Rock Hard Love(4)

I made it home having learned more about entitlement spending and tax revenue than anyone should have to endure. Thankfully, Josie’s car was parked in her spot next to mine. I needed to spill my guts and get her take on the events earlier that day and my vivid, sexual fantasies. Josie Rodriquez was my roommate, a wardrobe assistant at a major movie studio and the best friend I had. She was Latina and catholic, but she wasn’t nearly as reserved as I was even though I wasn’t really religious at all. She wasn’t a slut or anything but she had more experience with men than I did. That wasn’t saying much though.

I had dated a guy in high school during my senior year, the first year mom and dad let me date boys openly. He got to second base with me. I might have even orgasmed with him as he fondled me through my panties in his old Ford F-150. Maybe. He got his share of hand jobs, but that was about the extent of it. In college, the University of Southern California courtesy of mom and dad’s savings, I lost my virginity to a guy at a party. That experience still embarrassed me. I’d had sex exactly two times after that with two different guys and each as big a disappointment as the first.

I wasn’t a prude, just the product of a rather strict, small town upbringing and a mild case of shyness. I’d discovered that my own touch was at least as gratifying as sex with another person. I guess that’s what you got when you dated boring guys. Boring sex. But the guys so many other girls seemed to enjoy pining after, men like James, scared me. If I was being honest, the way they made me feel was a lot like James made me feel, far more anxious than I was comfortable with. With James, however, my imagination got away from me and I wasn’t really sure why.

“Hey, girl!” Josie said as she sat watching reruns on one of the local channels. She was in her pajamas already and curled up under a blanket even though it was still warm outside.

“Hey,” was all I said and she diverted her attention from the television and looked at me. She always knew when something was up.

“Was the witch on the rampage again today?” she asked.

“Yeah. I kind of shut her down in a meeting this morning,” I said and Josie’s eyes went wide.

“No, shit? Shy little Simone?” Josie asked obviously surprised by my behavior.

“That’s not all,” I said as I walked down the hall and into my room to change with Josie following. I kicked off my heels and shimmied out of my skirt as Josie plopped on my bed.

“Dish, girl. You’ve piqued my interest,” she said and rubbed her hands together in anticipation. Josie thrived on gossip. If she sensed I, or anyone else for that matter, knew something she didn’t, she made it her mission in life to find out what it was.

“You know that band, Battery?” I asked and she nodded. “The lead singer was in today and he was giving it to Victoria. She contradicted him but I found some meeting minutes and corrected her. She wasn’t happy,” I said but I’m not sure Josie heard anything after I mentioned James.

“You met James Turner? Fuck me! He grew up in Palmdale just over the hills. God, he’s so sexy,” Josie exclaimed as if nothing else I said was of any consequence.

“Yeah,” I said and then I remembered the last thing he said to me and felt a delicious burning sensation in my core. “He asked me out,” I told her as I shed my blouse and slipped into a sleep shirt.

“Shut the front door! You’re fucking with me, right?” Josie asked and I shook my head. She fell back on the bed, clutching her chest as if having a heart attack. “Details, girl!” was all she said as she writhed in her mock death throes. I told her everything, even the way I’d felt around him and my sudden fantasy in the car on the way home.

“I think I’m going nuts,” I remarked as I finished my story.

“You don’t like guys like James Turner. He doesn’t wear sweaters, he has facial hair, he’s not a virgin,” Josie joked, well aware of my inexperience and my penchant for nice, safe men.

“Very funny but I’m serious. I’ve never felt like that before. Ever. Either way, I’m not going out with him. It’s against company policy and you’re right, he’s not my type,” I told he but even I didn’t believe it. Josie cocked an eyebrow and then laughed.

“Whatever, girl. You can give him my number if you don’t want him,” she said. I laughed and felt better for having spilled my guts. My momentary lapse of reason and judgment was probably just that, temporary insanity. I joined Josie out on the sofa and we watched television for an hour or so before I headed off to bed. I’d worked hard all day and I was mentally fatigued. Thankfully, sleep came quickly and my earlier fantasies did not make an appearance. Apparently, purging to Josie had gotten James out of my system.