“I could make you feel really good, baby.” I repeated his line from the club with a giggle. Suddenly, however, anxiety reared its ugly head. “What’s going to happen if I’m not a challenge anymore? I don’t need any more rejection, Adam. I get plenty of that from my family.”

In vino veritas as they say. It didn’t really sink in at the time that I had just voiced my deepest pain and fear in a parking garage to a guy who had once intentionally left deli meat in my gym locker over winter break.

“You, Ms. Adler, will always be a challenge. And allow me to repeat, I’ve never brought a woman to my apartment before. Perhaps when your brain is no longer pickled, you’ll find some significance in that.”

The elevator arrived and he helped me in, slid a card and pushed seven. I turned around to face him. I wasn’t done yet! Oh, no siree Bob! I was on an In Vino Veritas Roll, baby! I probably would have confessed to anything at that point.

“Do you know why the characters in my book look like us?”

“Pure coincidence?” he asked with a smile.

“Because I was fantasizing about us doing all those things together when I wrote it.”

“Are you trying to make me cry?”

We arrived at our floor and he helped me out and to his apartment. He unlocked the door and flicked on the lights, helping me out of my coat. Thankfully, my head was finally starting to clear a little bit. I took a quick look around and saw a tasteful, understated, masculine atmosphere.

“This is nice, Adam, no empty pizza boxes, no neon beer signs. Why haven’t you brought other women here?”

“Because this is my private space, and bringing someone here is an act of intimacy. Do you feel like you need to puke? If so, I need you to step away from the suede couch.”

“Well, that started out really nicely,” I said, rolling my eyes. “No, I’m not going to puke.” I sat down on the suede couch and he came in to where I was sitting and handed me a glass of iced water.

“I’m going to go find you something to change into just in case,” he said, walking off somewhere. He was back a couple of minutes later holding a T-shirt with a picture of McGruff the Crime Dog on it. He was kidding, right?

“I’ll bet you get lots of tail with that one,” I said, and promptly broke into a snorting giggle fit. I really did crack myself up.

“I got it at a law enforcement training thing,” he said defensively. “It’s pretty long. It should cover everything you need to cover.”

“You don’t want to see my lady bits?” I teased.

“Not on a night when I can’t get better acquainted with them,” he answered, looking pained. “Just for the record, while I may wind up touching myself, I have no intention of touching you while you’re in this condition.”

“Just as well. I would prefer to be fully aware of what you were touching. Where should I change?” I asked, managing to remain standing. That was progress.

“The bedroom’s through there.” He pointed to a door at the end of a short hallway.

“Okay, so if you need me I’ll be na**d in your bedroom,” I teased in a flirty voice.

“Maybe I should come along to watch so I can catch you if you fall down on the bed.”

He won that round. I backed down and went off to change. The lights were on already, and I saw that, like the rest of the apartment, Adam’s bedroom had a modern, masculine feel and was stylishly done in black and gray. I looked around curiously. There really wasn’t all that much personal about it, though. It was a guy’s bedroom. Hmm. I would be the first woman to sleep in his bed. I liked that. It looked comfy and soft, and the pillows probably smelled like him too. Oh, man, stop it, Lil. You don’t know how to think about baseball!

I tore my eyes away from the bed and glanced around the room one more time. He seemed pretty neat. No underwear on the floor. I wondered for a second what kind he wore. I had a feeling he was a boxer briefs guy. I was almost tempted to peek, but I decided it would be more fun to find out by unwrapping his package, than digging through his dresser.

I quickly slipped out of my dress, bra and stockings and folded everything neatly onto a chair, my first hint that I was starting to sober up a little. Adam’s T-shirt smelled a little like him, and I inhaled shamelessly as I slid it over my head. It did, in fact, cover my lady bits, ending at mid-thigh. His comment about torturing him floated back to me as I looked at myself in a mirror guiltily. I was pretty scantily clad, but I figured, what the hell, he had seen me in a bikini; how stimulating could a McGruff the Crime Dog T-shirt be?

From the look on Adam’s face when he turned around and saw me, it would seem that McGruff could be more stimulating than one would think. He made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a groan as his eyes dropped to my body.

“Would you mind getting my iPad out of the bedroom?” he asked thickly.

“Why didn’t you ask me that when I went in there?” I turned and walked back down the hall. Then it dawned on me. “You only asked so you could stare at my ass, didn’t you?” I called over my shoulder.

“And it’s a lovely ass, I assure you,” he called back. When I came back in with his tablet he appeared highly distracted.

“Are you okay?” I asked uncertainly, handing it to him. His eyes looked kind of glassy.

“I have to take a shower,” he muttered, putting the tablet down on an end table. “There’s food if you want to eat something or I can make you something when I’m done if you want.”

“You cook?”

“Yeah, I cook. Why?”

“I figured your mom and sisters probably doted on you.”

“And what, they show up and cook for me now?” His eyes dropped to my legs again. “If you’ll excuse me, that shower is becoming an urgent matter.”

He grimaced, adjusted his suit pants, and walked past me to the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind him. I wandered back into the living room and found the remote to the TV. After scrolling through numerous channels I found an old Monty Python movie. I took a sip of my water, tucked my legs up underneath myself and settled in to watch and continue the sobering process. I heard the bathroom door open a few minutes later and I turned around in time to see Adam walk out with a towel wrapped around his waist. Oh my.

“See something you like?” he called out.

“I don’t know, there’s a towel in the way,” I answered and I thought I heard him laugh as the bedroom door closed.

When he came out a little later, he appeared much more relaxed, dressed in gray sweatpants and a Georgetown Hoyas T-shirt. He looked sexy like that too. Jesus, he looked good to me in everything these days. I wanted to cuddle up with him, which was really weird, because I had definitely never been a cuddler. Must have been the booze. I might have sustained brain damage. Instead, I scrunched myself tighter into the corner of the sofa and hugged my waist.

“Do you want to watch The Meaning of Life with me? I know the words to all the songs.”

“Is that a threat?” he asked, and I actually laughed myself. “I was going to make myself an omelet. Do you want one?”

“Okay,” I answered, feeling inordinately pleased. Having someone cook for me was a rare treat. Actually, having company at this time of night was a rare treat these days. Ten minutes later he brought two plates out and we dug in.

“Well, there you go, Adler, you’re literally the first woman I have ever cooked for.”

“Mmm. This is good, Adam. I didn’t realize how hungry I was. All I’ve had since lunch were nachos, cocktail weenies and a bottle of spiced rum.”

“I hate that health food shit,” he joked and I snort laughed, which then made him laugh too. Not long after that a musical number came on and I sang my heart out.

“So there you go, Roth. I’ve never serenaded a guy before.”

“And the song you pick is Every Sperm is Sacred. You’re an interesting woman, Adler. What are you doing over in that corner anyway? Get over here.”

“Why? You afraid my fat ass will tip the couch over?” I joked.

“First, of all, your ass is not fat. Trust me, I’ve examined it closely on more than one occasion. Secondly, I’m a boy and you’re a girl, and we’re watching a movie together. I know you were a teenager once, because I was there, so you must know the drill. Come over here and sit next to me.”

“Well, how could any girl resist that kind of sweet talk?” I teased, and moved over to the middle of the couch where Adam slipped his arm around me. “Hey, I thought you weren’t going to touch me.”

“Allow me to clarify. I’m not going to touch anywhere that could possibly make either one of us come, and while I’m good, I don’t know if even I could get us there by touching your shoulder. Although, I’d be willing to try some night when you’re not smashed.”

We watched the rest of the movie like that, although Adam swore that I was making his ears bleed at every musical number. And finally, the credits rolled.

“I love that movie,” I said when it ended.

“You would never know,” he replied dryly and I poked him in the ribs. “Hey, watch it. My ribs are sensitive.”

“So, you want to make out?” I teased.

“Oh-ho God!” he said in a pained voice, throwing his head back against the couch.

“What? I know I probably smell like a bar but am I that foul?”

“Foul?! Are you f**king nuts? Do you have no clue? I have to take a shower,” he said in a tense voice, getting up and heading for the bathroom.

“You just took one.”

“I need another one. I’ll be back in a few minutes.” I took our plates into the kitchen and washed everything up. By the time I was done, he was coming back out. It was getting late and I was getting tired.

“I’m sleepy,” I said, yawning.

“You look it. I’ll go grab a pillow and a blanket for out here and you can have the bed.”

“You can sleep with me if you want,” I said casually. The fact was that I really did want to sleep with him. Something about the thought of it made me feel warm and safe. He tensed up, though, and looked at me a little desperately.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea. I wouldn’t be able to sleep.”

“You slept with me that night in Bucks County.”

“I was completely exhausted that night. Under most circumstances, though, I find it hard to doze off next to half-naked women who I want to bang.” With that, he went off to search for an extra blanket and pillow.

“Do you have an extra toothbrush?” I called out, heading for the bathroom.

“Use mine.”

“Use yours? That’s kind of gross.”

“Is the thought of my tongue in your mouth gross too? Because that could have an impact on our romantic relationship.” I guess he had a point there.

I went into the bathroom, washed my face, did everything else that half a bowl of rum punch and three glasses of water made necessary, and then contemplated his toothbrush. Fuck it, I was going for it. I brushed my teeth and headed for the hall. I saw him lying on the sofa, punching a pillow to soften it up and I wandered in to say goodnight. Okay, and to ogle a little because he had taken his shirt off again and his body was beautiful.

“Goodnight,” I said, trying not to stare. I wasn’t succeeding very well and the amused look on his face told me that he had noticed.

“Goodnight,” he said, trying not to look at my boobs bouncing around jauntily under McGruff as I moved. He wasn’t succeeding too well either, I might add.

“If you need anything I’ll be in there,” I said glancing off toward his bedroom.

“It’s my apartment, I’m sure I can find whatever I need.” He gave into temptation and let his eyes drop for a moment to my body. “Whatever I need that it would be appropriate for me to have tonight,” he added, sounding frustrated. He grabbed his iPad from the end table, and settled in to read.

“What are you reading?” I asked curiously.

“Espionage thriller.”

“Ah, I thought you wanted to read the rest of my…”

“I do want to read them, but I couldn’t handle that tonight with you here and half na**d. I might forget my rules about women who have been drinking to excess. Now go get some sleep, because you’re getting me hard again, and if I practice any more self-love tonight, I might get carpal tunnel.”

“You mean you were…” I must have looked surprised.

“What did you think, I was just really hygienic?”

“I thought maybe you were taking cold showers,” I admitted.

“Hell, no. I don’t waste God’s gifts.”

I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I just wished him goodnight again and headed off for the bedroom. I slid under the covers and snuggled down. I was just drifting off when I heard a knock at the door.

“Yes?” I called out in a thick, sleepy voice.

“Are you decent?”

“Depends on who you ask,” I replied. The door opened and Adam, pillow and blanket in hand, stood there.

“I can’t sleep out there either. I might as well not be able to sleep in my own bed.”

“So, what do you want, an engraved invitation?” I asked, stretching out languorously like a cat, and turning over on my side.

He came in and returned his pillow to the bed, tossing the blanket on a chair. He walked around to my side of the bed and shut out the light, as I obviously was starting to drowse. Then he slid in beside me and laid there quietly for a moment, before speaking out in the dark.