Page 44 of Friend Zoned

Jeannie

Me: No. It’s not a Christmas movie or romcom. It’s a thriller.

He texts me back an eye roll emoji.

Greenwich: I thought we were going to open presents and eat dinner.

Me: We will. It’s a matinee. We’ll be back at my place by three. Promise. I’ll make you plantains.

I send a GIF of a pouting woman.

Greenwich: Both kinds?

Me: Yes.

Greenwich: Fine. I’ll pick you up in an hour.

I send a GIF of a woman clapping in excitement before I run around my condo getting ready. I’ve been cooped up here for days by myself, and I’m excited to get out. The movie was a last-minute decision since I didn’t expect to see Aiden until tonight, but when he said he’d be here early, I invited him along.

After putting on tight blue jeans and a cashmere sweater, I add light makeup and do my best to straighten out the apartment since we’re coming back here later. His gift bag is still under the tree, and my heart races with excitement at the thought of finally opening it. It’s been ten days since I saw him. It’s the longest we’ve gone without seeing each other since we met. I’ve missed him. It’s not normal to miss a friend like this. Even though he’s been away, we’ve stayed in touch, and that only makes me miss him more.

He had two bottles of champagne delivered to me the morning of New Year’s Eve, and it wasn’t the cheap stuff that I’d normally buy myself. He had pizza from a local restaurant sent to me. He had a game in Oklahoma City that night, and we rang in the new year together. We did it twice since he’s in a different time zone and an hour behind. It was the best New Year’s Eve I’ve ever had, and we weren’t even in the same city.

When he texts that his driver is turning down my street, I grab my jacket and bag and sprint to the elevator. It opens right away, and I force myself to slow my pace so as not to appear too eager but end up bursting through the front door of my apartment building. The sidewalks are still icy, and the last thing I want to do is fall flat on my face in front of him, so I slow my pace again.

His car pulls up to the curb at the same moment I reach the sidewalk, and it’s like everything starts moving in slow motion. He steps out of the back seat, bigger than life, and when Jimmy starts to come out, he says something to him, and Jimmy gets back in the car. It’s as if I’ve lost my ability to walk. I stand there, in a daze as he takes the few steps toward me. My eyes peruse him; he’s casual today in blue jeans and sneakers. I’ve never seen him in sneakers before. And despite the frigid weather, he’s not wearing a jacket. He’s in a dark gray pullover that fits his massive and muscled body perfectly. Our eyes lock, and I see something in them I’ve never seen before. They’re darker and more intense today. It’s as if he has something on his mind and he’s trying to figure out the best way to get it out.

A car whizzes down the street and blows its horn, pulling me out of my trance. As cold as it is, I feel like it’s one hundred degrees in January. I clear my throat and look away. The black bag on my shoulder feels like it weighs a thousand pounds. Aiden closes the space between us and looks down at me. I’m not a short woman, but right now, under his intense gaze, I feel minuscule, but not in a bad way. I feel like I want to step into his arms and allow him to protect me. Not just from the cold but from the world. But that’s crazy because we’re friends, and it's not his duty as my friend to shield me from the world.

His long hair whips around, making him look more like a Viking now than ever before.

“So,” I say, needlessly clearing my throat again. I need to speak, otherwise, I’ll jump into his arms and never let go. “Look at this.” I open the bag and hold it up to him. He looks inside, clearly unimpressed. “We’re going to sneak in our own candy and water because I’m not paying five dollars for a bottle of water. Their candy is way overpriced too, but the one thing I won’t skimp on is the popcorn.” He doesn’t say a word. He doesn’t tease me or make a joke about my attempts to save a dollar. “I’ll splurge and get us our own because I don’t share my popcorn. Especially not with giants who eat a lot. And do you realize how fast you eat? I blink and you’re done. Besides—”

The words die in my throat the instant his hands land on my shoulders. I look up, struck speechless by what I see in his eyes. I start to look down, but he grasps my chin and forces my eyes back on his face. I stand there, unable to speak, breathe or move while I wait to see what he does next. Despite the loud New York City street, the biting wind, and a dog barking across the street, I can hear the loud beating of my own heart while I stand transfixed. His eyes roam my face and land on my lips. I lick them involuntarily. His eyes darken, and I think I hear a sound coming from his throat.

It happens within the blink of an eye. One minute, I’m standing on my street holding a bag of candy that I plan on sneaking into the movie theatre. The next, my best friend’s lips land on mine. I’ve studied his mouth since we first met. I’ve imagined them on mine, but when it happens, I stand there immobile and paralyzed. He presses them harder into mine, and I finally snap out of my daze and kiss him back. I open my mouth a fraction, but that’s all he needs. He tastes of mint and cinnamon, two things I can never get enough of. I open my mouth wider, and the kiss soon turns too passionate for a city street full of onlookers, but neither one of us cares. My hands find their way into his hair, and I feel myself sigh in contentment. It’s like I’m floating away from just one kiss. I never want it to end. Uncaring about being in a public place, I deepen the kiss and press my body into his, reveling at how hard his muscles are. It’s been years since I’ve kissed a man, and a lifetime since I kissed a man like this.

He pulls away, and we both pant like we just sprinted ten miles. I stare into his eyes and say, “Did I misread the signs?”

“No,” he says. “Did I?”

“You didn’t.” He takes both of my hands and intertwines our fingers. He brings my hands to his lips and kisses them both.

“How badly do you want to go see this movie?” he asks.

“What movie?” His lips curl into a knowing smile.

“Your place or mine?”

It’s a ridiculous question since we’re already at my place, but I leave it up to him. “Gentleman’s choice.”

“Mine. I’ve seen your bed, and if I have you for the first time on that flimsy thing, we’ll break it.” I feel my eyebrows reach the top of my forehead.

“It’s like that?”

“It is.”

“Let’s go.” With our fingers still intertwined, I start toward his car, but he pulls me away.

---