The Desire Variable | Rewrite

⸻ TWENTY-TWO ⸻

My phone vibrates again, but she's calling this time. I reluctantly pick up and move further down to a retreated spot.

"I don't want the toned-down answers, you skank," she greets me.

"Nice to hear your voice too, blondie."

"Give me the real, unpolished response."

"It was amazing," I comply with a sigh. "I've never experienced anything like it before."

"Ah! I knew the man was a sex god! How big is his junk?" I can't help but look around, worried someone could be witnessing this.

"Kate! What the hell kind of question is that!?"

"Girl, I need to live my sex life through yours. Give me the deets, or I'll date the first asshole I come across."

While we often have those sex talks, they are usually the other way around. Kate loves entertaining me with her exploits, and I listen, out of genuine interest and curiosity. I'm not as comfortable as she is with all this, though, so it's hard to return the favor.

"So? How's Lex Junior?" she insists, unwilling to let go.

"Well, I'll just say that this part is proportional to the rest of him." Lex is tall and broad. Kate can put two and two together.

"Meaning?"

I roll my eyes, both annoyed and amused. "Meaning he's Brazzers-sized."

"Oh, my... You lucky bitch. Did he give it to you this morning, too?"

"No."

"Oh? Did you give it to him, then?"

"I wasn't there in the morning," I explain, ignoring the twinge of remorse that hits me.

"Oh, no. Don't tell me you left in the middle of the night!"

"Of course I did. You're the one who told me about one-night stand etiquette."

"Babe, no! A one-night stand is someone you picked at a bar and will never see again. Sleeping with your hot-as-fuck boss is more than that."

Leaving the way I did wasn't offensive or wrong. I slept with him and left, which was our agreement. I'm pretty confident he would have done the same had things unfolded at my place.

Since I'm not answering, Kate becomes more inquisitive. "Was he okay with you leaving?"

"We didn't exactly talk about it," I answer with sarcasm.

"Have you seen him this morning? How are things between you two?"

Something's off, but it isn't because I left, right? Things are just understandably weird. The man sucked on my clit, so how are we supposed to pretend nothing happened?

I don't want to dwell on it and get more of her intrusive questions. "Kate, I have to go."

"I know it's all new to you, and you like Oliver. But please, remember that Alexander is also his own person. Try not to hurt him."

An incredulous laugh escapes me. I highly doubt I can hurt the man. He's way more experienced than me, and surely, I'm far from being the first casual sex he had. Nevertheless, I reassure Kate before we hang up.

I curse my goldfish memory spawn when I spot Oliver as soon as I enter the break room downstairs. He's with the other nerds, and he sees me right away.

We exchange an awkward wave before I get my Tupperware from the fridge. Because of whatever text Tammy sent him, he knows I spent the night with someone. But I told him I'd come back to him once I was ready, so it makes it all so weird. Will he think I'm whoring out before settling down with him?