I make my way to the bathroom and get my razor out. Hmm, it’s not in my makeup bag. I tear through the bathroom cabinet. None.
“Shit. Where are all my fucking razors?” I haven’t seen any since the move. Did I throw them all out?
Surely not?
I march into my bedroom and begin to look through my toiletries like a mad woman. You don’t send someone an eggplant and then turn up hairy.
I can’t believe I sent someone an eggplant. I giggle at the prospect. What the hell? I’ve hit a new low.
I keep looking for a razor on a mission. “Fuck it.”
I go back into the bathroom and tear the cupboard apart and then sit on the floor in a dilemma.
I have two options: run to the store two blocks away and grab a razor, or turn up looking like a gorilla.
“Store.” I grab my keys and run out the door in a rush.
An hour later, I pour myself a wine. The last hour has felt like running a marathon. I felt like I was in the Amazing Race or something. The closest store was out of razors, so I ran to the one six blocks away, got caught in the rain, my shoe got caught in a drain, and I fell over and bruised my knees. I ran all the way home and shaved my legs and all my bits, then I discovered that I’m out of hair conditioner after I’ve already washed it. So now I look like a fuzzy bear… but at least my body is as smooth as a baby’s bottom.
Just how he likes it.
I sip my wine. He had better appreciate all of this preparation.
There’s knock on the door and I hunch my shoulders up in excitement.
He’s here.
I tighten the cord on my silk robe I’m naked underneath it, aiming to be a sex kitten. I open the door in a rush.
My face falls when I see a man standing there. “Delivery for Eliza Bennet.”
“Oh.” I frown. “It’s very late.”
The delivery man widens his eyes. “And urgent, apparently.”
It’s a big box, hmm. “Okay.”
“Please sign here.” He hands me over his screen. I sign it and go back inside.
I shut the door and look at the large, pink box.
“What in the world?” I slowly take the lid off and peer into the box. It’s a cane basket, filled with eggplants.
I burst out laughing. “Are you serious?” Oh my God, only him. There’s a small white envelope, too. I open the card and read it.
You ask,
I deliver.
x
I take an eggplant out, hold it in my hand, and I laugh.
Only Nathan.
Nathan
I smile against my wine glass as I imagine Eliza opening the box.
Well, it serves her right for being a smartass.
I glance at my watch, willing to bet any money that she turns up here. I know her better than she knows herself, and I know that she won’t not see me if she has made up her mind to do so.
I sip my red wine and roll it around my mouth when there’s a knock at the door.
I smile and stand up. Right on cue.
I open the door. “Yes?”
She’s standing in the foyer, wearing her cream, silk robe. She has an overnight bag with her. Her long, dark hair is down, and she smiles, revealing her beautiful dimples.
“Eliza!” I act surprised.
She rises onto her toes and kisses me quickly. “That wasn’t the kind of eggplant I had in mind, Nathan.”
“Oh, really?” I raise a brow and my eyes drop down her body as the crisp smell of soap teases my senses. “Did you catch a cab here wearing only that?”
“Uh-huh.” She marches past me, into the apartment. “The driver had a semi.”
I smile. “I don’t doubt it.” I close the door and watch her as she looks around.
“I forgot how beautiful this apartment is.”
I look around as I try to see it through her eyes. “Wine?” I ask.
“Yes, please.”
I go the kitchen and pour her a red wine, refilling mine, too. “I’ve only just come back,” I admit.
She sits up on the counter like she always does, and I stand between her legs.
“What do you mean?” She lifts the glass to her lips, and my cock clenches in anticipation as I watch her. Wonderful memories of her sitting on the counter just like this flood back like a tidal wave.
I need her back.
“I didn’t come here for a long time. I stayed at my old apartment,” I continue.
“Why not?”
“I don’t know. After I had the meltdown, I didn’t want to come back.”
Her face falls. “You had a meltdown?”
I nod. “I had to take a couple of weeks off work.”
She drops her head and stares at the floor for a moment.
“What?” I ask.
“It makes me sad that I wasn’t here for you.” She grabs my T-shirt and pulls me in for a kiss. It’s slow and sensual, and it wakes up all those intimate memories of us. “Have you spoken to anyone about this meltdown?” she asks softly as she pushes the hair back from my face.
“No.” I kiss her again, my tongue sweeping through her open mouth.
Fuck, the way she kisses.
“I’ll come with you, if you want.” She watches me for a moment. “Don’t you want to know why?”
“I don’t want to think about it. And I know why. I was under a lot of stress.”
“Baby.” She kisses me again. “You also have some unsettled issues. We have unsettled issues.” She kisses me again as if to soften the blow. “I’ll come to the therapy session with you if you want. I’d like to get to the bottom of our problems. I want to fix them.” I smile down at my beautiful girl, and hope fills me. Maybe we are going to be all right.
“You’d do that?” I ask.
“Of course, I would.”
I stare at her for a moment and narrow my eyes. “Did you already fuck the eggplant?”
“What?” She smiles. “Why would you say that?”
“Well… you’re being all sweet and Eliza-like. Kind of how you are after you’ve had the crazy fucked out of you.”
She bursts out laughing, and I smile as I watch her. “You don’t actually fuck the eggplant.” She smiles. “It’s a figure of speech, Nathan.”
“Yeah, you do,” I tease. “The eggplant goes into Tiny while I fuck your ass.”
Her face falls. “Wait… what? Since when?”
“Everyone knows that.”
“I thought it was just like a funny thing people sent.”
I grab a handful of her hair and pull her face back to meet mine. “You really should do more research on your emojis before you send them out.”
“Obviously.” She smiles as I kiss her. “I should have asked for a dick pic instead.”
She’s joking, and I’m joking, but I can’t hide my feelings.
I want her back. I want us back.
I kiss her softly. “Why would you want a dick pic when you could have the real thing for forever?”
We fall serious as we stare at each other and an ocean of closeness swims between us. “Nathe, you know I love you, right?” she whispers as her eyes search mine.
“Then come home!” I kiss her softly to plead my case. “Please, come home. I can’t live without you for another moment.”
“We need some time apart to readjust. I just want to date for a while.”
“How long?”
“I don’t know. I can’t push it. You understand, don’t you? You broke my heart, Nathan. I have to take my time with this. I just can’t switch it back on.”
I stare at her but can’t push words of acceptance past my lips, they will just be a lie.