I have missed sex. I didn't realize how much until I just had it. I hope Joey couldn't tell how rusty I was. Then, again he probably didn't have time - we moved so fast.
Joey still ends up sleeping in one of the guest rooms and in the morning we don't talk about our sexy romp from last night. In fact, when I wake up, he's gone. I look outside and see his car is gone. So much for a goodbye.
I hope things don't get weird now that we slept together. I'm wondering if this is going to continue or not. I assume that was Joey's idea: for us to have sex for the next four months since we can't get caught sneaking anywhere with anyone else or we'll have cheating rumors on our hands.
Normally, I'm not into hook ups or casual sex, but last night felt pretty great and the situation does fit perfectly. I decide I'll relax and see what happens. I can be easy-going, I can handle casual.
The articles already start surfacing. There's about twenty magazines with the photos of Joey and I leaving the restaurant or going into my apartment. The worst part is when the press begins to wait outside my office building and outside my apartment all the time. It's awful. They film me and ask me how serious Joey and I are, how long we've been dating and even if we're planning on getting married. I always ignore their questions. I've never had such disruption in my life, it's not fun at all.
Our next planned outing is an afternoon in Central Park. This time I pick Joey up. I do feel a little awkward that we still haven't discussed the fact that slept together, but I keep reminding myself it's not a big deal - that's what casual means. I guess there's nothing to discuss anyway.
Joey gets in my car and doesn't say one word.
"Hey?" I press.
"Hey?" he looks at me weird.
I shake my head, how can he literally be so rude? He can't even say hello to me.
I start driving and it's another car ride of silence. It annoys me, I know sleeping together doesn't mean anything, but I thought maybe it would at least get us past the not talking pattern. I guess I forgot how much of an ass he is.
When we get to the park the last thing I want to do is spend the next few hours with him, I'm fed up with him already.
Of course, I don't back out and we both make our way to one of the walking paths. I don't see anyone with cameras and no one has spotted us yet. Even so, Joey takes my hand and holds it in his.
We walk around in silence for nearly an hour. I'm tired and aggravated and I'm actually cold. It's fall and I clearly didn't dress warm enough for the weather. I finally take my hand back and Joey stops.
"What are you doing?" he questions me.
"My hand is freezing I have to put it in my pocket," I complain.
Joey sighs loudly at me.
"At least hook your arm in mine - someone might see us," he argues.
I sigh back and reluctantly hook my arm through his and then stuf my hand into my coat pocket.
I'm surprised no one has noticed us but it's probably becuase it's cold out and so the park is practically empty.
We get to a bench and I ask if we could sit for a bit.
"Can we go soon, it's cold," I grumble.
"If no one gets a picture of us, this was all for nothing," Joey spits, clearly not enjoying this one bit either.
"Well, lets go find someon-" I start but before I finish my sentence, Joey lunges at my lips and kisses me.
I'm still so irritated with him, I go to push him off me, but he grabs onto my wrists and quickly whispers over my lips.
"Over there," he mumbles.
I peer over and see a man with a camera.
"Look into it," he whispers.
I quickly loosen up and wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him softly. He kisses me back and this goes on long enough that I finally relax. We keep kissing slowly and softly and it's starting to feel nice, I'm starting to not hate it and actually enjoy it.
Joey eventually pulls back and I look over to see the man is gone and no one else is around.
"Okay we can go," Joey says like he didn't just sensually kiss me for over five minutes straight. He gets up immediately from the bench.
I roll my eyes, I can't believe I was starting to enjoy that - back to being pissed at him.
We're walking back to my car when I suddenly stop in my tracks. I'm staring into the window of a coffee shop I used to sit in everyday.
Joey finally notices I stopped and walks back over to me, since he had walked ahead.
"Hey, could we make a quick stop," I request.
"Do we have to?" he grunts.
"Two seconds!" I exclaim and rush into the coffee shop.
I walk over to the counter and see Gunther, the manager who's been here for years.
"Hey Gunther!" I greet him excitedly.
Gunther looks at me for a moment.
"Uh, hello - can I help you?"
"You don't remember me?"
"Not particularly," he shrugs.
"I used to come here every-" I start, but stop myself when I realize it doesn't matter if he remembers me.
I turn back to Joey who's waiting behind me very impatiently.
"Are you getting a coffee or not?" he whines.
I look at my watch and realize the time.
"Yes," I say and order a coffee.
Gunther pours me a cup and I walk it over to a seating area with couches.
"Can't you ask for that to go?" Joey presses.
"No," I state and sit down at a small table next to the big, orange couch.
Joey sighs and then slumps onto the couch, clearly annoyed with me. I don't care though, I realized that my old friends and I used to meet here everyday around this time. I lost touch with them over the last few years and so I haven't seen them in forever. I would love to run into them, so I'm hoping they're going to walk in any second now.
I wait, nearly giddy, while sipping my coffee. I would love to see my old friends right now, it would make this whole afternoon worth it.
Unfortunately, ten minutes go by and still no sign of my old pals. I'm only half way done with my coffee, but Joey finally stops sitting quietly. I was surprised he lasted this long, but he's done waiting now.
"Okay, come on, I'm grabbing you a to-go cup," he decides and walks over to the counter to find one.
He brings me a paper cup and waits for me to transfer my coffee so we can leave.
I assume my friends aren't stopping here today.
I pour my coffee into the travel cup and stand up.
I stop once more at the counter and can hear Joey exhale an aggregated breath at this.
"Hey Gunther?"
Gunther turns to me.
"Have you seen Ross here lately?" I ask about my friend from high school. He was my best friend for a long time actually.
"Who?" Gunther asks dumbfounded.
"Uh, how about Monica," I mention his sister.
He shakes his head, still no idea.
I'm about to give up, but I try one more friend.
"What about Rachel?" I try.
Gunther unexpectedly perks up at the name.
"Rachel Green?" he clarifies.
"Yes, that's her! Does she still come here?" I inquire.
"Sometimes, not as much anymore... unfortunately," he shares with a genuine saddened tone.
"Oh, ok thanks."
I turn back and finally walk out of the coffee shop with Joey.
I'm actually really bummed about my old friends. I guess I didn't realize how much I missed them until I walked back into that coffee shop.
Every single day I used to go there with my friends Ross, Monica, Rachel and Phoebe. We were all close, really close. I got busy with my company and I keep seeing them less and less. I do regret losing touch.
I'm so in my head about my friends, I nearly forget about Joey. Luckily, I remember enough to drive back to his apartment. I stop the car by the front entrance.
"You coming up?" Joey suddenly knocks me back to reality with his question.
I look around and realize there's surprisingly no paparazzi - it really must be a slow day.
"I don't see any cameras," I shrug.
Joey looks out the window. I'm waiting for him to get out so I can drive home, but he doesn't.
"Are you not going up?" I jest, not understand what he's waiting for.
"Why don't you come up anyway?" he offers.
My eyebrows knit together at this. I really don't understand this guy, he can't stand being with me for a few hours today and now he's inviting me up? I try to wrap my brain around some potential reasons for him suddenly wanting to spend more time with me.
Joey doesn't wait for me to figure it out.
"You look tense again," he breathes.
I finally get it - sex, sex is the reason. I debate it for a moment, wondering if it's really a good idea to keep this going.
Then, I picture Joey naked and immediately park the car and follow him upstairs.