High Heels and Pink Glitter (18+) COMPLETE, FREE TO READ CHICK LIT

Netflix And Chill

After you slept with someone for the first time the two days afterwards told you all you needed to know.

Kelly had years of experience in reading men, trying to figure out what they were thinking and what they thought of her. Nate spent the night with her, a positive sign, leaving before she could offer him breakfast – a negative sign? – as he said he had a client first thing.

Kelly spent the morning in bed. She had no work demands and a good book to read, which distracted her for the first few hours. Then, the doubts began to creep in. Should he have texted her by now, a sweet message that said he'd had a wonderful time last night and couldn't wait to see her again?

When it got to 11am and he still hadn't been in touch, she got up. It had been a while since she'd resorted to the chocolate cupboard. Tucked at the back was a half-box of Miniature Heroes. She took them back to bed, spilling them out onto the counterpane and beginning to work through them one by one.

She could contact him, couldn't she...? A simple message such as "Hey! Had a great time yesterday. Hope your client wasn't too demanding," or "Bit battered and bruised this morning – but in a good way! Hope you're okay."

That kind of message didn't sound desperate or needy, did it? And they were open remarks. They didn't pose a question or suggest they should meet up again. That way if she sent them and he didn't reply she wouldn't have made a fool of herself.

The chocolates were finished by the time she had mulled over the wording of a casual message. But it still needed some thought. Nell or Leon could help. Nell's phone went straight to voicemail, so she tried Leon.

Martin answered his phone. "Kelly." Why did he always have to sound so unenthusiastic when he greeted her? "Leon's just popped out to get us some eggs for brunch."

"Oh well, it's nothing important. I just wanted his advice about something. I'll try later."

Martin sniffed. "We've going out."

"Ah! Some other time, then."

There was a protracted sigh. "I suppose you could ask me."

Desperation had set in. Normally, she would never ask Martin his advice. It tended to be of the tough love variety.

Kelly outlined what had happened, and asked him what she should do next. Martin asked a few questions – focusing unnecessarily, Kelly felt, on what they'd done in bed and how many times they'd had sex – and then paused, the silence going on for longer than was comfortable.

"I never get heterosexuals. Or maybe it's just women. You overthink everything."

She heard a door open and someone come in. "Is that Leon?" she asked eagerly. He made a much better agony aunt.

She heard a muffled conversation, and then Martin came back on the line. "Mmm, it was. I explained your issue and he's happy for me to keep dealing with it."

Honestly, it was as if this was a job. Leon was the boss, Martin his second-in-command and Leon had deputised the task of advising Kelly, confident in his employee's abilities.

"Listen carefully," Martin elucidated "Do nothing. It's up to him. If he likes you, he'll be in touch. He's forgotten all about you this morning because he's been busy with his client."

Kelly winced.

"Men compartmentalise, Kelly," Martin explained. He must have heard that wince. "He had a client. He's focused on that and getting his weekend shit together. Men don't think like women. It won't have occurred to him that you needed ten texts this morning to reassure you."