Chapter 37
**Sara**
I trudged back to my apartment, my head spinning from the whirlwind of emotions and events of the past few days. The cool evening air helped clear my mind, but I still felt like walking through a fog of confusion and desire.
My phone buzzed in my pocket, and I fished it out, expecting another text from Jessica with some outrageous suggestion about how to seduce Tom. Instead, I saw a notification from the dating app I'd downloaded in a moment of weakness.
"Great," I muttered to myself. "Because my love life isn't complicated enough already."
I hesitated, my thumb hovering over the message. James, the guy I'd matched with but never met. My brain screamed at me to ignore it, to focus on my studies and forget about men altogether. But another part of me—a part located decidedly lower—had other ideas.
I opened the message, curiosity getting the better of me. James' words popped up on the screen, making my heart skip a beat.
James: Hey Sara, I've been thinking about you a lot. I can't get that witty banter out of my head. How about we grab a coffee and see if the sparks fly in person? I promise I won't bite unless you're into that sort of thing.
I felt a flush creep up my neck. Damn, this guy knew how to flirt. My mind wandered to places it shouldn't, imagining what those teeth might feel like grazing my skin. I shook my head, trying to clear the steamy thoughts.
"Get it together, Sara," I muttered to myself. "You're not some hormone-crazed teenager."
But the truth was, I kind of felt like one. Between the unresolved tension with Tom and the general drought in my love life, I was wound tighter than a two-dollar watch.
I flopped onto my bed, staring at the ceiling as I weighed my options. On one hand, meeting up with James could be a much-needed distraction. On the other, did I really want to add another guy to this mess?
"Ugh, why is my vagina trying to make life decisions?" I groaned, covering my face with a pillow.
The responsible part of my brain kept reminding me about my studies, the complications with Tom, and how I should focus on more important things. But the rest of me? Well, it had other priorities.
I couldn't deny that I needed... release. The kind that involved less clothing and more heavy breathing. And as much as my body craved Tom's touch, my mind knew that was a bad idea with a capital B.
"It's just coffee," I reasoned aloud, trying to convince myself. "Not like I'm agreeing to marry the guy."
I picked up my phone again and re-read James' message. He seemed funny, charming, and, most importantly, not my professor. Maybe this was exactly what I needed to get Tom out of my system.
"Screw it," I declared to my empty room. "You only live once, right?"
I took a deep breath and quickly typed a reply to James, my fingers trembling slightly.
Me: Coffee sounds nice, but who says we have to stop there? ;) How about we skip the small talk and see where the night takes us?
There, that should do it. I hit send before I could overthink it, feeling a tingle of excitement mixed with a healthy dose of nerves.
James: Well, well, looks like someone is feeling adventurous. I like it. How about we meet at that cafe on the 5th in an hour? I'll bring the charm, you bring that sexy smile of yours, and we'll see where the night goes from there.
I felt my face flush at his bold words. This guy didn't mess around, that's for sure. Part of me wanted to back out, to hide under my covers and pretend this never happened. But another, more primal part of me was already anticipating the thrill of the unknown.
"It's a date," I typed back, surprising myself. "See you soon, handsome."
With that, I tossed my phone aside and flopped back onto the bed, staring up at the ceiling. What the hell was I doing? I should focus on my studies, not galloping around with some random guy from a dating app.
And yet, the thought of Tom's strong hands on my body, his lips trailing down my neck, had my heart racing and my thighs clenching. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing the image away. I couldn't go there, not again. It would only lead to more heartache.
"Ugh, get it together, Sara," I muttered, sitting up and running a hand through my hair. "You need a distraction, and James is just that. Simple as that."
I glanced at the clock, realizing I only had about 45 minutes before I was supposed to meet James. With a resigned sigh, I pushed myself off the bed and headed to the bathroom, determined to make myself look irresistible. If I was going to do this, I might as well do it right.
I stepped out of the shower, feeling refreshed but still a bundle of nerves. As I wrapped a towel around myself, I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the steamy mirror.
"Alright, Sara," I muttered to my foggy doppelganger. "Time to turn into a sexy vixen. No pressure."
I rummaged through my closet, tossing aside outfit after outfit. "Too slutty... too prudish... definitely not first date material," I mumbled, creating a growing pile of rejects on my bed.
Finally, I settled on a cute little black dress that hugged my curves in all the right places without screaming, "I'm trying too hard." I paired it with strappy heels, making my legs look a mile long.
A nagging voice kept piping up as I applied my makeup. "Are you sure about this, Sara? Meeting a stranger from the internet? What happened to focusing on your studies?"
I tried to silence the voice with a generous application of mascara. "It's just a date," I reasoned with myself. "Not like I'm eloping or anything."
But the doubt persisted as I spritzed on some perfume. Was I really doing the right thing? Or was this just another impulsive decision I'd regret later?
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