The Pleasure Chest Box Set(12)
I also woke up from my nap feeling better than I have since the incident with Bryan. I don’t question the circumstances, and I ignore the logical part of my brain yelling at me about how ridiculous this is. Instead, I choose to take this happiness. I’m going to hang out with Philip, help his friend, let him say nice things about me, and maybe have sex with him again. No strings, no expectations, just taking the day to be happy.
At Christa’s door, Philip pulls out a loose brick in the wall and dumps out a key to let us in. “Hello!” he calls through the house, and there’s a muffled answer from deeper in.
We walk into the kitchen, and Philip puts our bags on the counter. “We come bearing food.”
“I told you not to do that.” Christa, a petite redhead who I’m sure is a knockout when she’s not ill, shuffles out of the back hallway. She’s in pajamas and frankly looks like death warmed over.
He laughs. “And Sean told me to make sure you were okay.”
“I’m fine,” she says.
“Right,” Philip says, “I totally believe that.”
Christa coughs, “Okay I’m not fine. But I do feel better than yesterday.” She finally looks up and sees me. “I see you brought company.”
I give her a little wave. “Hi, sorry.”
Philip puts his hand on the small of my back. “Christa, I’d like you to meet Mayra.”
Her head whips around to me, and she suddenly looks at me in an entirely differently was. “Ohh,” she says. “Of course. Hi.”
“You know me?” I ask.
Christa points at Philip. “This one came over last night to see if you had ever come to one of my classes before. You really made an impression.”
“Oh, really?” I look over at him, and he’s scratching his neck and looking at the floor. “I didn’t realize.”
“How’d he find you?” Christa asks, sitting on a stool at the breakfast bar.
Philip starts unpacking the food. “I didn’t. We literally ran into each other near the gym.”
“I was looking for my keys in my bag—wasn’t paying attention.” I hand Christa her smoothie.
She starts drinking it immediately. “You guys are like a walking rom-com scene.”
“It’s L.A.” Philip says. “They’ve got to get their inspiration somewhere.”
Christa bursts out laughing and it turns into a coughing fit. “Ugh, don’t be funny right now. My chest can’t take it.”
“Sorry,” Philip says, and I can tell he’s not sorry.
“How do you guys know each other?” I ask.
“My boyfriend, Sean, is best friends with this guy,” Christa says. “They were in the army together, and they both do all the wilderness stuff. Sean is in Colorado on a hiking trip and he made tall-dark-and-brooding over here promise to babysit me.”
Philip rolls his eyes. “I’m not babysitting you.”
“Are too.” She pulls the top off the chicken I’ve handed her. “But this is really good, so I’ll let it go. What do you do, Mayra?”
“Public Relations. I work for a firm that does a lot of high profile stuff, celebrities, brands.”
“Is that fun?” she asks.
“Most days? No,” I say, laughing. “Most days it’s a combination of damage control and pandering. I’m glad to have the day off.”
Philip winks at me. “Me too.”
My face goes red, and Christa sees it. Thankfully, she doesn’t say anything.
“I’m going to use your bathroom,” Philip says. “I’ll be right back.”
“Sure,” Christa says.
He’s gone before I can protest. I’m not afraid of Christa, but I’m always a little nervous to be alone with new people for the first time.
“So what do you want to know?” she asks me, taking a bite of vegetables.
“I’m sorry?”
She waves her fork in the general direction Philip went. “We’ve only got a couple minutes before he comes back, and I’ll answer whatever questions you have before he comes back.”
“Is he a good guy?” I’m surprised with the speed that the question flies out of my mouth. I guess it was something I didn’t want to admit that I was wondering.
Christa finishes chewing a bite of chicken. “He’s the best. He really is. He’s gone through some stuff—stuff it’s not my place to tell you about—but he’s got a good heart. I know that’s kind of a cliché, but it’s true.”
I take a sip of my smoothie, the next question lodged in my stomach in an uncomfortable way. “Is he a player?”
She looks at me, I guess wondering what is driving me to ask that question. “He’s been with his fair share of women, if that’s what you mean. And he’s had his reasons, but for what it’s worth, I think he’s looking for something a little more…settled.”
I nod. “Okay, good to know.” I can’t really think of anything else I want to ask her. I feel a little weird asking her things I should probably be asking him. I hear the flush of a toilet somewhere in the house, and I know I only have a few seconds if I want anything else. The little question seems so small, so inconsequential that I’m not even sure it’s worth asking, but I do. “Why me?”
She smiles. “He didn’t say. But you’re the first in a long time.”
I don’t even have time to react to that, as Philip comes back into the room. “How’s the chicken?” he asks Christa.
“It’s good,” she says. “Making me feel better. In fact, I may be able to come back to class tomorrow.”
Philip laughs. “Don’t even think about it. Just rest—You’ll have plenty more classes after this one.”
Christa grumbles something under her breath but she doesn’t disagree. She looks between the two of us. “Well, thank you for the food. I do appreciate it.”
“No problem,” Philip says.
“Hold on.” She holds up a hand. “I wasn’t finished.”
Philip chuckles, and they share a look. It’s a look of long friendship and understanding.
“I’m glad your brought me food, but it’s a nice day. And judging from the sex rolling ofo the two of you, I think you owe her dinner.” My face bursts into flames, and Christa laughs. “I’m a sex teacher, I can tell when two people have had sex. Especially as recently as the two of you have.”
Philip clears his throat. “I think that can be arranged.” He looks at me and smiles. “For the record, I was going to ask you to dinner when we left. She stole my thunder.”
Christa mumbles something about him deserving to have his thunder stolen, and I smile. “I’d love dinner.”
“Good,” she says, “because there’s nothing worse on a first date than hanging out with a sick person.”
“Don’t be silly,” I say. “It’s been really nice to meet you.”
“Thanks.” She takes a sip of smoothie. “I hope that you’ll be able to see me in a better state sometime. Now go out on an actual date before I have to kick Philip’s ass.”
He leans towards me, his voice a stage whisper. “I don’t remember a time that she hasn’t threatened to kick my ass.”
“Someone has to keep you in line,” I stage whisper back, and his laugh fills up the room. It’s a great sound, and I’m smiling now. “So is there anything good around here?”
Christa nods. “There’s an amazing Thai place a few blocks away.”
“That sounds good to me,” I say.
“Are you sure you’ll be okay?” he asks her.
She waves him off. “Yes. I’ve got a full slate of Lifetime movies to watch.”
“If you say so.” He takes my hand. “Ready?”
I like the feeling of our linked hands. “Yeah. I hope you feel better.”
“You and me both,” she says, winking at me.
“Bye, Christa,” Philip calls over his shoulder.
“I’ll check on her again tomorrow,” he says, as we turn the corner in the hall.
“I heard that!” Christa calls, and he and I both laugh.
Philip locks the door behind us, putting back the key into its hidden brick. “So,” he says, “would you like to go to dinner with me?”
“I would love to.”
12
Philip
Christa didn’t lie, this Thai place is really good. We keep the conversation through dinner light, and it feels very much like an actual first date—though I don’t think most people on a first date have had the kind of sex that we’ve had. Neither Mayra or I had realized how hungry we were, so this has been amazing. Thai food is something I love but rarely have. I’ll have to thank Christa when I see her.
“Can I ask you something?” Mayra says when we’re looking over the dessert menu.
A small bubble of anxiety appears in my chest. “Sure.”
“While you were in the bathroom, Christa told me I could ask her whatever I wanted about you.”
“Great,” I say, laughing nervously.
“I asked if you were a good guy.”
I place my hands out in surrender. “If she said I’m not I can provide character witnesses.”