Fates' Folly by Ella Norris

but it was a one-time thing. I told you when I agreed
to watch movies on Friday nights that you were wasting your time
with me and five minutes of lust doesn't change anything.”
    Bo pushed his body into mine. He was much
taller than I -another reason I thought he was all wrong for me-
but he bent his mouth to my ear with ease. "It was not five
minutes, and it changed everything." He nipped my ear lobe and then
whispered, his breath caressing the curve of my ear, "You want me
as much as I want you."
    I started to shake my head, but Bo stopped
me, wrapping both his hands around me, one at the nape of my neck,
the other cradling my jaw and cheek.
    He laid his head against mine. "No, Myra. No
more games," he said, before he covered my mouth with his.
    His lips were so soft, yet his kiss was hard
and as his mouth overtook mine, I tasted desire, satisfaction and
need. I didn't want him to stop. I never wanted him to stop. He was
right, I desperately wanted him-his mouth, his hands, all of him.
My body sang with want for him. So it was not surprising that it
was Bo who pulled away, Bo who had the strength to stop the kiss.
"Is he really your uncle?" he asked, placing tiny butterfly kisses
on my neck.
    I was still burning from his original kiss,
and it took me a minute to catch up and realize what he asked.
    "Yes, on my father's side," I said, though I
should have said something different. I should have lied to save
myself from Bo, not lied to save Bo from me. I shouldn't have cared
if he got hurt. I should have welcomed the opportunity to finally
end his pursuit.
    "Good. I won't tell you how disappointed I
felt when I found you in his arms."
    "Bo, listen I know you think-"
    "Shhh," he said, softly kissing me into
submission. Then, I don't know how much later, he said, "I have to
go. You have company, and I have a meeting. I hadn't even planned
to stop by. I just couldn't leave things as they were. I almost
came back last night."
    "You would have found me drunk, sick, or
dead," I said, my thoughts still wasted from his last kiss.
    "What?"
    One day I'd be able to control my big mouth.
"After you left, I had a couple of chocolate raspberry, rum and
coke floats with snack cakes on the side. I got drunk, and then I
got sick and passed out dead to the world." Literally.
    Bo grimaced. "I guess I'm not sorry I missed
that."
    "Yeah, it was a blast."
    Bo stepped back away from me. He leaned
against the fridge watching me, waiting… for something.
    I had to try one more time. "Look, I don't
want any kind of relationship. I know my body responds to you, but
that doesn't mean I want anything other than friendship with you.
You're wasting your time. Even if you managed to get me into bed,
one night of sex is all it would be. Last night was my biological
clock or the full moon or something, not me. I'm not
interested."
    Bo tilted his head, giving me a small smile.
"I'm not going anywhere, Myra."
    And he left.
    I was still leaning heavily against the sink
when Riley walked into the kitchen. "I thought you didn't like
men."
    "I don't. I just can't get him to realize
that."
    "You might try using your mouth for speaking
instead of-"
    "That’s none of your business. Besides, I
thought we were in a hurry to get to San Francisco."
    "And I thought you refused to go because of
the pain."
    "I've changed my mind. Bring it on." I'd
welcome the pain, anything to help me forget the man whose kisses
made me feel.

     

Chapter 5: Éclairs?
    We landed
in an apartment building hallway that had definitely seen better
days. I was bent over, pushing my fist into the spot where I
believed my left ovary used to be. "I hate that," I snapped.
    "It will get better with time," Riley said,
walking down the gloomy hallway.
    "It will hurt less?" I asked, shuffling after
him, still feeling disjointed.
    "No, but you get used to it."
    "Great, something to look forward to."
    Riley stopped in front of a door with 4c in
tarnished brass characters under the peep hole. Considering