“Good, because I would kill you,” Abi said. After a tense pause, she sighed and scratched the back of her head. “I... may have engineered you guys meeting because I thought you’d be good for her.”
“I’m shocked,” David deadpanned, because he had mostly figured this out after Shoshana told him about therabbi sexy pantsbusiness. He still wasn’t entirely convinced it was a real thing, in fact it sounded to him like something someone would say to start something. Which, by Abigail’s own admission, that’s exactly what she’d done.
“I mean, okay it’s not like I pushed her on you! I know you hate that,” she said, adjusting her glasses. He could tell she was uncomfortable, but he said nothing. Abi made a face. “You’re the one who asked for her number. You wouldn’t have done that if you weren’t into her, right?”
“I never said I wasn’t attracted to her. And of all the people trying to pair me up with someone, you’ve definitely been the most subtle about it,” David pointed out, pulling another book off the shelf. The Sheldon kid had an appointment this afternoon to talk about the d’var for his bar mitzvah. If he remembered correctly, he was focusing on the prison system. The book in his hand had a few passages that may be pertinent.
“If I said I thought it was for your own good would that help?” She chewed her thumbnail and rolled her eyes to show she knew what she was saying was bullshit. “Actually, it was more for her than you. I think you’d be really good for her.”
“Why is that?” David was genuinely curious now. Not because he appreciated the social manipulation, in fact it annoyed him, but it was clear Abi cared very deeply for her friend and as David was beginning to as well, he appreciated the perspective.
“You’re your own person,” Abi said, waving her hands to indicate his person. “I mean, you know who you are and you’re chill about letting people be themselves. Also, you’re pretty deep--not, like, in an obnoxious way. But you, like, know how to talk about your emotions and you’re not afraid when other people have emotions in your presence. Those are all big deals. Oh, and she thinks you're hot.”
“Evidently she’s not the only one,” David said under his breath. He caught the look on her face and spread his hands wide, “Am I not supposed to know that half of my congregation is objectifying me for kicks?”
Abi’s head shot up and she grinned wide. “That is awfully self-assured, Rabbi Freedman.”
“I believe you meant Rabbi Sexy Pants?”
When Kathy made it to the office to investigate the noise, Abigail was sprawled on the couch, giggling like a deranged hyena.
* * *
Shoshana pulled into her parking space at Goldman’s feeling better than she had in months. David woke her at six--earlier than she would ever consider getting up on her own, certainly--and his mouth did such a thorough job of it that she couldn’t even muster the energy to be annoyed. Then there was the shower. Normally she hated sharing a shower stall with someone. It was always awkward and you spent half the time cold and shivering, but the man took great pains to be accommodating and there was something decidedly erotic about letting someone wash your hair while you were both naked and the water was warm.
She sat in her car for a moment, her limbs feeling liquid. She felt thoroughly pleasured, absolutely sated in a way she couldn’t remember feeling before. The only difficult part of the night had been just as she was drifting off to sleep. And then only because she noticed his eyes were bothering him. He had been genuinely sheepish when he confessed his contacts were bothering him.
She giggled in her seat, then slapped a hand over her mouth, even though there was no one around. What the fuck was that? She didn’t giggle. Ever.
That she still had a spare contact case and a half bottle of saline solution was a minor miracle. The last year she and Kirstie were together she’d had Lasik, and in the months after they broke up Shoshana purged just about everything in her house that didn’t serve her somehow. She wasn’t minimalist by any stretch, but she’d needed to feel free.
Free enough to let a person look her in the eye while they made her cum with just their fingers and good intentions.
Free enough to fall asleep and trust that the person wasn’t going to sneak away in the wee hours while she slept because they wanted so much more than she was able to give.
Free enough to feel like maybe, just maybe, it was okay that she wasn’t sure how she felt about any of this, or what it meant, but that was okay because there was still time to figure it out.
David wasn’t going anywhere.
Her phone buzzed and she glanced at it, then did a double take.
What are you doing sitting in my parking lot looking like the sex was so good you’ve got a song in your heart?
“What the fuck, Baxter,” she said out loud, craning her head to see that yes, Baxter’s immaculate Barracuda was parked in his usual space at the other end of the lot. She glanced at the clock. She was easily an hour earlier than when he usually arrived at work.
She fumbled for the box of pastries she’d picked up on the way. Shoshana planned to beat him to work and surprisehimwith baked goods for once, but it looked like her plans were foiled again. She narrowed her eyes at the storefront where Baxter stood, shading his eyes against the glare of the morning sun, making a show of inspecting her from across the street with a pair of antique opera glasses. She laughed, shaking her head. Oh well, she still had fresh croissants to offer.
“You are so early,” she accused when she reached the awning. Baxter took the box of pastries and lifted the lid. He made an appreciative sound in his throat and opened the door for her.
“And you are so fucked,” he said, then considered her, “and not in the usual way. This is decidedly the good way, right?”
“I would ask how you even do that, but you probably talked to Leah yesterday and know about the date already.”
“Also, the waiter at Francesca’s is Chris’s cousin,” Baxter said. Pleased with himself, he took an eclair out of the box and took a considering bite. “He said the man was basically sucking on your toes by the time the check got there.”
“Well that’s a damn dirty lie,” Shoshana said, but only because she didn’t see how that could be sexy.
“That’s what I said. I mean, Francesca’s is a family establishment.”