Chapter Nine
MATT
One Week Later
It’s been a week since the night we sent those texts. The ones that crossed a line.
She’s invited me over again tonight for another one of our so-called catch-up dinners, supposedly to check in on our online dating progress. We haven’t talked much since. Not like before. No nightly recaps, no rapid-fire banter about bad bios or ball jokes. Just… surface-level check-ins.
It’s not cold between us, just weird.
Like we’re both pretending that night didn’t happen, even though I think about it way more than I should.
As I walk up to her door, the aroma wafting from her apartment is mouthwatering. She’s cooking for us tonight, and I’m excited to see what she has in store. If the smell is anything to go by, I know I won’t be disappointed.
There’s a rustling behind the door shortly after I gently knock.
When she pulls it open, I’m slightly caught off guard.
Alex is wearing a pair of ripped jeans, basically to shreds, and a tank top.
Completely casual as she walks around in bare feet, I can’t help but notice her toenails are painted bright aqua, matching her hair.
There’s something about her, and I realize once again that I’m staring.
A slight smirk appears on my lips as she looks at me and pushes my shoulder with a huff.
“What are you grinning at?”
I look back up at her face and shake my head, then step into her apartment with a bottle of stout in one hand and some ice cream in the other. “Is every color on your body aqua?”
She draws her eyebrows together, looking down at her toes. “You don’t like aqua?”
“No, I love it. I just don’t know what it stands for.”
“Well, technically, aqua or turquoise represents…” she takes a breath, “… refreshing, feminine, calming, sophisticated, energy, wisdom, serenity, wholeness, creativity, emotional balance, good luck, spiritual grounding, friendship, love, joy, tranquility, patience, intuition, and loyalty, and I’m all about those things.
” She takes another deep breath. “But it’s also a freaking awesome color. ”
“It is, and it suits you. Don’t change for anyone.”
“I won’t. Anyway, come in. I’m cooking Mexican!”
“Get out,” I say as she closes the door behind me, and the aroma flowing through her apartment has me salivating.
“Nachos and Fajitas… extra guacamole, of course,” she adds the last bit as if she knew I liked extra guacamole.
We’ve only had one conversation about Mexican, and that was to buy her Taco Bell on the way home that time.
And that doesn’t really qualify as Mexican, so it’s obviously just something we both love.
“Of course, I freaking love Mexican, there’s nothing better,” I say.
She tries to hide her smirk as she looks like she’s bursting inside, but then lets it out anyway.
“Except great sex.” She opens her eyes wide like she’s almost embarrassed by what she’s let slip, then shakes it off, standing taller and strutting over to the stove, waggling her ass from side to side.
Making me, of course, study her in those damn tight jeans.
That woman has a rocking ass.
And now I’m thinking of sex.
Sex with Alex.
I clear my throat with a chuckle and shift over to the refrigerator, placing the ice cream in the freezer and the stout on her kitchen table as she goes about making dinner.
The elephant in the room is clearly evident between us, but neither of us is obviously going to bring up the other night on the phone, so I figure it’s best just to continue like it never happened.
Like we’re just friends who flirt a little.
“So, what can I do to help?” I offer instead.
“Um… well, do you wanna eat on the sofa or in the kitchen?”
Looking at the sofa, I go with option one. “Sofa, it’s lazy but comfy.”
She nods and starts plating up. “Pour us a drink and head on in. I’ll be there in a sec.”
I grab a couple of tumblers from the rack on the kitchen counter and fill the glasses with stout. The foam froths at the top, and I smile, loving that Alex is not the typical woman who needs wine or cocktails. She’s more like a guy when it comes to drinking, and that impresses me.
Taking our drinks to the sofa, I take a seat.
After placing our beer on the coffee table, I set to fluffing up the cushions.
Alex comes over with a big plate full of nachos, and she sits down next to me.
Our thighs touch, and a tingle shoots up my leg as she places the bowl on a cushion.
Alex leans against me and waggles her eyebrows.
“Can you hear it?’ she whispers, and my forehead creases.
“What am I supposed to be hearing?”
“Eat me,” she whispers, and I’m sure my shocked reaction is priceless. “Eat me,” she says louder this time. She grabs a nacho chip, dips it in salsa, guacamole, and sour cream, then shoves it straight into her mouth.
I take a deep breath, realizing what she meant, but for a second, for a split second, especially after our text exchange, I thought she was propositioning me.
This chick, really!
Laughing, I grab a nacho and pop it into my mouth. The tomato hits me first, then the cheese, then the spice. It’s like a Mexican fiesta, and it’s dancing on my tongue. I glance at her as she smiles, nodding like she knows exactly what’s happening in my mouth.
“Oh my God, Alex,” I murmur.
She chuckles. “Not God, but your Mexican Majesty will suffice,” she teases.
“Woman can cook. Who knew?” I chuckle.
“Well, we can make this a regular thing. You coming over or me coming to yours, and we have Mexican or whatever. If you want?”
“I’d like that. I’m gonna get fat, but it’ll be worth it.”
She laughs and bumps her shoulder into mine, causing me to glance at her sideways as she shovels her face full of nachos.
Alex may not be glamorous, and she isn’t the perfect ten I’m looking for, but she has something about her—an aura.
I like the closeness between us. It’s unnerving yet calming at the same time.
I’ve had female friends before, but I’ve never felt closeness like this with them.
Alex is different, that’s for sure. Something that right here, in this moment, is making her stand out as if she were the most attractive woman on the planet.
I love being here with her and feel like this is the start of an amazing friendship.
Even if we did cross a line the other night.
After finishing off our nachos, we move on to the equally mouthwatering fajitas. She sure knows her way around the spices, combining just the right amount of heat and flavor.
Our conversations are effortless, talking about anything and everything like we’ve been friends our entire lives.
There’s a level of familiarity I’m not used to, but I welcome it with Alex.
I like the comfort she brings, a buzz that surrounds us—an unknown energy in the air, grounding me whenever I’m with her.
With dinner and beer all but consumed and finishing up the ice cream, our food coma has taken over, and we’re nestled on her sofa, cuddling in a way that’s not quite how friends should be, but I don’t mind.
“So, I guess we should send messages to Jaci and Logan, right?” she asks, breaking my rambling thoughts.
Furrowing my brows, I’m a little taken aback.
I wasn’t sure after our texting whether it meant something, but clearly it was just an alcohol fueled slip.
So I nod as she sits up and grabs her cell.
I reach into my pocket for mine. “So what random questions are we going to ask them tonight?” I ask, and she laughs.
“We should ask them really weird shit.”
“Oh yeah, like what?”
“Like… maybe make them pick this or that type of things.”
“This or that?”
“Yeah. Like would you rather be stranded on a desert island or live underwater for the rest of your life?”
I burst out laughing. “One problem with that, Alex.”
She cocks her head to the side, raising her brow.
“You can’t breathe underwater.”
She folds her arms over her chest. “You can so… if you live in a domed city that has oxygen.”
“Naturally. I forgot survival basics. But maybe we scale it back… something normal and flirty, like ‘Would you rather eat chicken or beef?’ You know, classic seduction.”
“Wow. Chicken or beef? That’s your opener?” she scoffs. “What are you, a wedding caterer?”
I shrug. “It’s neutral! A safe conversation starter.”
She groans dramatically. “You’re not applying for a loan, Matt. You’re trying to flirt. Give me that!” Before I can stop her, she yanks the phone out of my hand and spins around like she’s protecting state secrets.
“Alex!”
“Oh no,” she says in a mocking baby voice. “I’m Matt, and I fear spontaneity.”
I lunge to grab it, but she keeps dancing away, her thumbs flying over the screen.
“Come on, hand it over before you message Jaci. ‘Would you rather fight a horse-sized duck or fall in love with me.’ ”
She gasps. “Oh my God, why didn’t I think of that? That’s incredible. See, you can think outside the box, Matt!”
“You’re ridiculous.”
She grins over her shoulder. “You say that now. Wait ‘til she responds. I sent something truly iconic.”
I narrow my eyes. “Define iconic.”
She winks. “Let’s just say… it involves hot sauce, a safe word, and an oddly specific fear of squirrels.”
I blink. “I hate everything you are.”
“You love everything I am,” she fires back. “Now say thank you. I just made you unforgettable.”
“I swear, if she replies, I’m blaming emotional damage.”
“Pha-lease! She’s gonna marry you or block you. There’s no in-between. But at least this way you’ll know if she’s at least a little bit fun. And you, Matthew Levine, need fun in your life!”
Shaking my head, I glance at it to see the message sent to Jaci from me.
Me: Top or bottom… what’s your vibe?
I suck in a breath as I read it, my eyes wide as saucers.
Alex grins like the absolute menace she is.
“Oh my God, you’re unhinged,” I say, shaking my head, but I can’t stop the laugh from escaping me. “You’d better send that to Logan too.”