CHAPTER 10 BOWER
BOWER
“What do you think of this one?” I ask Gabby, who is on FaceTime with me while I pick out an outfit to wear to my date that’s happening in less than forty-five minutes. “Is it too slutty?”
“Are you wearing a bra?” she asks, moving her face closer to the phone for a better look.
“No, should I be wearing a bra?”
“I can see your nipples through that shirt from here.”
I glance down at the white, gauzy material and see that she’s, in fact, correct. There they are. My nipples on full display.
“Maybe it could be nice—”
“No, we’re not showing nipple on your first date.”
“Pretty sure you showed nipple on your first date with Ryland, and look where that got you.”
“Technically, it wasn’t a date at all, just a one-night stand,” Gabby says just as Ryland comes on screen, grips her jaw and gives her a kiss that I can actually see melts a piece of my best friend. See, that’s why I’m doing this, why I’m going on this date, because I want that.
I want a man to be so possessive that he makes me melt in front of my friend on FaceTime.
When he pulls away, he says, “It was a date.”
“If that was a date, then I hope I have the same kind of date tonight, as this girl could use that kind of activity in her life.”
Ryland gives Gabby one more kiss and then says, “Be responsible, Bower. Use protection.”
After he takes off, I say, “Why does he treat me like one of his students?”
“Probably because you have the maturity level of one of them.”
I chuckle. “You’re right about that.”
I move toward my closet and pull out a black top. “What about this with my black leather pants?”
“Feels very Sandy from Grease. Don’t you have a simple dress? Maybe something with a decent neckline that doesn’t make your bosom defy gravity?”
“My bosom is one of the benefits I have to offer. I should show them off.”
“Not to this guy, not yet.”
“What do you mean, not to this guy?” I ask, turning toward her with a red dress in one hand and a light green one in the other.
“I was looking him up, and well, he kind of seems like a player. I’m honestly surprised that Bennett suggested him, because Cougar could hurt you. Plus, with a name like Cougar, do you really think he’s the type that settles down?”
“First of all, I’m not going into this date looking to get married tomorrow.
I’m looking to have fun with the possibility that maybe it could lead to more.
Second of all, Cougar is a hard name to pass off.
I’m unsure why his parents went in that direction.
Needless to say, I think he’s owning it and we shouldn’t prejudge him. He sounded nice in his text messages—”
“He’s not picking you up at your apartment. You’re meeting him at a bar.”
“That’s just safety. No one picks people up at their apartments or houses unless it’s been at least five dates. Lots of psychos out there; can’t give them clearance to an address just yet. You would know this if you didn’t have a slutty one-night stand with a baseball coach.”
She rolls her eyes. “It was not slutty. It was beautiful.”
“He spanked you several times.”
“Shhhh…” she says, looking over her shoulder. “Ryland doesn’t like it when I share specifics about our love life.”
“Ew, don’t call it ‘love life.’”
“What am I supposed to call it?”
“You can say Ryland doesn’t like you to share the way you two fuck.”
“Yeah, I’m not going to say that. ‘Love life’ is romantic.”
“‘Love life’ made me throw up in my mouth.”
“Either way, I think you need to have a plan. Is this another fling for you? Or is this a new chapter?”
I shrug. “I don’t know. I guess we shall see how it pans out.
” Deep down, I sort of want this to be the start of something, not a random hookup, because I’m ready for that.
I’m ready for something so much more, but telling Gabby that, she’ll…
ugh, she’ll just take it too seriously and probably drive me nuts, asking me if I’m in love every two seconds, so I’m keeping those feelings close to my chest for now.
I hold the dress options up and say, “Which one?”
“Light green.”
“That was going to be my choice, too, but I need help zipping it. Think I can find someone on the street to help me?”
“Ask Bennett.”
“Doesn’t he have a game?”
“It ended really early. He should be home by now.”
“Really?” I ask, surprised.
“Yeah, text him.”
I pick up the phone and shoot him a quick text, asking if he’s home, and when he replies almost immediately that he is, I know I’ve found my helper.
“He’s home. Okay, well, I’ll get changed and then have him help me.”
“Perfect. And hey.” I pause what I’m doing and look at her because she’s using her serious tone.
“Yes?”
“I want you to have fun tonight, but please make smart decisions, okay? This guy…from what I’ve seen online, he seems like he knows how to play the game, and I don’t want you to just…fall into his bed.”
“Like you fell into Ryland’s?” I ask with a smirk.
“Ryland was different and the circumstances were different. He wasn’t a player. He was celibate and hadn’t had sex for ten years—”
“That is not fucking true,” Ryland says off camera, making us both laugh.
“It seems like Cougar can have a new girl every night, and I just don’t want you to, you know, give away the goods so easily. If you’re really looking for love, for a partner in life, then maybe just…close up shop for a bit. Make sure he’s a good one before you give away the bacon.”
“Are you referring to my lady parts as bacon?”
“No,” she says just as Ryland says, “Yes.”
She glances over her shoulder and whispers, “Stay out of this.”
When she turns back toward me, I say, “I understand the point you’re trying to make, and I know this might surprise you, but I made a promise with myself to not sleep with the guy for at least five dates, because if he can take me on five dates and not try to get in my pants, then he very well might be serious. ”
“I think that’s a really good idea, actually.”
“Thank you. Came up with it myself.”
“Well, you’re smart. I approve.”
“Good, now, if you don’t mind, I’m going to get dressed and then go out on my date.”
“Have fun. Love you.”
“Love you too.”
I wave bye and then hang up. I hold the green dress up in front of me and nod.
Yup, it’s going to be a good night.
Come on, Bennett, open up.
Open up.
After a few seconds of waiting, I raise my fist to knock again just as Bennett opens the door, holding his book in one hand, looking all types of disheveled as if he’s been running his hand through his hair.
I love it when he’s not wearing a baseball cap, because his hair is always a disaster in this cute didn’t style way.
“Oh, hey, sorry. I didn’t know it was you. Aren’t you supposed to be—” His eyes scan me up and down and I watch as his Adam’s apple bobs. “Whoa, Bower, you look incredible.”
“Thank you. You don’t think the dress is too slutty, do you?”
“Uh…no.”
“Good.” I turn around and lift up my hair. “Do you think you can help a girl out and zip me up? I have to grab a ride and don’t want my driver thinking they’re picking up a half-naked woman.”
“Um, sure,” he says before setting his book down on the console next to his door. He steps up behind me and grabs the small zipper, slowly pulling it up my back. “Isn’t Cougar picking you up?”
“No, I didn’t want him to know where I lived in case he turned out to be a psycho.”
“Oh, probably smart.” He finishes zipping me up and I turn to face him, straightening out my simple dress with a square neckline.
“Do I look okay?”
He takes a minute to look me over. “You look really good.”
“Really?” I ask, my insecurities getting the best of me. I’m usually confident, but it’s been a while since I’ve been on a date, and that wears on a person, so, yeah, I might be questioning myself.
“Really,” he answers as he tugs on the loose strands of his hair.
“Well, that makes me feel much better, because I’ve been questioning every decision I’ve made while getting ready.”
“Don’t.” He wets his lips. “You look incredible.”
“Thank you.” I let out a sigh. “Okay, I should get going. I need to call a ride and—”
“I can drop you off.”
“Huh?” I ask, surprised by the gesture.
“I, uh, I was going to go grab some ice cream, so I can drop you off if you want.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that.”
“I don’t mind,” he says while slipping on a pair of slides and plucking a hat and placing it on his head. He grabs his keys, phone, and wallet and then locks up, not even giving me an option to stop him.
Well, I guess he’s dropping me off.
He guides me to the elevator with his hand on my back then presses the down button.
“Uh, thank you.”
“Sure,” he says, as we both wait for the elevator, silence falling between us, because I was not expecting him to drive me around, and from the feel of it, he wasn’t expecting to do it either.
When the elevator arrives and opens, I stop him before he can get on and say, “You really don’t have to drop me off.”
“And deny myself ice cream? That makes me think you don’t know me at all.”
“I know you, and I know you would do something just to be nice, even if it’s inconvenient for you.”
“It’s not.” He rests his hand on my waist, turns me, and we both head into the elevator, where he presses the button that leads out to the garage.
He guides me to a matte black Rivian truck, where he opens the passenger side for me, and lends me his hand to help me in.
I glance at him in question, but he just smiles, as if this is all normal when it doesn’t feel normal at all, but I go with it.
When I’m settled in my seat, he reaches for my buckle and hands it to me.
“Safety first, Bower.”
And here I thought he was going to buckle me in himself. No, that only shows up in romance novels, not real life, right?
He joins me on his side and then pulls out of his parking spot.
“Where we off to?” he asks.
“Oh, right, that might be good for you to know. We’re meeting at The Powell Pub.”
He glances over at me. “Really?”
“Is that bad?”