Page 46 of Things I Read About

He can’t take his eyes off me.

It’s amazing. I keep my head down to the board but lift my eyes, looking up at him from under my lashes. “It’s your turn.”

He sighs and nods, slowly dragging his gaze away. He looks at his card. He drew the ankle, an easy piece. But he moves with such deliberate concentration it’s like he’s almost in pain.

“Was she a good girl? The little next-door neighbor type?”

He pulls the ankle bone out. “She was.”

“Ah.” I pull off a sock and present it to him.

He’s not smiling, though.

Again, I can’t read him, so I just focus on my turn. I draw the funny bone. Then my brain makes the connection, delayed, probably on account of all the marble that shifts and tenses in my peripheral vision. That’s what it is. I’m like her. “So I remind you of her, and that’s why you didn’t like the kiss.” I pull the funny bone out.

“No.” He grunts.

“No?” Oh. So, he just doesn’t find me all that attractive? Or doesn’t like my personality? Or what? I need to keep my big mouth shut. I can’t look up. I can’t see all that on display and not say something else.

“No. You’re nothing like her. Andthatwasn’t a kiss.” He throws the board game out of his way and launches himself over to me.

11

His arms lock around me in an instant. His mouth is on mine, lips gently sucking. Hot skin everywhere. He pushes his tongue into me, and I moan.

He guides us back so I’m on my back on the rug and he’s caging me in. I’m already writhing underneath him, desperate. My hands go up his neck and I was right. His buzzed hair does feel like velvet.

He groans, which causes my whole body to arch. My neck is exposed for him, and he takes it, licking, sucking, kissing. He murmurs along my skin as he kisses my neck and chest. “I meant what I said.”

I whimper, loving the fact that he is definitely sucking hard enough to leave marks on me.

“These filthy hands shouldn’t touch you, Sally.”

I grip onto him, afraid he’s about to back off.

“This mouth shouldn’t get to taste you.”

“But I want it to,” I say, reaching down and ripping off my arm shirt and bra in one motion. I toss them as far away as I can.

“Damn it. Look at you.” His eyes take me in, hungry. Ravenous.

I pull him down so his mouth finds my chest.

He groans again before giving me exactly what I want with his hands and his lips, on the left side and then the right.

“Nate,” I whimper, wondering if I might have a heart attack. Can one die from too much dopamine and serotonin? I reach down for his belt.

“Wait, Sally, wait.”

I freeze. “What?”

“Are you absolutely sure you want to do this with me?”

“I mean, we had drinks and two dates. This counts as our third date, and three dates, that’s the rule,” I stammer, repeating something I’ve heard.

“Is it?” He narrows his eyes at me, but then he finishes my work with his belt and shoves off his pants and socks.

I push my sweat pants off, too. I'm just in black cotton panties now. They aren’t the sexiest, but I like the color of my underwear to match my bra.