An Outof Order sign that wasn’t there this morning now glares at me from the closed elevator door of my apartment building.Great. Not at all what I needed or expected.
Wishing the day hadn’t been quite so prickly, I trudge up the fourflights of stairs to my floor and walk down the nondescript hall to my apartment. The steady ache in my joints slows my pace.
I enter the apartment and flick on the light. The warm glow highlights the series of framed photos on the wall, taken by my super-sweet, super-talented sister-in-law, Kim.
Most of them are nature photos of the area. But my favorite one was taken at Windermere Lake, just outside of town. I was standing in the water, wearing a simple black bikini, streaks of gold paint adorning my body.
Golden Girl.
The second Garrett saw the photo, his nickname for me stuck. It’s the name he likes to tease me with.
But in that brief moment, when he’d first called me Golden Girl, I’d felt special. Seen.
Like he finally saw me as something more than just his close friend.
From my bedroom closet, I remove my black silk pantsuit. Paired with my black silk camisole, the outfit is the essence of sexy. Perfect for seducing my boyfriend into taking our relationship to the next level.
I grab a pair of lacy black panties and a bra from my dresser. In the bathroom, I hang the clothes on the back of the door and run water into the bath. The sweet scent of jasmine fills the room.
The opening bars of “Listen” float from the small speakers on the counter, and I step into the tub. The hot water laps over my calf muscles, and I sink into the scented water.
Beyoncé’s strong, energized voice wraps me in bliss, and I recline on the gentle slope of the tub, my eyes closing. Heat soaks into my body, easing the unrelenting ache in my hips and shoulders. The unrelenting ache that worsened following the afternoon I had.
Exhaustion ripples through me, taking me deeper and deeper into a dreamlike state. But I know I’m awake. Beyoncé’s voice still echoes off the bathroom tiles.
My thoughts drift to my conversation this afternoon with Keshia. About Garrett and Joseph. About how Joseph is boring.
He’s not boring. He’s just enthusiastic about numbers. As a small-business owner, it’s something I can appreciate.
With his broad shoulders, narrow waist, and short black hair, he’s a fine specimen of a man. A man who I hope will make me feel equally fine between the sheets tonight.
The image of Garrett pops into my head. His shoulders are slightly broader than Joseph’s, and he stands a few inches taller. His lightly tanned skin will darken during the summer—mostly from running shirtless with Kellan.
No, no, no, no. Stop thinking about Garrett. Think about your fine boyfriend.
The fine boyfriend I have a date with soon.
7
ZARA
Goose bumps prickle my skin,the once hot bath water rapidly cooling. A telling silence replaces the playlist I was listening to when I stepped into the water.
Oh. Shit.I fell asleep, and now I’ll be late for my date with Joseph unless I haul ass.
I awkwardly push to my feet, my muscles stiff from the cooling water. Droplets slide down my body, stumbling over goose bumps and making things worse.
I shouldn’t have had the bath. I should have stuck with a shower.
Shivering, I climb out of the tub, towel-dry, and moisturize my body. Then I slip on the silk pants, cami, and shirt. The dip of the neckline reveals the teasing mounds of my breasts.
I’m a goddess. No man can resist me.
No man other than Garrett. But it’s not Garrett I plan to seduce tonight.
I wipe the condensation from the mirror and apply my eye makeup with a smoky touch. To top it off, my lipstick sparkles with hints of gold.
Hey, Golden Girl.
