life. The day when I became a walking corpse. Well, maybe not walking...not really alive, though. Like some fucking zombie."
When she reached over to touch fingers to his cheek, he nearly jumped. He looked up at her expecting to see more pity in her expression. But what he saw there, he couldn't decipher. He just knew that he liked the feel of her touch.
The fingers came so close to his lips. So achingly close. What was she playing at? Did she think he was any less of a man, without any feelings at all? Despite his self-designation as a dead man, there were parts of him that she was bringing to life this very moment.
He grabbed her wrist, brought the palm of her hand to his lips. He had only meant to teach her a lesson, plant a kiss there. Make her jump.
Except she didn't jump. Upon the realization that she wasn't immediately rejecting him, he drew out the kiss, opening his mouth and letting his tongue slip through his lips to taste the warm saltiness of her flesh. He peered up at her to gauge her reaction. He saw confusion…and maybe, just a twinge of desire. The desire surprised him. Then her expression morphed into more confusion as she looked down and saw the unmistakable reaction to her touch.
She snatched back her hand. "I 'm sorry. I didn't mean…I mean…I shouldn't have done that. I was trying to comfort you because... I didn't realize that you could…"
Her voice dropped, as her eyes did a cursory look at the surging flesh beneath his jeans.
His anger and desire were gone . All that was left was a weariness that he was tired of feeling. In addition to the other indignities he had to put up with was the misconception that he was less than , especially when it came to personal intimacies.
" Look, I'm a paraplegic which means I won't ever walk again, excluding some hi-tech advances. But my spinal injuries are incomplete which means I can still feel down there," he said as matter-of-factly as he could, despite the fact that he was somewhat embarrassed now. This whole day was shot and he could expect her now to agree to his earlier suggestion that he drop her class.
"You don't have to apologize or explain. This was totally my fau lt. This whole thing. Maybe I've been pushing you for my own personal reasons. And for that, too, I'm sorry. You're an adult which means your choices should be your own."
"So, we agree that I should drop your class then?" he offered tentatively, not wanting either answer.
She nodded. The only consolation was that she did at least seem disappointed. He didn't know why. Considering the shit he'd put her through in their few meetings, she should be happy to get rid of him.
"OK, then," he said. "I guess I'll be going then."
Again, just a nod as though she was afraid to actually say something.
She escorted him out of the room through the great room, to the door. He couldn't help noticing how the tail of her shirt hugged her hips slightly, and again how the cut of the jeans emphasized the back of her thighs and legs. His erection, having gone down now, was trying to make an encore.
They were at the door and she actually smiled down at him.
"It was nice knowing you, Mr. Yarborough."
So they were back to formalities.
"Thank you…Ms. Temple. Again, I don't need the refund…"
She shook her head. "No, I'll give you at least half back. How's that?"
"OK," he conceded.
"I have your address, so I'll just send you a check. Is that alright?"
This time he nodded with nothing more to say.
But then there was that one last dig.
"Do you need any help getting down the steps," she asked as she opened the screen door.
"No, I got it," he said trying to keep the tightness out of his voice. But he could feel her eyes as he held his right wheel with his left hand and bounced his wheels down each step. Much better maneuvering going down than going up.
At the sidewalk, he did a wheelie, then turned to look at her. He waved before taking off, not bothering to look back.
CHAPTER 7
Maya gave
When she reached over to touch fingers to his cheek, he nearly jumped. He looked up at her expecting to see more pity in her expression. But what he saw there, he couldn't decipher. He just knew that he liked the feel of her touch.
The fingers came so close to his lips. So achingly close. What was she playing at? Did she think he was any less of a man, without any feelings at all? Despite his self-designation as a dead man, there were parts of him that she was bringing to life this very moment.
He grabbed her wrist, brought the palm of her hand to his lips. He had only meant to teach her a lesson, plant a kiss there. Make her jump.
Except she didn't jump. Upon the realization that she wasn't immediately rejecting him, he drew out the kiss, opening his mouth and letting his tongue slip through his lips to taste the warm saltiness of her flesh. He peered up at her to gauge her reaction. He saw confusion…and maybe, just a twinge of desire. The desire surprised him. Then her expression morphed into more confusion as she looked down and saw the unmistakable reaction to her touch.
She snatched back her hand. "I 'm sorry. I didn't mean…I mean…I shouldn't have done that. I was trying to comfort you because... I didn't realize that you could…"
Her voice dropped, as her eyes did a cursory look at the surging flesh beneath his jeans.
His anger and desire were gone . All that was left was a weariness that he was tired of feeling. In addition to the other indignities he had to put up with was the misconception that he was less than , especially when it came to personal intimacies.
" Look, I'm a paraplegic which means I won't ever walk again, excluding some hi-tech advances. But my spinal injuries are incomplete which means I can still feel down there," he said as matter-of-factly as he could, despite the fact that he was somewhat embarrassed now. This whole day was shot and he could expect her now to agree to his earlier suggestion that he drop her class.
"You don't have to apologize or explain. This was totally my fau lt. This whole thing. Maybe I've been pushing you for my own personal reasons. And for that, too, I'm sorry. You're an adult which means your choices should be your own."
"So, we agree that I should drop your class then?" he offered tentatively, not wanting either answer.
She nodded. The only consolation was that she did at least seem disappointed. He didn't know why. Considering the shit he'd put her through in their few meetings, she should be happy to get rid of him.
"OK, then," he said. "I guess I'll be going then."
Again, just a nod as though she was afraid to actually say something.
She escorted him out of the room through the great room, to the door. He couldn't help noticing how the tail of her shirt hugged her hips slightly, and again how the cut of the jeans emphasized the back of her thighs and legs. His erection, having gone down now, was trying to make an encore.
They were at the door and she actually smiled down at him.
"It was nice knowing you, Mr. Yarborough."
So they were back to formalities.
"Thank you…Ms. Temple. Again, I don't need the refund…"
She shook her head. "No, I'll give you at least half back. How's that?"
"OK," he conceded.
"I have your address, so I'll just send you a check. Is that alright?"
This time he nodded with nothing more to say.
But then there was that one last dig.
"Do you need any help getting down the steps," she asked as she opened the screen door.
"No, I got it," he said trying to keep the tightness out of his voice. But he could feel her eyes as he held his right wheel with his left hand and bounced his wheels down each step. Much better maneuvering going down than going up.
At the sidewalk, he did a wheelie, then turned to look at her. He waved before taking off, not bothering to look back.
CHAPTER 7
Maya gave