with
triumph.
“Brina.” His tone is firm. I recognize the
warning. I stop squirming, because I don't want
him to push me away.
Eagan doesn't let me go. We remain
wrapped around each other for a long
moment; our breathing is labored, our hearts
beat a fierce rhythm. Gradually, our limbs
release their tension. Eagan caresses my hair
and strokes my back.
“Go if you have to. It's fine,” I tell him.
He brushes a soft kiss across my cheek and
speaks against my skin. “We're both going.”
“Where?”
“Out. It's a warm day. You need some fresh
air.”
I shake my head and begin to voice my
protest, but Eagan squeezes me and interrupts
my words.
“Say yes, Brina.” His deep and rough voice
commands.
“Yes.”
I take a quick shower, then I put on a purple
tank-top, a black long-sleeved shirt, jeans and
snickers. Meanwhile Eagan puts drinks, the
pasta salad and the cupcakes Clém prepared,
along with a couple of blankets inside a back-
pack.
Eagan insists we take a cab. I try to protest,
but he's immovable.
“Let me take care of you,” he says.
I let him, because I'm too weak and tired to
do otherwise, but mostly because I love being
the focus of his attentions.
Eagan takes me to the secluded park near
the Colosseum he told me about. He also
shows me the deep pink hibiscus. As he
reaches out to stroke its petals, however, I
seize his wrist.
“Don't,” I plead.
Eagan nods. Then he takes my hand and we
stroll under the tall pine trees for a while.
“Have you been here before?” He asks.
“Yes, at night.” I point to our left, where
the curve of a small hill interrupts the view.
“Over there, there's a jazz club. I've been to
some concerts with Ivan and Alessio, during
the summer.”
“Cool. We should go together sometime.”
“Sure.”
It feels nice to make plans. Eagan wants to
fix our friendship. I have to accept the fact
that this is all I can have. This is all he can give
me. And I'll do my best to cherish the blissful
days like this one, when he's all mine.
We find a spot where the grass is untouched
by the shadows of the trees. The sun caresses
my skin even through my clothes.
Eagan spreads the blankets and empties the
back-pack of its content.
“Hungry?” He asks me, even as he sits cross-
legged on one of the blankets.
I mimic his position. “Not really,” I reply.
I place a hand on my abdomen. Eagan
frowns and covers my hand with one of his.
“Is it always this bad?” He demands.
“It used to be even more painful, but then I
started taking the pill and it got better. I'm not
on the pill now, so...”
His fingers stroke mine. I stare at our hands
on my belly.
“I'm not dating anyone. What's the point?” I
continue.
“Get back on the pill, Brina,” he says.
I glance up at him and murmur my promise.
Afterward, Eagan insists on feeding me.
There's a long string of protests in my head,
but I don't utter them, for today is ours and I
don't want to deny him anything. A pleasant
blush warms my skin, as Eagan slips oily
maccheroni and juicy tomatoes between my
parted lips. I lick the fork tines after each bite
and rejoice as I notice his blue eyes turning all
shadowy and intense.
He manages to make me eat more than I
usually do. More importantly, he makes me
enjoy the food.
When he presses the bottle of water to my
lips, though, I shake my head. “No way.”
He laughs and hands me the bottle. As I
drink and swallow, Eagan trails a finger down
the column of my throat.
I stifle a moan of pleasure.
While Eagan gathers the remains of our
lunch and then disposes of them, I lie down
and turn onto my side.
An undeniable ache wells inside my chest.
Me head can pretend this is enough. It can
build a wall around my heart, secluding it,
shielding it from the screams of my desire, like
the wall around this park protects the trees
and the flowers from the noises of the city.
But the cries are too loud. They pretend
Marco Vichi
Nora Roberts
Eli Nixon
Shelly Sanders
Emma Jay
Karen Michelle Nutt
Helen Stringer
Veronica Heley
Dakota Madison
Stacey Wallace Benefiel