I increased the pressure of the jets on my back and covered the one at my feet with the arch of my right foot, simulating a foot massage.
It really felt like a massage. When was the last time anyone actually gave me a massage? A man? It had been a long time. Too long. Which was probably why when I shut my eyes to enjoy the sensation, I began thinking what that sensation would feel like other places on my body.
And that brought my mind right back to Drew.
That kiss.
That kiss.
Sigh. I hadn’t realized Baldwin had walked into the hallway, and Drew was only doing it to make him jealous. It had felt so real. So filled with desire. The way he pressed his body up against mine so hard, holding me so tight, I thought it was hunger fueling the kiss. And even though I’d been startled by it at first, my body had reacted immediately. Which was why when I realized he’d only done it because Baldwin was watching, to make him jealous, I was flooded with so many mixed emotions.
Today I was also confused for another reason. I seemed to be more concerned about things turning weird between me and Drew than I was about what Baldwin would think.
Since I had the man on the brain, I decided to send Drew a text. I wasn’t even sure if he was a texter—I’d never really seen him pay attention to his phone other than to answer it.
Emerie: This might be my new favorite birthday present ever. Thank you.
My pathetic heart sped up when I saw dots start jumping.
Drew: Topping a gift to slice open your eyeballs, which you returned? You’re damn easy to please.
I laughed. I also moved my foot to uncover the jet and spread my legs to feel the water pressure.
Emerie: It was really sweet of you. This bathtub is heavenly.
Drew: Is? Are you texting me from the tub right now?
Emerie: I am.
Drew: You can’t tell me shit like that. I’m in the middle of a deposition, and now I’m going to be distracted picturing you naked in my tub.
I started to type a response, then stopped. Drew was picturing me naked. Tiny goosebumps broke out over my body, even though I was blanketed with warm water. I knew he was teasing me, yet there was still something exciting about it, and I wanted to play back.
Emerie: Do you like what you’re picturing?
Drew: I just had to adjust my pants under the table. What do you think?
I think…I liked the thought of Drew Jagger getting a hard-on thinking about me. My body was reacting to his texts the same way it had reacted to his kiss last night. I attempted to think of something sexy to type back, but before I could come up with something witty, the little dots were jumping again.
Drew: How did things go with Professor Putz last night after I left?
At the mention of Baldwin, the same other feeling I’d had last night hit me like a bucket of cold water: a reminder that Drew was just being his normal crass self. Yet again I’d thought he was serious for a minute.
Emerie: Not much to tell.
For some reason, I left off that Baldwin had asked if he could take me out tonight to make up for canceling on me.
The texts from Drew had been coming in rapid succession, but he went silent for a few minutes. Eventually, the dots started again.
Drew: Have fun. Gotta get back to my case.
I didn’t hear from him again after that. I soaked a few more minutes in the bath, and then went back down to the office. My afternoon appointments were uneventful, and the rest of the day blew by while I caught up on updating case files. Baldwin texted to say he’d made reservations for seven at someplace I wouldn’t attempt to pronounce, so I left the office at five-thirty to freshen up before dinner.
I changed out of the skirt and blouse I’d worn to the office and into a little black dress. It wasn’t necessary to look up the restaurant where we were going; I knew it would be fancy. Unlike Drew, Baldwin didn’t go to underground pool hall bars or eat greasy burgers from Joey’s. The funny thing was, I really had no desire to go to some uppity place tonight. As I fastened small, pearl drop earrings to my ears, I became annoyed with myself for pretending I wanted to be at those places with Baldwin. The truth of the matter was, I had pretended to like some of the same things as him just to have a reason to spend time together.
When Baldwin knocked promptly as seven, I still wasn’t feeling like myself. My normal excitement had been replaced by annoyance. I was annoyed he’d blown me off last night in favor of the latest woman he was screwing, and I was annoyed I’d been pretending to like things for him when he clearly didn’t go out of his way for me. I opened the door and invited him in so I could grab my phone from the charger and change purses. While I was in the bedroom, I heard a cell phone ring from the living room and then Baldwin’s voice say hello.
I listened to one side of the conversation as I returned to the living room.
“Probably about eleven.”
I walked to the kitchen and opened the purse I’d used today to go to work and began to transfer a few things to my small black clutch.