betting.
“Please, let me pour you a cup.”
He's solicitous and too eager, but that always works to my advantage. “That would be kind,” I say. “Two sweeteners and some cream.”
He falls over himself fixing the coffee, brings it to me ceremoniously and sets it on the table in front of me. “Thank you,” I say.
His eyes are magnified behind his glasses. I turn, lean slightly forward and give him a full look down the front of my dress at the curve of my breasts pushing up from my lacy black bra. He blinks and stares hard. I lean back and sip the coffee.
“It is my pleasure,” he says, and leaves the lounge.
I think, Lecher. All men are lechers, but I know how to handle them. Just the way I know I'll handle Dexter's unreasonable request. I want to stay under her radar, and causing a scene over my clothes won't accomplish that. I calm myself with thoughts of Ryan, of his smooth young body, of his raw and hungry passion.
Everything else is a distraction.
Ryan
I know the location of purgatory—my aunt's house in Baltimore. Dad and I arrive four days before Christmas. By day two I want to go home. My cousins make me nuts. Especially Karen, all of twelve and hanging on me all the time with her silly girlfriends.
“Where's your mom?” one of them asks. “Why didn't she come with you?”
Karen elbows the nosey girl in the ribs. “Shhh. I told you, he doesn't have a mother.”
The girl turns beet red and I grit my teeth but smile at her anyway. “No mom to nag me,” I say.
“Lucky,” the girl says.
All I think about is getting back to Lori. She wasn't very happy when I told her I was leaving, the night before Dad and I flew out. “But what about our Christmas?” she said. “I bought you presents.” Her apartment was decorated and there were fresh logs in the fireplace.
“We'll just have to wait until I get home.”
“You should have told me sooner. Why didn't you say something before now? We e-mail every day.”
“No freedom of movement when my dad's in town, and I didn't want to tell you in an e-mail. But as soon as school starts again, he'll be heading to the Midwest for a five-day medical sales convention. I can stay over. I saved it as a surprise.” Lori has been asking me to spend a whole night with her, and now I can.
That made her smile. “Maybe I'll forgive you.”
I sneak her an e-mail from my aunt's. I'm so bored and craving contact with my real life that I e-mail Honey, too. Lori doesn't e-mail me back, but Honey does. She writes a long story about Cory and their Christmas turkey that makes me laugh out loud. I've forgotten how funny she can be. I realize that I miss her and promise myself that once I'm home, I'll reestablish contact.
Dad takes me and the cousins into D.C., where we visit every historical landmark in the city. Or it feels as if we do. Honey sends me a text message to say hello to the president, and I text back that if I can get past the Secret Service and into the Oval Office, I will. Keeping in touch with Honey helps me feel grounded. The girl's a real lifeline.
When we're in the Smithsonian gift shop, I remember that I don't have a Christmas gift for Lori, so I poke around and finally settle on a necklace from one of their ancient-history collections. A good move, I figure, because she's into history and it's real silver but doesn't cost a bundle.
Two other things happen while we're in Balti-more—I don't get a car for Christmas, and I turn sixteen. Aunt Debbie bakes a cake and everyone sings and Dad keeps saying how important family is and I try to act as if I care. By the time we fly home, I'm about ready to jump out of my skin. The first person I contact is Lori.
She asks, “When can I see you?”
“Two days. Dad's leaving on Tuesday.”
“I don't want to wait that long.”
This makes me feel really good, but tonight Honey, Joel, Jess and a few more of my friends are coming over. I've been looking forward to seeing everyone again. I want Lori
“Please, let me pour you a cup.”
He's solicitous and too eager, but that always works to my advantage. “That would be kind,” I say. “Two sweeteners and some cream.”
He falls over himself fixing the coffee, brings it to me ceremoniously and sets it on the table in front of me. “Thank you,” I say.
His eyes are magnified behind his glasses. I turn, lean slightly forward and give him a full look down the front of my dress at the curve of my breasts pushing up from my lacy black bra. He blinks and stares hard. I lean back and sip the coffee.
“It is my pleasure,” he says, and leaves the lounge.
I think, Lecher. All men are lechers, but I know how to handle them. Just the way I know I'll handle Dexter's unreasonable request. I want to stay under her radar, and causing a scene over my clothes won't accomplish that. I calm myself with thoughts of Ryan, of his smooth young body, of his raw and hungry passion.
Everything else is a distraction.
Ryan
I know the location of purgatory—my aunt's house in Baltimore. Dad and I arrive four days before Christmas. By day two I want to go home. My cousins make me nuts. Especially Karen, all of twelve and hanging on me all the time with her silly girlfriends.
“Where's your mom?” one of them asks. “Why didn't she come with you?”
Karen elbows the nosey girl in the ribs. “Shhh. I told you, he doesn't have a mother.”
The girl turns beet red and I grit my teeth but smile at her anyway. “No mom to nag me,” I say.
“Lucky,” the girl says.
All I think about is getting back to Lori. She wasn't very happy when I told her I was leaving, the night before Dad and I flew out. “But what about our Christmas?” she said. “I bought you presents.” Her apartment was decorated and there were fresh logs in the fireplace.
“We'll just have to wait until I get home.”
“You should have told me sooner. Why didn't you say something before now? We e-mail every day.”
“No freedom of movement when my dad's in town, and I didn't want to tell you in an e-mail. But as soon as school starts again, he'll be heading to the Midwest for a five-day medical sales convention. I can stay over. I saved it as a surprise.” Lori has been asking me to spend a whole night with her, and now I can.
That made her smile. “Maybe I'll forgive you.”
I sneak her an e-mail from my aunt's. I'm so bored and craving contact with my real life that I e-mail Honey, too. Lori doesn't e-mail me back, but Honey does. She writes a long story about Cory and their Christmas turkey that makes me laugh out loud. I've forgotten how funny she can be. I realize that I miss her and promise myself that once I'm home, I'll reestablish contact.
Dad takes me and the cousins into D.C., where we visit every historical landmark in the city. Or it feels as if we do. Honey sends me a text message to say hello to the president, and I text back that if I can get past the Secret Service and into the Oval Office, I will. Keeping in touch with Honey helps me feel grounded. The girl's a real lifeline.
When we're in the Smithsonian gift shop, I remember that I don't have a Christmas gift for Lori, so I poke around and finally settle on a necklace from one of their ancient-history collections. A good move, I figure, because she's into history and it's real silver but doesn't cost a bundle.
Two other things happen while we're in Balti-more—I don't get a car for Christmas, and I turn sixteen. Aunt Debbie bakes a cake and everyone sings and Dad keeps saying how important family is and I try to act as if I care. By the time we fly home, I'm about ready to jump out of my skin. The first person I contact is Lori.
She asks, “When can I see you?”
“Two days. Dad's leaving on Tuesday.”
“I don't want to wait that long.”
This makes me feel really good, but tonight Honey, Joel, Jess and a few more of my friends are coming over. I've been looking forward to seeing everyone again. I want Lori
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