn’t say he’s my boyfriend. Our relationship is tricky, and I’d rather not tell anyone else but you about it.”
“Why?”
“Because he owns the resorts I work for.”
“Oh,” Harper said around a mouthful, but she didn’t looked as shocked as I’d thought she would. She shrugged. “People date their bosses all the time.”
“He’s technically not my boss. Well, not who I report to. Anyway, he’s high up the food chain.”
“Yeah, pretty sure it doesn’t get higher than the owner.”