I turned around in my chair to look at the crystal-blue water and the waves crashing against the beach, thinking about how thankful I was for everything. I loved my job, where I lived, and had the best friends a girl could ask for. Thanks to careful planning, everything in my life was going in the right direction.
Plus, I got to have sex with Jorge last night.
I had told myself that I wouldn’t sleep with him, but who was I kidding. After a year’s worth of sexual tension building between us, it just seemed like the next step in our relationship. Especially, since he had broken things off with Ria.
Actually, Jorge had no reason to invite me over there for anything other than sex since he knew everything could be handled via email. That’s why it had taken me fifteen minutes instead of five to get to his place. I had ripped off my pajamas and chose the sexiest halter dress I owned. And I knew Jorge had been home all day, too, because his car had never left the parking lot. Which meant that he was probably working in pajamas too. But when I got there, he looked pulled together in that polo and khakis.
He knew what he was doing.
I shook my head and went back to work, refusing to allow myself to get sidetracked. But every time I tried calculating numbers, all I could think about was how good it felt to have Jorge buried inside of me.
God, I could have fallen asleep in his arms.
By the time I looked up, it was five minutes to noon, Margo’s and Eva’s voices boomed down the hallway. I planned on picking up something from a drive-thru and eating it by the beach, but apparently, my best friends had other plans.
Margo popped her head into my office first. “Is it all right to come in? I have a surprise!”
“Of course, come on in. What’s the surprise?:”
Eva walked in behind her, carrying a large tray of sushi from our favorite Asian restaurant.
“The celebration continues with some California, cucumber, and dragon rolls! How about we eat outside today? The weather’s perfect, plus they’re working on the building across the street and the guys are hot,” Eva said.
We giggled as the three of us walked outside, sitting down on one of the many picnic benches next to the spa.
“There’s nothing wrong with a little bit of scenery while we eat, is there?” I asked.
Eva nodded toward the diamond tennis bracelet on my left hand. “Have you been wearing that since the party?”
“No, I take it off when I shower. Besides, Jorge probably spent a fortune on it and itisbeautiful, so I don’t want to lose it.”
Margo winked at me while eating a cucumber roll. “Your wrist is glistening, and the smile on your face is telling. Did something happen between you two?”
My cheeks turned a deep shade of red, and I planned on chalking it up to the humidity. But even I wouldn’t have bought that lie. “I’m helping him out with his business, but I’d do that for any friend. Accounting stuff, nothing too exciting.”
Eva saw right through my lie too. “Tell us what happened, Ginger, and don’t skimp on the details!”
I tried focusing on my sushi, not wanting to tell anyone what had happened. For all I knew, Jorge and I hooking up was a one-time thing. He had an awful history with women, and I didn’t want to get sucked down the relationship rabbit hole again.
But I caved in and gave them the details. “You can’t tell anyone else, though, especially Chase. Last night we, well, you know.”
“You had sex with Jorge?”
The construction workers across the street glanced over at us.
“Shh, Margo! If those guys can hear it, you know damn well everyone in the spa can!”
Margo just shook her head while smiling from ear to ear. “I knew it! I’m telling you, Ginger, Jorge will be more than just a fling!”
Eva’s eyes lit up with excitement as she leaned across the picnic table. “Oh, this is so exciting! Do you think Jorge is the one?”
“Of course he’s the one,” Margo said while grinning at me. “They’ve spent the past year talking on the phone every week, then he flies all the way from Belgium for her party, surprises her with a diamond tennis bracelet, and then makes love to her!”
I held up my hands while shaking my head back and forth. “First of all, both of you are crazy. I have every intention of keeping my relationship with Jorge on a strict friendship level.”
Eva squinted at me. “I think you mean friends-with-benefits level, Ginger. Because friends don’t sleep with each other, but friends-with-benefits do.”
I shrugged while reaching for another sushi roll. “Whatever you want to call it, that’s what we are, all right? Look, my life is finally on track, and I refuse to get sucked into a romantic relationship. Besides, I don’t think Jorge is that type. We’re just friends who happen to be attracted to each other.”
