Last First Date

"Stop fighting with me! I've been given explicit instructions, and you're going on this date whether you like it or not."

Reid groaned dramatically as I tugged on his arm. "I already showered and everything, what else am I supposed to do, Sydney?"

"Um, put on a decent outfit?"

"What if I don't even want to go?"

"Too bad. You had the opportunity to back out when Jodie asked you if she could set you up, and you didn't, so now you're going." I mimed dragging him down the hallway to his room. "As your best friend and roommate, I'm in charge of making sure you show up and look good."

Heavy footsteps fell on the floor as Reid stomped after me. "As my best friend, I'd think you'd be on my side about not wanting to go."

Reid and I had been best friends since we were kids. Growing up next door to each other, we'd spent years playing basketball in his driveway in the summer or making snow forts in my yard in the winter. Even though Reid was two years older than me, he had always let me be part of his life. He might have teased me mercilessly, but I knew he was always there for me. He had helped me with crushes, coached me through my first date, first boyfriend, and first subsequent heartbreak.

It seemed only natural for us to room together while he went to trade school and I went to college. We were friends and students; he had a two-bedroom apartment and his roommate was moving out. It just so happened that once he was apprenticing and I had graduated, we just kept living together.

I knew people thought it was strange. Here we were, mid-20s, and living together platonically. I know a good number of people assumed we would get together one day, but Reid had never felt that way about me. It was kind of weird, at first, to bring dates back home and to know that he was across the hall from my bedroom, able to hear every little thing that happened. The discomfort didn't last long, however. Many a date had made her way into Reid's bedroom, and I learned quickly that a pair of noise-cancelling headphones was an easy enough solution.

I let myself into Reid's room as he trailed behind me.

"Just watch. She's going to be super hot and sexy and funny. It'll be your last first date, you'll fall in love and have eight kids and tell everyone about how it was just love at first sight. And I can be cool Auntie Syd and ride a motorcycle and buy them alcohol when they start going to parties in high school."

"You've never even been on a motorcycle."

I grinned at Reid from across his room as he stood in the doorway, head tilted in a pout.

"I'll learn to ride a motorcycle," I said.

"I don't know why you and Jodie think that I need to be dating someone." He entered the room and flopped onto his bed. "Maybe I'm happy living the single life."

"At the very least, you need to get laid, Reid." A startled noise came from his throat and I giggled as I opened his closet, searching through his clothes. "You used to have a parade of babes coming through here. Now you're all grouchy. It's clearly sexual frustration."

"That is so very wrong. Besides, not all of us need a 'parade of babes' in our rooms. Unlike you, I like to have a night off once in awhile. Rest up, you know."

I snorted. "Are you calling me a ho?"

"Nah, you already know you're a ho."

We both lost it, and I threw a shirt at him playfully between giggles. "Try this on for me."

I heard him shift off the bed behind me and reluctantly begin changing as I dug through his closet for a few more outfit options.

"So who is this girl, again?"

"Jodie's coworker, Lauren. She's a social worker with their agency. I've met her a couple times, she's super pretty and really sweet. Curly hair, kind of a boho-chic vibe. Lots of flowy dresses and such."

"Mm. Not exactly my type, then?"

"I thought your type was 'has boobs.'"

"I'll have you know I'm a man of discerning tastes."

"Ah yes, of course. And what is your type, then, exactly?" I turned around, arms full of clothing as Reid finished buttoning the shirt I'd thrown at him.

"You know..." he trailed off. "Sporty, kind of."

"Oh, sure." I rolled my eyes. "The shirt's not doing it for me. Take that off and put on this t-shirt with this shirt over top of it."

"Yes, ma'am."

"And these jeans." I tossed the jeans across the bed.

"Are you going to watch me change?" His hands worked down the buttons as he spoke, eyes crinkling.

"Oh, excuse me while I preserve your modesty." I turned sarcastically as he laughed.

"Gotta leave something to the imagination," he said. "Okay, how does it look?"

I turned back around and looked over Reid. "You'll thank me tomorrow after she leaves." I stepped across the room, adjusting his shirt and helping him roll the sleeves up to his elbows. "Now, tuck the front in just a bit. Perfect."

Reid spread his arms as I looked over him. "Presentable?"

He looked great. As my eyes moved up and down, I had the thought that Reid was far better looking than he had any right to be. His jeans fit nicely, held up by a nice belt. The t-shirt was fitted, showing off a physique that said "I work out, but also will order dessert." Nicely toned, but not intimidating. And the rolled-up sleeves of the shirt he had over it showed off his forearms and highlighted his large hands.

Okay, I haven't been entirely honest.

My entire life, I'd harbored a crush on Reid. I'd also spent my entire life stuck being seen as, at most, a younger sister. He'd helped me through my first date and first boyfriend, but my first heartbreak had been the day I'd seen Reid with his first girlfriend.

My second heartbreak had been the day he'd blushed, embarrassed, as his friends teased him about hanging out with me. "She's just my friend," he had shouted. "I don't like her like that!"

That had been years earlier, though, and while I'd never fully gotten over my little crush on Reid, I'd successfully moved on with my life. I'd dated casually, had a few relationships, and certainly had my share of one-night-stands parade through my bedroom in our little apartment. I'd also learned how to sneak them out in the morning, much to Reid's chagrin. He loved to give them a hard time the next day.

But, back to that particular moment, where Reid was standing in front of me, waiting for my review of his outfit. In that moment, I felt the small rekindling of the torch I'd carried for him paired with the sadness of knowing I was sending him into the arms of some other woman. I pushed those feelings away quickly, and grinned up at Reid.

"You look awesome. Want me to make sure you've got bacon and eggs ready for breakfast tomorrow?"

He swatted my arm playfully and I jumped, more out of surprise at the sudden feel of his hand against my skin. "You seem pretty sure she'll be coming back here."

"I would if I were her. I did a hell of a good job cleaning you up."

Reid arched an eyebrow at me. "You would?"

"You know what I mean." I refused to let him fluster me. "Anyway, you're right. Maybe you won't come back here."

"Ouch."

"Maybe you'll end up at her place."

He scoffed. "Sure, we'll see about that."

I had to urge Reid out of the house in time to make it to his date. When he finally left, I sighed. I had met Lauren a few times and she was gorgeous, and funny, and always looked put together. Paired with the fact that I knew she'd just returned from Mexico and had a killer tan, she was the epitome of sexiness. I tried not to be jealous. Reid had seen me in all manners of complete unsexiness, from being an awkward, gangly teenager to sweating buckets after working out to that very moment, in ratty yoga pants and a messy bun. I was quite certain she'd be back at our place after the date.

My phone went off with a text message from Jodie.

Lauren says Reid just got there. Mission accomplished! Now it's up to them.

Woo! Fingers crossed they're a match! ;-)

I smiled sadly at my phone, my text much more positive than I actually felt.

I wandered around the apartment aimlessly before flopping onto the couch, not used to the time alone. Reid hadn't been out much, and I had gotten used to having him around all the time. Suddenly, everything seemed incredibly quiet and lonely. Normally, Reid and I would have dinner together, and then we'd watch an episode of something or the other, and then maybe he'd play video games while I read a book or headed out for the night. It wasn't like we spent all our time together, but it certainly seemed that we'd gotten into a comfortable routine.

My plans had fallen through for the evening, though, and I hadn't bothered to make new ones. My best friend from college was supposed to be back in town, but her flight had been delayed. I had been looking forward to seeing her, so was feeling particularly let down.

I decided to make the most of having the apartment to myself. After showering and slipping into a comfy pair of sleep shorts and a tank top, I popped a batch of popcorn for dinner. Cracking open a beer, I settled in on the couch, picking a movie I knew Reid would never want to watch. While he preferred comedies or thrillers, I wanted love and drama.

It certainly wasn't planned that the movie I picked had a heart-droppingly gorgeous male lead that ended up in a panty-dampening sex scene with the equally erotic love interest. Watching the two of them paw at each other in a clandestine love affair was more than I could handle. Between that and the reminder of my attraction to Reid, I was in a state of full arousal by the time the movie ended.

Wiping my fingers after finishing my popcorn, I glanced down the hallway towards our rooms. Reid wouldn't be back for awhile. I was certainly not a beautiful, cat-like actress in a satin emerald dress about to be pounded against a bookshelf, but just for a moment, I wanted my own steamy scene. I flipped the TV off and shuffled through the apartment to the bathroom.

Reid and I each had our own private drawers in the bathroom, and I left a small bullet vibrator in mine for the occasional bathtub excursion. I dug it out quickly and made to go into my bedroom, but paused at the door. Glancing behind me, I eyed Reid's bedroom door.

My heart started pounding, strong enough that I could feel the pulse in my neck and hear the thundering in my ears.

"No," I said out loud.

Reid and I had our own spaces. It was my best friend I was thinking about, and he didn't deserve something so disrespectful as me masturbating on his bed.

Especially since he might be bringing someone back to fuck there.

I started back into my bedroom, but paused again, throwing another look over my shoulder at Reid's room.

Then again, I said to myself, it would be incredibly hot.

I didn't give myself another opportunity to back out. I opened Reid's bedroom door and bolted into his room. Gingerly, I crawled onto his bed over top of the blankets, lying on my back with my head on his pillow.

A scent that was distinctly Reid enveloped me. Whether it was his body wash or cologne or a mix of that with his own sweat left on the pillow didn't matter to me. I closed my eyes, inhaling as I imagined having Reid in the bed with me.

Balancing the vibrator on my stomach, I wriggled my hips, sliding my panties and sleep shorts down at the same time and taking care to put them on the edge of the bed where I knew I'd find them again. I held the vibrator in one hand as I let the other caress my stomach. My hand moved underneath the fitted tank top, sliding up my stomach to my breasts. I had forgone a bra, and the friction of my tank top against my hardened nipples was intoxicating.

I took my hand away from my breasts, trailing it down to the pool of moisture between my legs. The excitement and nervousness of being in Reid's bed was more than I could handle. I worked my fingers against the slick lips of my pussy, dipping them just inside my dripping entrance, before turning my vibrator on and immediately pressing it to my clit.

A muted sigh escaped my lips as the vibrations relieved my intense arousal. My breath came heavily, and I pushed my hips forward just slightly, grinding back against the vibrator. Reid's pillow was soft under my head and his blanket was cool against my naked lower half. I spread my legs a bit more, my hand wandering back up to my breasts. Tweaking my nipple, I stifled a moan.

I pictured Reid towering above me. He had long been a prominent image in my masturbatory fantasies. The addition of being in his room, surrounded by his things and his scent and in his bed where he fucked his other girls... it was more than I could handle. I wanted him so badly in that moment. I wanted not just the lingering scent of cologne, but I wanted his body, to feel the heat of him against me, pushing inside of me.

The slow knot of an orgasm begin to unravel deep in my stomach, and I tensed in anticipation. I adjusted the vibrator against my clit, waiting eagerly to come. I was so close, so ready, just teetering on the edge of orgasmic bliss when I heard the apartment door bang closed.

"Hey, I'm back!" Reid called out.

I had never moved so fast in my life as in that moment, panic coursing through my body as I sat up. My fingers were slick and I fumbled with my vibrator, barely managing to turn it off. I snatched up my sleep shorts as I bounded off the bed, peeked into the hallway quickly to make sure he hadn't started towards his room, and practically hurdled across the hallway into my own room.

Panting, I tossed my vibrator onto a pile of clothes and rushed to slip my shorts back on, nearly tumbling over as I tried to maintain my balance.

"Sydney?" Reid's voice was at the end of the hallway.

I popped my head out of my bedroom door, plastering a smile on my face that probably made me look a little crazy. "Hey!" My voice was too loud, too upbeat. "How'd your date go? Did Lauren come back?"

Reid eyed me warily. "Uh, no. She's nice but we didn't have a ton of chemistry. So much for a last first date."

"Aw, I'm sorry to hear that."

"Are you okay?" He frowned. "Is someone in there?"

"Nope!" A slightly obnoxious giggle bubbled out of my lips. "Just... you know, probably should have eaten a better dinner and not drank a beer. Guess I can't hold my liquor that well!"

"That's bullshit." Reid shook his head. "You're being weird. You sure everything's okay?"

I nodded, not trusting myself to speak again, as Reid walked down the hallway and into his bedroom. My jaw clenched as he flicked the light on.

"Okay then. I thought you'd be hounding me for details."

"Tell me everything," I said obediently. "What happened?"

"Well, she's a vegetarian, I don't know if you knew that. So we probably shouldn't have gone to a steakhouse." He took off the dress shirt as he talked to me. "Also sounds like she met some guy in Mexico that she has a thing for, but he doesn't live here. Never said anything for sure, but couldn't stop talking about him."

"That sucks."

"Yeah, but it was all right. She didn't give me shit for ordering a steak or anything, so that was good."

Neither of us were looking at each other, and our eyes fell on the same thing at the same time. My stomach dropped as I realized my panties were sitting on the edge of Reid's bed, just as he looked confused at the misplaced scrap of pink fabric hanging off his blanket.

"Syd, are these..." He picked up my panties, frowning down at his hand. "Why are these in my room?"

I froze in horror as any number of excuses flew through my brain. They got stuck to the sheets in the wash. I undressed really enthusiastically and they got tossed in the air. Haha, it's a prank, bro.

None of the excuses made it out of my lips as Reid frowned down at his bed. The blankets were just the slightest bit ruffled, and there was an indent in the pillow where my head was.

"Were you in my room?"

I grasped frantically at the flimsiest of straws, hoping he would end the conversation and we would never speak of it again.

"No...?"

I didn't know who I thought I was kidding. The panic in my voice, the flush on my cheeks and chest, and the damp pink panties in his hand were more than enough to incriminate me.

"And you're definitely not hiding someone in your room right now?" His voice was low, the sarcasm barely hidden.

My mouth was dry as I shook my head. Reid stepped forward, making his way into the hallway. Shaking, I took a step back into my room as he poked his head inside. He glanced around, his eyes falling on the vibrator sitting on the pile of clothes nearby.

"So you weren't fucking someone on my bed, you were masturbating on it?"

I couldn't physically speak. My throat was as frozen as the rest of me, staring at Reid. I hoped I didn't look as terrified as I felt, but I was sure my face was pale aside from the patches of skin that I could still feel burning. Whether the burning was residual from the almost-orgasm or a new reaction to the embarrassment I was feeling, I didn't know.

"Syd, what the fuck?"

"I'm s-s-sorry." The words came out stuttered, barely above a hoarse whisper.

"Why would you do that?"

Tears pricked in my eyes and an invisible grip seemed to clench inside my chest. My lips were parched and I couldn't form another sentence. I shook my head, trying not to let the tears fall. Reid was only a few steps away, standing in my doorway, and his face softened a bit as he seemed to notice my eyes watering. "Syd, talk to me. Tell me why."

"It's not obvious?" My voice was strained, as Reid's gaze stared directly into my embarrassed soul. My hands trembled and I balled my fingers into fists.

"You don't think you owe me an explanation?" His voice was dark again, serious.

I tried not to choke on my words, despite knowing I had just fucked up years of friendship.

"Because I'm attracted to you, Reid." The words hung between us. "And because it turned me on."

He glanced down at his hand. He was still holding my panties, the fabric tight between his fingers.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

I swallowed hard, trying to relieve the dryness in my mouth. "I've had a crush on you my entire life. You said you didn't like me like that."

"When did I say that?"

"You said it to Graham Polt and Brad Lindt. They were teasing you for hanging out with me."

"Syd, I would have been maybe 15 when I said that." When I didn't respond, he sighed. "You never admitted this to me because of something I said when we were kids?"

"When else was I supposed to say it? When you had a girlfriend? When you were done sleeping with some random hook up?" I finally managed to string together a sentence without stuttering, but it was short lived. "I did something stupid a-and rude tonight, I know that, I'm s-sorry. But I never wanted to s-say anything because you're my friend and I d-didn't want to make things weird."

"So you just rubbed one out on my bed, thinking that wasn't the definition of weird."

The words stung and I felt one of the tears escape from my eye. I wiped a hand across my cheek hurriedly, staring at the floor.

"How often have you done this?"

"Just tonight."

"I'm supposed to believe that? This was the first time and I just happened to catch you?"

Another tear fell. "I'm telling the truth."

I went to wipe the second tear, but Reid stopped me. His fingers wrapped around my wrist firmly, but not painfully. I still winced, but he released my wrist and his hand moved up to my cheek, wiping the tear out from under my eye.

"Do you know how difficult it is for me to listen to a string of guys fucking you from the other side of the hall?" His voice was a low growl.

"You had your own string of women to fuck," I spat back. My face burned, angry at my eyes' betrayal as another tear slipped down my cheek.