Ficorpio
Chapter 1
My best friend’s girlfriend was a flight attendant with a 36C figure.
I never imagined I’d be the one she cheated on him with.
Or that she would eventually become mine.
When Daniel Mercer called, I was staring blankly at a Product Requirements Document on my computer screen.
My smartphone kept vibrating across the desk, its relentless buzzing shredding what little concentration I had left.
“Ethan, we’re meeting at the usual place tonight. My girlfriend’s flying back today, and I’m finally bringing her to meet everyone. You have to be there.”
Daniel’s voice was as loud as ever. Even through the phone, it made my ear ring.
I rubbed my temple. “You’re finally letting her see the light of day? What is she, some kind of goddess you’ve been hiding from us?”
He laughed smugly. “You’ll understand when you see her. Trust me, she’ll blow you away. And dress well. Don’t embarrass me.”
After hanging up, I glanced at the clock in the lower corner of my screen.
The workday wasn’t close to over, but my mind had already wandered.
Daniel changed girlfriends more often than he changed clothes. If he was making this much of a production out of introducing one, I couldn’t help being curious.
At eight that evening, I pushed open the door of our usual craft beer bar.
The noise of conversation washed over me, mixed with the faint, yeasty smell of beer. Daniel and the others had already arrived. Several of our friends were crowded into a booth, shouting over a drinking game.
Daniel spotted me immediately and waved both arms.
“Over here, Ethan!”
As soon as I reached the booth, he threw an arm around my shoulders and leaned close, lowering his voice with obvious pride.
“Well? I wasn’t lying, was I? She’s gorgeous, right?”
I followed his gaze.
The lighting was dimmer in the corner of the booth, where a young woman sat quietly with a glass of water cupped between her hands. She seemed almost out of place amid the noise surrounding her.
She wore a simple white knit sweater and jeans. Her hair was loosely pinned up, leaving the smooth curve of her neck exposed.
She was striking.
Not in a bold, heavily made-up way. There was something clean and comfortable about her beauty, an understated quality that drew the eye without demanding attention.
And her figure was just as impressive as Daniel had claimed. The soft knit of her sweater traced the curves of her upper body. She was probably a C cup, full and firm, with a narrow waist and long legs.
Daniel might have been careless about relationships, but he certainly had an eye for women.
He pulled me toward her.
“Lily, this is Ethan Carter, the guy I’m always telling you about. My best friend.” Then he turned to me. “Ethan, this is my girlfriend, Lily Bennett.”
She looked up and smiled.
“Hi, Ethan.”
Chapter 2
Her voice was clear and pleasant.
Up close, I could see how fair her skin was and how delicately shaped her nose was. Her bright eyes held the suggestion of a smile, though there was weariness in them too.
I nodded. “Daniel talks about you all the time.”
She gave me another faint smile but didn’t reply. One finger absently wound a loose strand of hair beside her cheek.
Daniel spent the next several minutes boasting about how impressive his girlfriend was. She worked international routes, he told everyone. She had traveled all over the world and seen more places than the rest of us combined.
Lily mostly stayed quiet, offering an occasional restrained smile.
I sat diagonally across from her. Every so often, I caught a faint fragrance drifting from her direction. It wasn’t heavy perfume. It reminded me of jasmine mixed with the warm, clean scent of fabric dried in sunlight.
She probably hadn’t been off the plane for long.
When the others began urging her to drink, she smiled and shook her head.
“I really shouldn’t. I’m on standby duty tomorrow. I’ll toast everyone with water instead.”
Daniel’s expression darkened slightly, as though her refusal embarrassed him in front of his friends. He pressed a glass of beer into her hand.
“It’s fine. Just one. Do it for me.”
Lily’s brows drew together so subtly that no one else seemed to notice. She accepted the glass anyway, though she took only a shallow sip.
Watching her, I felt an emotion I couldn’t quite name.
Daniel had always been careless and loud. Sometimes he truly had no idea how to look after someone.
By the time the gathering began winding down, Lily was struggling to stay alert. She rested her forehead against one hand, her gaze unfocused. Even that single beer appeared to have been too much for her.
Daniel was far worse. He had one arm around another friend and was howling his way through a love song so badly out of tune that no one could recognize it.
I checked the time. It was late enough for everyone to call it a night.
People began ordering rideshares and arranging ways home. Daniel lurched to his feet and slapped me on the shoulder.
“Ethan, can you… can you take Lily home? One of the guys will take me. We’re stopping to get something to eat on the way.”
He could barely stand upright.
I frowned. “You’re still planning to go out for food like this? I’ll take both of you home.”
Daniel waved me off, his words slurring together. “Can’t. Already… already made plans. I’m leaving Lily with you. Make sure she gets home safe.”
Before I could argue, his friends hauled him away.
Chapter 3
The booth suddenly fell quiet.
Only Lily and I remained.
She tried to stand, but her body swayed. I instinctively caught her by the arm.
“Are you okay?”
Her elbow brushed against my forearm. Even through the thin fabric of her sweater, I could feel the warmth of her skin.
“I’m fine…”
She shook her head. Her cheeks were flushed, though I couldn’t tell whether it was from the alcohol or embarrassment.
“Sorry to cause you trouble, Ethan.”
“Come on. I’ll get you a ride home.”
I released her arm.
Outside, the night breeze carried a trace of cold. Lily hunched her shoulders against it.
We barely spoke while we waited for the car. She kept her head lowered, pressing her fingers against her temple.
When the rideshare arrived, I opened the rear door and let her climb in first. As she bent down, that faint jasmine scent drifted over me again.
During the ride, she leaned against the window and seemed to fall asleep.
Her breathing was soft. Her eyelashes trembled occasionally.
I watched the neon lights race past outside and felt strangely unsettled.
What had I gotten myself into?
When we reached her residential complex, I gently woke her.
“We’re here.”
Her eyes opened hazily. It took her a few moments to realize where she was before she got out.
“Thank you, Ethan.”
At the entrance to her building, she searched through her bag for her apartment key. The hallway light was dim, and she missed the lock several times.
I sighed and stepped forward.
“Here. Let me.”
As she fumbled through her bag, a small boarding pass slipped out and fluttered to the floor.
I bent to pick it up. The edges were worn, and the print had faded, as if she’d been carrying it for years.
She took it from me and murmured, “Thanks.”
Then, almost to herself, she added, “I’m always like this after a flight. My head feels foggy, but when I finally get to bed, I can’t sleep properly.”
I took the key and opened the building door without trouble.
“Go upstairs and get some rest.”
She nodded and walked inside. I waited until the elevator doors closed behind her before turning away.
I’d just reached the entrance to the complex when my phone rang.
It was Lily.
Her voice trembled with panic, and she sounded close to tears.
“Ethan… have you left yet? Could you… could you come back?”
My chest tightened.
“What’s wrong?”
“The door… I can’t open it from the inside. I think I’ve locked myself in.”
Damn it.
What kind of night was this?
I had no choice but to turn around.