Do Anything by Wendy Owens

funnel to my ex, the last person in the world I want to hear from. Instead I’m left stammering, telling them not to worry, that I’m safe, and just trying to figure things out. That of course only makes my mother furious.
    “Figure things out? What on Earth are you talking about? Figure things out. What you should be doing is running home and begging your boss to give you your job back. And really, it’s been long enough. Don’t you think you should at least talk to Jack?” My dear mother always knows the quickest way to send me off the deep end.
    Then there’s Kenzie, who’s managed to sell most of my furniture and deposit the funds into my account, but I can tell she has her own troubles. It’s clear she needs me, needs a friend, a shoulder to lean on, but I don’t have that in me right now. This time she’ll have to figure things out for herself.
    What has my head spinning the most is last night. Jack is a couple months behind me, and while the pain of what he did still stings, he has become more of a distant annoyance to me. The frustration I’m feeling is all centered around Holden. After having the discussion about our no-strings relationship, it feels like each of us is waiting for the other to make the next move. Unsure what line we shouldn’t cross.
    We’re still talking, every day spending time together; we even flirt insanely with one another. When it comes to physical contact, though, we both seem to be treading water, waiting for some sort of sign. Last night, after the pub closed, we went for a moonlit walk. We held hands, talked about what we hope for our futures one day, and then he walked me back to my room.
    We were kissing just outside my door; he had me pressed up against the wall with his body, and I could feel him growing hard against me through his jeans. I twisted my body, shoving my key into the lock and pushed open my door. He stepped back, which I thought was to give me room to go inside. I stood there, just in front of my bed, looking at him, waiting for him to pounce.
    He stared back at me. It was like he was a vampire and couldn’t enter without permission. The silence between us became awkward, and I started to nervously shift from foot to foot. I wanted to tell him he should come in and have his way with me, but I said nothing.
    “Goodnight.” He broke the silence before I could come up with something.
    I was left with only one response, “Goodnight.”
    He turned and walked away. If there was a female equivalent to blue balls, I certainly had it last night. For the first sleepless hour I was angry. How could he not know? Then it shifted into a couple hours of self-loathing. There must be something wrong with me if he could resist my charms the way he did. Lastly, that gave way to a plan. Sheer determination to make this man fall to his knees and beg me to screw his brains out. Kenzie would be proud.
    I stretch out my limbs to their fullest, as if pushing away the sleepless night. I stand and walk over to the window. Immediately, Holden captures my attention. He is at his truck, pulling something from the back. He looks so well-rested I’m once again frustrated with him. He pulls out a package and tucks it under his arm; my frustration shifts to intrigue.
    I hear the front door open and, without any hesitation, his footsteps bounding up the stairs. Before I can move from the spot where I’m standing, there is a knock at the door. I glance down at my clothes: a skimpy tank top without a bra and some sleep shorts. I consider grabbing my robe. While what I’m wearing isn’t exactly what I would call sexy attire, it may be enough to fuel his curiosity. I decide to forego the robe and walk over to answer the door.
    I take in a deep breath and open. He steps inside my room without even looking at me; so much for the vampire theory. “Good morning, beautiful.” The familiar greeting means nothing to me considering he hasn’t even looked at me.
    He rushes to my bed and places