Chapter 42
E mma
All evening long, I’ve felt the urge to pinch myself to make sure I’m awake, because what are the odds that my billionaire hookup would accompany me to Brooklyn, help me with my laundry, and agree to spend the night in my tiny studio before having a pizza dinner at Papa Mario’s with me?
Next to none, I would’ve said before today.
Yet here we are, stuffed full of pizza, with me doing my best to make my old sheets look semi-decent—and cat hair free—by smoothing them with my palms while Marcus showers in my tiny bathroom before joining me in this very bed.
My phone dings with incoming texts, then starts ringing, and when I grab it, I’m not the least bit surprised to see that it’s Kendall.
“Well?” she bursts out the moment I pick up. “You never called back. What’s going on with you and Mr. Billions? Spill. Now.”
I glance at the bathroom door, but it’s closed and the water is still running.
“I don’t have a lot of time,” I say in a low voice. “Marcus will come out of the shower any minute, so just listen and don’t interrupt, okay?”
“Shower? Where? Holy fuck, Ems!”
“Kendall—”
“Okay, okay, I’ll shut up. Go on. Tell me everything.”
And so I do, starting with the books he sent me Friday night and concluding with our current situation. The only part I leave out is the conversation with my grandparents, because I don’t want Kendall to get the wrong idea.
To her, meeting family is such a big deal she’ll be convinced we’re about to get married.
“So let me get this straight.” My friend sounds like she’s on the verge of an aneurism anyway.
“The two of you have spent the past twenty-four hours together—literally, the entire twenty-four-hours—and he wants to stay at your place overnight? Like he’s actually willing to sleep in your tiny coffin of a bed? ”
“It’s a regular twin-sized—"
“Whatever. I’m sure his bedroom is fit for a modern-day prince.”
“Well…”
“Oh my God. I’m so fucking jealous of you right now, you sneaky little bitch. Tell me he at least has a small dick. It is small, right? Like all crooked and shriveled up and stuff?”
I fight a hysterical giggle. “No, sorry. He’s actually—” I stop, because there’s no way I’m going there, not even with Kendall.
“Oh, shut the fuck up! Next you’ll be telling me he’s already given you half a dozen orgasms.”
Well over a dozen, but who’s counting? I try to think of a suitably discreet answer, but my silence must speak for itself because Kendall lets out a groan and I hear banging sounds in the background.
“You okay?” I ask, concerned.
“Fine.” Her voice is weirdly muffled. “Just beating my head against the wall for not listening to Janie and signing up for the dating app with you. Maybe I, too, would now be planning summers in the Hamptons and Christmas vacations in the Alps.”
I roll my eyes. “Premature much? We’ve just started whatever this is.
Besides, I’m sure he’ll get bored of me soon and proceed with his plan to marry some gorgeous socialite.
We’re just having fun, like you told me to—and no, before you ask, I’m not going to parlay this into a publishing industry job. ”
“That’s your prerogative, as long as you’re parlaying it into multiple orgasms—which it sounds like you are.
But seriously, Ems, you are so wrong about his intentions.
You haven’t played the dating game much, so you might not realize this, but a guy wanting to spend his entire weekend with you after he’s fucked you?
That’s rarer than billionaires in Bay Ridge.
And staying at your place overnight because you don’t want to leave your cats?
You might as well expect a proposal next week.
He’s into you, big time. Mark my words, before long—”
“I have to go,” I hiss into the phone, my heartbeat jumping as the sound of running water stops. “He’s coming out of the shower. Talk later, okay?”
“You got it. Have fun with Mr. Magic Dick.” And on that lewd note, she hangs up, leaving me standing there flushed and flustered.
And hopeful.
Much too hopeful.
So hopeful it’s almost a given that I’m going to get badly hurt.