“Because he was the best sex you’ve ever had, and it would be a damn shame to just walk away from all of that because you’re afraid. Plus, you never know, maybe he has feelings for you in return, or he could develop feelings, and in the meantime, you could be getting your rocks off whenever you felt like it. He would be like your live-in orgasm machine.”
“What a lovely way to put it.”
“I’m sorry,” she said. “But what you’ve got here is something a lot of women only ever dream of having.”
“What’s that?”
“Good sex. On demand.”
“I wouldn’t really say it’s ‘on demand’,” I said. “He hasn’t exactly told me that he would be at my beck and call.”
“Why wouldn’t he be? If he finds you attractive, which clearly he does, and I’m sure he had just as good a time as you.” She smiled at me. “Stephanie, I betchu a million bucks he wants this little fling between you two to keep going too. So why don’t you go and find out? What’s the worst that could happen?”
“I get fired and have my heart stomped on,” I told her.
“Right. That.”
We both laughed.
“Alright then,” she said, putting her hands up. “Don’t go back for seconds. You do whatever you think is best for you, all I’m saying is now that I know you’re coming off the best sex you’ve ever had, I’m worried Eric is going to be a little bit of a let-down.”
“Why do you say that?”
She winced. “Because he’s totally milquetoast.”
“He’s what? I thought you said he was funny and charming and hot.”
“I did say he was all of those things.” she said. “But that was back when I thought you hadn’t gotten laid in a while. I figured that any nice guy with a somewhat decent face would do, but now I’m worried your expectations are going to be too high.”
“Gee, thanks,” I said. “It really warms my heart to know you thought I would be so desperate that I would sleep with any guy you set me up with!”
“I was just trying to help.”
I shook my head at her. “Classic excuse.” I drank a little faster and then flagged the waiter down as she walked by. If I was going to get through this date with Eric, I was going to need to be a lot drunker than I was.
* * *
“Not to be mean,” I said to Gina as she walked me home three hours later. I had more to drink than I should’ve, but I was feeling a lot better now that we weren’t in the overstuffed bar anymore. We were outside, getting fresh air, and best of all, Eric wasn’t there with us. “But how did you even end up becoming friends with Eric?”
“He really is a nice guy,” she said. “And he can be fun, when he isn’t so stressed out about work and stuff. Sorry he spent so much time on his phone tonight.”
“It’s fine,” I said. “I wasn’t expecting sparks anyway, not after you called himmilk toast!” I laughed. “What does that mean, anyway? Is that something people eat? Toast dipped in milk?”
“I don’t think it’s spelled like that,” said Gina. She put her arm around my waist and guided me down the next street. “You keep veering off towards the road, I’m worried you’re going to be taken out by oncoming traffic.”
“I’ll be okay,” I told her. But I did actually appreciate having her there for support. We turned onto the street where Matt’s house was. “You know something?”
“What?”
“I’ve been thinking a lot about what you said, and I think you’re right. I should just go for it with Matt. I like him, and life is too short to not go after the things you want, you know?”
“I agree!”
“So you’re not mad at me for falling for a Becker brother? You’re not worried I’m going to abandon you like Lily?”
She smirked. “No,” she said. “I get it. They can be very charming, those Becker brothers.”
When we got to Matt’s house, Gina took a second to openly gawk at just how massive it was, then she helped me up the stairs and knocked on the door. “Softly,” I told her. “Or you’ll wake up Will.”