Chapter 9: Meet Me For Lunch

           Mallory was at work, still thinking about her weekend and her walk with Ben. She wanted so badly to tell somebody about it. But she couldn’t. Not because Ben didn’t want her to. Not because of his stupid and mysterious rules. But because she didn’t want to hurt her best friend.

            It wasn’t just the kiss that consumed her thoughts. It was the conversations, the smiles, the feeling of comfort she had when she was with him. Every minute that he was in her presence was a memory of its own. She wanted to hold on to them as long as she could.

            She was straightening a room after a patient when Nurse Rochelle power-walked into the room.

            “There’s a guy up front asking for you,” she whispered. “And he’s gorgeous!” She drew the word out to emphasize the affect this mystery man was having on her libido.

            When Mallory rounded the corner she saw Ian leaning on the front desk, wearing a huge grin. Rochelle was right. He looked breathtaking. He was wearing a tan suit that complimented his blonde hair which was perfectly sculpted in little, sharp spikes. His smile and his eyes brightened when he saw her.

            “What are you doing here?” She tried not to sound irritated. She also tried not to look right at him. Damn, he was hot.

            “I thought I was taking you to lunch,” he said joyously. Rochelle was staring at him conspicuously. He turned his head and shot her a knowing wink. She blushed and ran off.

            “I said I’d meet you there.”

            “Ah,” he replied and put an arm around her. “What’s the difference? I wanted to see where you work. Plus, I needed to bring you this.” He held out a plastic container. Mallory had baked cookies a week ago and shared them with him. When she shook the box it rattled. She hurried Ian out the door while peering inside.

            “What’s this?”

            “You left some of your jewelry at my place.” They arrived at the restaurant next door and he held the door like a gentleman.

            “Thanks. But I could have gotten it next time I’m over.”

            “No way,” he chuckled. “I don’t want some girl finding your jewelry in my room. That would be awkward.”

            Mallory shook her head. She felt a pang of jealousy, but dismissed it. She knew the game. He probably told other girls that they were the only one. But to Mallory he never lied. She was grateful for that.

            “I missed you this weekend,” Ian told her. He reached across the table and took her hands in his. They were warm and rough and sent electricity throughout her body. Mallory glanced around quickly to make sure none of her coworkers had snuck in. And so what if they had? She was a grown-up, was able to spend her grown-up time however she pleased. Stupid paranoia.

            “I’m sure you found something to do without me.” Mallory hoped he would deny it. She hoped he would have been lost without her. But that was stupid, too. She definitely didn’t want him falling for her. That would be messy. But after being somewhat rejected by Ben she felt that her ego was cracked and that any boost would help patch it back up.

            “I did, but I missed you anyway.”

            “And what did you do?” Why did she ask that? She didn’t want to know.

            “Oh, man. I did so much coke, I thought I would die.” He flailed his arms into the air dramatically to signal just how much coke was enough to make him die. Then his voice got lower, as if the next thing was much more private than doing a bunch of coke. “I met this girl. She was smoking hot...”

            Ian’s description was cut short when the waitress brought their lunch to the table. The food put his mind off track and he asked Mallory to remind him where she had been all weekend.

            “I went to Smithberg to see Mad Ben Stein.”

            Ian scrunched up his face in between bites. “What? I didn’t know you were into them.”

            Mallory laughed. Truthfully, he didn’t know much about her at all. He knew what she liked to drink. He knew what she liked in bed. But he didn’t really know her in real life. “I’m not really. But Stevie is a really big fan.”

            “Did you have a good time?”

            “We did.” She sighed and looked off a little too long. Ian gave her a look like he knew she was hiding something. She caved. “We had drinks with the band.”

            “With Mad Ben Stein?” Finally he was impressed.

            “Yes.” This time it was Mallory who was cut off by the waitress refilling their water glasses. This apparently brought Ian’s mind back to his original conversation.

            “Oh, this girl I met this weekend. She was so hot. I mean, she was a little chubby, but her rack was like ‘damn’, you know?” He held his hands in front of him to demonstrate her ample cleavage. “We started making out and I asked her to come back to my place. But she was all, ‘My friends are waiting for me.’ So I…”

            “He kissed me,” Mallory interjected. God, why did she say that? She wasn’t going to tell anyone. She certainly didn’t want him to know. He wasn’t very skilled at keeping his mouth shut. But for some reason she felt the need to prove her weekend had been just fine without him, as his obviously had been okay without her.

            “Who?”

            “Ben Stanovich. After we had drinks he kissed me.”

            “Like on the cheek? Cause I’ve heard those L.A. people do that.”

            “No. He kissed me on the mouth. With tongue.”

            “Did you sleep with him?”

            “What? No.”

            Ian laughed and shook his head, giving her a pitiful smile. For a minute she hated him.

            She didn’t hate him enough to stay away. He convinced her to go out that night. She knew better. They both had to work in the morning and it wasn’t likely she’d get home before 3 a.m.           

Later that night, after several drinks at the bar, the pair found themselves once again in the throes of passion. Ian hovered over Mallory, supported by his incredibly muscular arms. They stood solid on either side of her chest like unmovable marble pillars. His toned pecks glistened with perspiration above her naked breasts. The pleasure he was giving her was unreal when it rippled through her body.

            “You know,” he heaved as he neared his end. “I could almost fall in love with you.”

            Why did he have to say that? Why did he have to ruin it? Mallory knew he didn’t mean it. Every man thought he was in love when on the cusp of an earth-shattering orgasm. Even if he was serious, she definitely didn’t want him falling in love with her. Their relationship was good because they were unattached. Could it survive something as tragic as love?

            Twenty minutes after the deed was done they were still in bed, naked and tangled in each other’s limbs. She wasn’t much of a cuddler, but he had held her tight and refused to let her go. She found herself enjoying the afterglow. Until he broke it.

            “What I said earlier,” Ian began. “I didn’t mean it. You know, it was the heat of the moment.”

            “Obviously,” Mallory said flatly.

            “Not that I couldn’t fall in love with you.” He traced her protruding collarbone with one finger and then swept his hand across her chin. “I mean, if I let myself. But you know how I am. I’m not really a one woman guy.”

            “I know that.” Her cheeks flushed. He didn’t have to protest so hard. “I never asked you to be.”

            “But I could be.” He propped himself up on his arm and looked down at her. He spoke very matter-of-fact. “If I met the right girl I bet I could settle down like that.” He snapped his fingers. “But she’d have to be pretty fucking special.”

            “Gotcha.” Mallory was tired of this conversation. She got up and started to dress.

            “Do you think you could ever fall in love with me?” He sat on the bed, naked and sexy, with his teasing smile on.

            “No.” She shot him a cold glare.

            “No?” He laughed. “Why not?”

            Mallory threw his shorts at him, hitting him in his beautiful chest. “Because you’re such an asshole.”