Accidental Romance Read online

  “Because Dad’s not a girl,” Steph said with a smirk in her voice. “Speaking of which, did Chad get you home okay?”

  “I didn’t want him to know where I lived, so I asked him to take me to a bus stop instead.” I said.

  “Smart girl,” said Steph. “You really don’t want him showing up there. Nathan and you might not be really dating, but he might get the idea that you’re having a real affair with the fake dating. Dad’s been keeping close tabs on the buzz and it’s staying pretty positive since you two started dating.”

  “He kissed me, Steph,” I said into the phone as I started up Nathan’s driveway. “We had a long delay before the bus arrived and we started talking and the next thing I knew, Chad was kissing me. And I kissed him back. His kiss is just as sweet as Nathan’s…”

  Steph’s tone changed as she cried out over the phone, “Girl, are you crazy? There are several things so wrong with that.”

  “Like what?” I asked, suddenly feeling indignant. “I was getting the impression that you thought I should get close to Chad!”

  “I was playing with you, since you’re acting like a girl.” Sounding irritated, Steph said, “Chad obviously likes you and thinks he’s getting a girlfriend. You can’t date Chad because one, you’re dating Nathan, arranged or not, and two, you’re a guy. I know you’re connecting with your inner girl, and I don’t have a problem with that. But kissing Chad and kissing Nathan are two very different things!”

  “How?” I asked, starting to feel angry and confused. “Like you said, I’m exploring the girl inside me and Chad and Nathan are both really cute guys that I discovered I enjoy kissing. It’s just kissing. No way would I ever go further than that.”

  Steph grunted and said, “I’m not so sure with you. But here’s the thing. Chad really likes you and believes you are a girl as in having a vagina and the whole nine yards. Nathan knows you’re a guy and if he kisses you, it’s with full knowledge of who he’s kissing. I don’t have a problem with you kissing Nathan. I’d be willing to bet you had or still have a big crush on him, but won’t admit to it. It wouldn’t surprise me if Nathan even crushed on you as well. But Chad could be really hurt by this. He’s going to find out you’re dating a big movie star because you’re going to be getting more and more in the news. That will be bad enough. But how do you think he’s going to feel if he finds out you’re a guy?”

  The glow I was floating on evaporated and now I felt like a jerk. I had cheated on Nathan and made a really nice boy think he had a chance with me. Tears began welling up in my eyes. How could I be so stupid? How could I let my emotions run rough-shod over good sense? I had been ignored for so long, that it felt so good to be considered beautiful and wanted. I should never have let Chad kiss me.

  “Well, only you, your dad and Nathan know that I’m not a girl, and it’s going to stay that way,” I said. “Maybe you could talk to Chad and…”

  Steph interrupted saying, “No, girlfriend. You got yourself into that mess with Chad; you’re going to have to tell him you’re not interested. Amber, I don’t want him hurt. He is a friend, after all.”

  Quietly, I said, “You’re right. You’re right.”

  After a few moments of silence Stephanie said, “And girl, just what are you thinking?? You live with, date and even kissed the most gorgeous man on the planet, and you have an affair, on your second day of being a girl, with a guy who sweeps the floors at Hastings? Come on! You don’t want people to think you’re a slut, do you, making out with every cute guy you see?”

  “I think I have a ways to go before I become a slut,” I said. “But hey, I’ve been standing outside the door for a few minutes now. Nate’s car is here and the house is dark, so I guess he’s gone to bed. I probably should too. Talk to you tomorrow.”

  “Good night, Amber,” Steph said. “Try to be good, okay?”

  “Nite,” I said as I disconnected the call. I put the phone back into my purse and hunted for my house key. Finally finding it, I opened the door and went inside.

  Entering the house, I noticed that with the exception of a security light glowing through the kitchen doorway, it was dark. Nate doesn’t usually go to bed so early as he likes to catch several of the late night talk shows. I made my way to the stairs and started up them to my room.

  Now I felt bad for essentially cheating on Nate as well as leading Chad on. I’ve never been in such a mess before, so I had no idea how to handle it. Well, I just won’t tell Nate about Chad. And in all honesty, did I really cheat on Nathan since we’re really not dating. I don’t know, but now I felt bad anyway.

  Just as I was turning the door knob, I heard an odd sound coming from Nate’s room. I walked over to his door and stood listening a moment. And then I heard a female gasp followed by a female voice saying breathlessly, “Oh, God yes! Ohhhh… mmmmm” and then a series of female squeaky noises. I could hear bed springs compressing and creaking.

  I stood there a moment outside Nate’s door. A jumble of emotions throbbed in my head. Nathan… my Nathan, was boinking some slut. I didn’t know whether to knock on the door, or just rush inside and confront him, or just stand there and cry. And why? Our dating was an expedient means for our mutual benefit. Nathan could have a thousand girls over for sex and it shouldn’t bother me. It’s not like he’s my boyfriend or anything.

  I stood outside his door for a few more minutes, listening to the bed shake and to the woman he was having sex with squealing with delight. And here I was feeling bad. I opened his door and stepped inside his room in time to see Nate’s final few thrusts into the naked woman on his bed.

  “Nathan?” I said. “Is everything okay? I heard some moaning.”

  “Amber! What the hell… ?” Nathan cried out as he slipped off the bed and onto the floor.

  “Who’s that bitch?” asked the lipstick smeared, gum chewing prostitute with her panties around her ankles.

  Nathan stood, grabbing a pillow to cover his well endowed manhood and said, “Amber. Honey. This isn’t what it looks like…”

  I didn’t hear the rest. I slammed the door, crying and ran out of the house. Why was I crying? We didn’t have a real relationship. And except for degrees, I did to Nate what he just did to me. And it’s not like I loved him or anything. This was only my second day as his girl! Rationality didn’t seem to matter.

  This had just turned into a terrible, horrible no good very bad day. I wanted to move to Australia.

  * * *

  Chapter Three - The Accidental Model

  I plopped down on the grass in Nathan’s yard under a large tree that managed to block the glare from a couple of security lights along the driveway and cried. My mind was a torrent of emotions and thoughts as I tried to figure just what exactly were my feelings towards Nathan. I was furious at him for cheating on me with a prostitute, but I had just cheated on him as well with a boy I only met a few hours ago.

  As hard as I could try, I couldn’t rationalize why I had become so angry with Nate. I don’t really love him. We’re not really dating. I’m not really a girl. And I’m not really into guys, despite that I have found that I really do enjoy kissing cute ones. That internal conflict will probably have me traumatized for the rest of my life. I cheated on Nate, and he cheated on me, so what’s the difference? In my mind I screamed, “Because he paid to have sex with some floozie!”

  While these conflicting thoughts bounced around in my head, I watched a taxi pull up to Nate’s door. A minute later, the bimbo, hair disheveled, make-up a mess, kinda-sorta wearing her clothes, climbed into the cab. Another few moments and the cab drove away. Lit by moonlight, Nathan stood at the doorway, watching the cab leave, and then it looked like he was scanning the yard. He seemed to spot me sitting on the ground in the shadows of a tree and started walking my way.

  I didn’t look over at him as he sat down on the grass beside me and folded his legs. He didn’t say anything or even glance over at me for a minute or two. We both just stared across the driveway in silence
.

  “Bob… Amber. Look, I’m…” Nathan started to say.

  Interrupting, I said, “Are you going to say you’re sorry? Sorry for having sex with another woman or sorry I caught you? Do you think just saying you’re sorry is all you have to say and everything’s hunky-dory?”

  I could see Nathan’s frown even in the darkness. He said, “With another woman? I was having sex with a woman. You’re not one, remember?”

  “Well, you are dating me aren’t you? I’m living with you. You kissed me at the gala like you meant it.” I still wasn’t sure just what point I was trying to make. “I was all ready to confess to kissing someone else today, but you went and did something far worse!”

  Sounding hopelessly confused, Nate said, “What? Dating? Our dating is a contrivance for me, Tony’s and your benefit. Yes, you live with me, but we don’t share a bed! My God!” Nathan paused to take some breaths before continuing, “And… and you say you were kissing someone today? I don’t care if you have a relationship with Steph. She is only nineteen and Tony might not like it too much.”

  Sounding more indignant than I probably should have, I said, “I didn’t kiss Steph! I kissed Chad, the boy who took me to a movie and out to eat today. I…”

  Nathan glared at me and said, “You kissed a guy? Are you nuts? You can’t date other guys! Not only did I not realize you’re into guys, which now makes me nervous about this arrangement, but think of the risk! You could get beat up and destroy my reputation!”

  “I’m not into guys,” I said. “I mean, not really. And wouldn’t fucking some whore hurt your reputation?”

  “Not as much as people thinking I’m into dating guys!” Nate almost shouted. “Besides, before Sharon, I was seen in public quite often with an escort. That’s no big deal!”

  “I just thought we had something deeper…” I started to say.

  “Oh, really?” Nathan sneered. “So deep that you felt you needed to date another guy? Look, Bobby, you might not understand this, but a man has needs. I can’t have sex with you since you don’t have a pussy. Call me old-fashioned, but that’s kind of a necessity for me. I like you, but not that way. Are you suggesting I fuck you?”

  “Of course not!” I shouted, not caring we were outside in the middle of the night.

  “Then let’s just agree that we both screwed up tonight,” said Nate in a calm voice. “I’m sorry about tonight. I didn’t realize you felt like this. I promise no more hookers while we’re pretending to be dating, okay?”

  I pulled a few blades of grass from Nate’s yard for a few moments. Without looking up I said, “I know you probably think I’m being unreasonable for getting mad at you for doing something you can’t do with me. But a prostitute? Really? At least I was with someone I could have feelings for, not girl number four thousand five. My emotions are all over the place. I’m not used to being a girl and yet it feels natural and it worries me to be suddenly attracted to guys. I’m so wound up right now I feel like exploding.”

  Nathan touched my arm and softly said, “Look, I’m really sorry. I assumed you didn’t care. I was wrong, okay? I’m sorry.”

  I placed my hand on top of Nathan’s hand and looked over at him. “I’m sorry to. I let myself get carried away again while exploring being a girl.” I frowned at him in the darkness and said, “But you again have the easy part of it. I have to let down a boy who likes me. Your prostitute isn’t going to care if you don’t call her again.”

  Nathan shrugged and said, “She might. This isn’t the first time I’ve fucked that…” Nate stopped in mid-sentence when he saw me scowling at him. He then said, “But yeah, you’re right. She’s not going to care.”

  We sat there in the darkness in Nathan’s yard without speaking for several minutes. What was I going to do about Chad? What were my feelings for him? And why do I have any for him at all?

  “You know, it’s funny,” said Nathan, breaking the silence.

  “What is?” I asked.

  “When we were kids, and you’d come over and we’d play video games,” said Nathan, staring at nothing. “I… I haven’t ever mentioned this before. But when we were sitting on the floor in front of the TV, I’d look at you and think how pretty you were. No, wait, let me finish. I’d sometimes feel all smug because I’d pretend that the prettiest girl in school was with chubby ol’ me and not some jock.” He let out a short laugh before continuing, “I never really let it jell into a thought before, but Bobby, I have to admit that I had a serious crush on you.”

  “Now you’re shittin’ me,” I said with an annoyed tone. “You don’t have to make stuff up to get on my good side.”

  “I’m serious!” Nate exclaimed. “Like now, you were very pretty. Do you remember that one time we were sitting on the floor watching a DVD and my mom was sitting in a chair right behind you? Without thinking, she just started braiding your hair.”

  I smiled, “I remember that. I didn’t say anything to her, and I thought it was odd she didn’t ask. She just braided it. And I have a confession too.”

  Nathan was holding my hand. He said, “Oh? A confession?”

  “Yeah,” I said, “I can’t say why and it was only for a short while, but when I was in college and went to the first couple of your movies, I felt a twinge of jealousy of the girls that kissed you.”

  “I never knew you were into guys,” Nathan said seriously.

  “I’m not… or wasn’t. I’m not really. But I can’t deny having a little crush on you as well,” I said, not able to look Nathan in the eye.

  Nate laughed, “And now we’re together! Maybe it’s fate, eh?”

  I laughed too, “Well, yes and no. We can’t have a real relationship for, well, obvious reasons.”

  Nathan went quiet again. He just looked at me and then slid his hand gently down my cheek. Shaking his head, he said, “God damn. Why do you have to be so beautiful?” He then leaned forward and kissed me. He pressed into me and I lay on my back, and we kissed in the darkness on Nathan’s lawn for a long time.

  * * *

  The hospital gown hung loosely around me as I sat up on the bed in the small recovery room. “Oh wow,” I said as I felt the unaccustomed weight on my chest shift. “That’s different. Ow. It’s so tight.”

  Dr. Martin and one of his nurses were in the room with me. The nurse was checking my blood pressure. Dr. Martin chuckled and said, “Oh yeah. They’ll feel really tight for a while and very tender for the next few days. Tell your boyfriend to keep his hands off your new breasts until the sutures heal and the tenderness goes away. Tony said to go ahead and make you a C cup since we’ve got a special this week.”

  “No wonder the skin feels like it’s stretched too tight,” I said.

  “Come back Wednesday so I can remove the bandages over the incisions and make sure there’re no infections. You have a ride back home, correct?”

  I nodded and said, “Yes, my friend Steph is driving.”

  Dr. Martin smiled and said, “Good. Here’re some instructions to follow for the next few days. If you feel feverish, or see redness, or experience dizziness, be sure to call my office right away. Enjoy your new breasts, Miss Johnson.”

  “Thanks,” I said as he left the room. What have I gotten myself into now?

  The nurse said, “After you’re dressed, let me know and I’ll assist you to your car.”

  After the nurse left the room, I slipped out of the hospital gown and even though I knew they were there, I was still shocked to see my new breasts hanging from my chest. I touched the side of one of my boobs and regretted it immediately. The skin was very sore. I gingerly slid a sports bra over my boobs and then slipped on a t-shirt. I then pulled on a pair of jeans.

  Steph wore a huge grin as I entered the lobby area where she was waiting for me. She called, “Amber!” and rushed to me to give me a hug. I had to put up my arms toward her off.

  “No hugs, Steph! It hurts enough as it is,” I said as she stopped short.

  “Sorry,” she
said sheepishly. “I’m just so excited for you! What do you think? Do you like them?”

  “I think they hurt,” I said honestly. “I hope I like them since I’m stuck with them for a while.”

  A few minutes later, we were in Steph’s car heading back to Nate’s house.

  Sucking in a gasp, Steph said glancing over at me for a second, “Dad asked Dr. Martin to give you C cups because of a special? He just wants to see your boobs at the office when you start working there next week.”

  “Maybe,” I shrugged. “But, I can get them adjusted over the next few weeks if I find these are just too big for me. C is about average.”

  “What do you think Nathan’ll think of them?” asked Steph as she guided her car up onto the freeway.

  “I hope he likes them,” I said. “He didn’t really comment much about where I was going this morning.”

  Steph frowned and said, “I still can’t believe he’d hire some diseased hooker to have sex with when he already has a beautiful girlfriend.”

  I gave Steph a wry grin and said, “Well, he can’t really come to me for sex.”

  Steph glanced over at me and said, “Actually, he can…” Her voice trailed off.

  I shook my head and said, “Nate is straight… mostly. And neither of us are fudge-packers. He just promised that while we’re living together, he’ll swear off the hookers.”

  “Yeah, right,” said Steph. “That’s likely to happen. And even if he did, it’s okay for him to have prostitutes after he goes to Europe?”

  I shrugged and said, “What can I really do about it? As he said, men have needs, and I can’t give that to him.”

  * * *

  “What are you doing?” I said in surprise as Steph pulled her top off and unsnapped her bra.

  “Let’s compare! I want to see how you look,” Steph said. “We’re girls. It’s okay.”

  Very carefully, I pulled the sports bra over my head and revealed my new breasts in all their glory. I was bothered by how shiny the stretched skin was. Steph let out a whistle and gave me a thumbs up.