Page 55 of The Boyfriend Hypothesis
Penny trusted Lacey. She was beautiful and confident and refreshingly frank. And from what Penny had gathered, before Lacey had settled down with Tessa, she’d had a busy and fulfilling social life. Which was exactly what Penny wanted. Especially the fulfilling part.
She took a deep breath and typed her next text.
Do you want to have sex? Yes or no?
She hit send before she could change her mind.
Her heart settled in her throat as she watched the message status change from “delivered” to “read.” What if he said no?
If he did, then at least she’d tried. She wouldn’t have to live with any regrets.
Just crushing humiliation.
But that was fine. She would only have to face him for a limited time. In a month, he’d be gone, and she could forget this ever happened.
The three magical little dots appeared again. Penny waited. And waited.
The dots disappeared.
Her heart sank into the pit of her stomach. What was she thinking? She should have known better than to get her hopes up.
The dots reappeared again. Penny was getting seasick from all the emotional highs and lows.
She watched the dots flicker on her screen, trying not to let herself be too hopeful. He was probably thinking of a nice way to say no. That was why it was taking so long. He was composing some long excuse to let her down easy.
A single word appeared on the screen.
Yes.
Penny nearly dropped the phone in shock. It had worked. She couldn’t believe it.
Her fingers trembled with excitement as she typed her next text.
How fast can you get to my apartment?
His reply was almost immediate.
Give me half an hour.
Chapter Thirteen
She might not have known much about booty calls, but Penny knew enough not to dress up for one. Instead, she put on her most flattering pair of lounge pants—the soft heather gray ones that hugged her butt cheeks just so—and a thin white T-shirt with a deep V-neck that showed off her cleavage and a hint of the hot pink bra she was wearing underneath. She applied some makeup, but not too much. Just enough to bring out the green in her eyes and lend her a little more confidence.
She couldn’t believe she was really doing this! Never in her life had she slept with someone she wasn’t in a committed relationship with. She’d always adhered to the three date rule—at a minimum—because that was what “nice” girls were supposed to do.
Being not nice was a lot more fun.
While she waited for Caleb to arrive, Penny bustled around tidying her already immaculate apartment, because she needed to be doing something or else she’d explode. Cleaning helped keep the nervous panic at a manageable level.
She washed and put away the water glass she’d been drinking out of. Straightened everything on the coffee table so it was at perfect right angles. Fluffed the pillows on the couch and on her bed. Brushed her teeth and wiped down the bathroom sink and counter. Finally, after she’d run out of other things to do, she resorted to pacing aimlessly from room to room.
Exactly twenty-four minutes after Caleb’s last text, he knocked on Penny’s door.
She adjusted her bra and cast one last look around her apartment to make sure everything was perfect. Then she checked her makeup one last time in the mirror beside the door before she pulled it open.
Her heart lurched in her chest at the sight of him standing there in all his beautiful glory. She hadn’t seen him all day, and the sheer force of his attractiveness hit her anew. But it was more than just his physical appearance that affected her. It was his presence—some ineffable quality that seemed to change the atmosphere around him. She didn’t understand it. They barely knew each other. And yet, something intangible clicked into place at the sight of him. A feeling of relief. Of completion.
His hair was ruffled and damp, and he smelled strongly of the spicy soap he used. He must have jumped into the shower before coming over.
