Page 27 of The Virgin Romance Novelist Chronicles
The minute I saw a tiny eye peek out from the ratted fur, I screamed and tossed it clear across my room where Sir Licks-a-Lot popped out of nowhere, caught the ball in his mouth, and ran off without missing a beat.
Was that a mouse?
Oh sweet Jesus where was my hand sanitizer? Reaching into my desk, I found my bottle and started bathing in it.
“That cat be crazy,” Jenny said in my doorway as she watched Sir Licks-a-Lot jumping off other humans, like we were his own personal trampolines.
“I hate that cat. He hid a mouse in my bookshelf. A dead mouse, Jenny.”
“Hey, he must like you. He hid a pigeon’s wing in the boss’s office a month ago, and we know how well they get along. Look at that, he feels safe in your office.”
“No, he’s just messing with me, I know it. And he took my B.”
Jenny peeked over my desk and looked at my keyboard. “Yea, maybe he really is plotting your death. Hard to tell with that one, but enough about the demon cat, tell me all about Lance.”
I finished up dousing myself in hand sanitizer and took a deep breath.Focus on the good.
“Well, he asked me out on a date.”
Jenny slammed her hands on the desk and looked me dead in the eyes. “No, he did not.”
Nodding, I replied, “He did. We have a date on Saturday.”
“Holy shit! Oh my God, I’m so jealous. You know how hot he is, right?”
“Jenny, I have eyes. I can see.”
“Just making sure. Oh my God, I can’t believe this.” She ran her hands through her hair in disbelief. “You have to have sex with him.”
“What?” I asked, blushing to my toes. The only people who knew I was a virgin were Delaney and Henry, so for Jenny to say such a thing left me mortified. “I’m not going to have sex with him, Jenny.”
“Why the hell not?”
I was about to open my mouth, when I realized I didn’t have an answer.Why the hell not?Maybe because he didn’t look like the kind of guy who wanted to have a fumbling girl trying to undo the button to his jeans and then just stare at his penis, wondering what she was supposed to do next.
“Um, I don’t like to jump into things so fast.”
“Oh, who cares about that? You’re going out with Lance McCarthy, so you need to give it up.”
“Maybe,” I said, not really meaning it.
“Hey, what about Atticus?” Jenny asked.
“What about him? I still plan on going out with him on Friday.
“Oh, I like this new side of you, Rosie.” She smiled. “I’m glad you’re putting your Kindle aside for a little bit and going on a couple of dates. I’m proud of you. Do you need me to take you shopping?”
“No, I’m good,” I replied, realizing that maybe I did spend too much time reading if even Jenny had noticed. The more I thought about it, the more I thought that notion was crazy. I didn’t spend too much time reading, as there was no such thing. I just needed to make more time for a social life, that’s all.
“I guess I’ll see you tomorrow. Date night.”
“Woo hoo.” I cheeredwithher, feeling a little anxious but excited in general.
* * *
When I got home that night, I was walking up the stairs to my apartment when I ran into an impeccably dressed and divine-smelling Henry. He really set the standard for men. Just from the sight of him, Delaney’s comments about Henry wanting to have sex with me came to the forefront of my mind, making my entire body heat up. Damn her.
“Hey love.” He greeted me with that charming smirk of his.
