can this, whatever it is with us, last?"
"Well, when classes start I won't be able to hang out at the beach all day anymore if that's what you're asking. Are you trying to define us Charley?" She paused, considering.
“We’re friends." She said slowly. “At least until classes start. Maybe not even ‘till then.”
"You sick of me already?"
"Getting there,” she said with this sexy smile on just one side of her mouth. “Look, the reason I ask is because I have a proposition for you."
Finally! I wanted to fist pump the air but didn’t want to jinx the moment. I knew she wanted me. I was already getting excited thinking about seeing her body; drinking in her skin with my tongue and my hands and my tongue. I was so ready. More than ready but I couldn’t let so I did what I did best with girls: played dumb. "Oh? A proposition?"
"Yes. I think we've got a really unique opportunity here. I mean, our relationship is temporal at best. And even if it weren't, I don't think being long term friends is in the cards for either of us because, frankly, I think you're a pain in the ass and I know that the feeling is mutual."
She had a point, sort of. Get to the propositioning already, please. I could take you right here on this beach. With my tongue. Did I already mention that? "Go on."
"So I propose that we dispense with the nonsense and just be real. You clearly need someone in your life willing to call you out on your bull.”
“Oh and you don’t?”
She smiled. “Maybe I do. This agreement would work both ways.”
“So total honesty.”
“Total and brutal. Yeah. Deal?” I looked at her like she was crazy, but her face said she wasn't kidding, which gave me pause. I hadn’t been truly honest with anyone, especially myself in a long time. Somewhere in me I knew that it could only end badly, but I couldn't say no. I wasn't ready to give her up. I rationalized that brutal honesty could actually be good -I could tell her how much I wanted her and could honestly claim her body. I knew it was flimsy but, I needed to be around her. She was drug. A fixation. An escape from my life.
"Deal." We shook on it and that same electric feeling charged up the air in the car between us like the last tiem I’d touched her. Her skin was supple and warm and I found myself running my hand along the inside of her wrist long after the handshake should’ve been over. Her pupils dialated and her breath quickened, but before I could fully enjoy what my touch could do to her she broke contact.
"Good.” She cleared her throat and rubber her wrist where my hand had been. “Me first: who's the girl?"
Shit. Play dumb. "Who?"
"Her." She said as she tossed a photo in my lap. Goddamnit! How did this end up back here? I thought I got rid of everything! I could feel my jaw clenching which was an immediate tell and she picked up on it right away. I was already resenting this brutal honesty pact.
"C'mon, Teddy, quit stalling. We said brutal honesty so just tell me."
"Ex," That goddamned picture. I was going to kill you, Lacey. Or your mother. Probably both.
"That's bullshit. C'mon Teddy, don't lie. If she's your girlfriend you can tell her not to worry about me. Obviously I pose no threat to her."
"She's just an ex."
"How long did you date?"
"A while."
"Was it an amicable
"Well, when classes start I won't be able to hang out at the beach all day anymore if that's what you're asking. Are you trying to define us Charley?" She paused, considering.
“We’re friends." She said slowly. “At least until classes start. Maybe not even ‘till then.”
"You sick of me already?"
"Getting there,” she said with this sexy smile on just one side of her mouth. “Look, the reason I ask is because I have a proposition for you."
Finally! I wanted to fist pump the air but didn’t want to jinx the moment. I knew she wanted me. I was already getting excited thinking about seeing her body; drinking in her skin with my tongue and my hands and my tongue. I was so ready. More than ready but I couldn’t let so I did what I did best with girls: played dumb. "Oh? A proposition?"
"Yes. I think we've got a really unique opportunity here. I mean, our relationship is temporal at best. And even if it weren't, I don't think being long term friends is in the cards for either of us because, frankly, I think you're a pain in the ass and I know that the feeling is mutual."
She had a point, sort of. Get to the propositioning already, please. I could take you right here on this beach. With my tongue. Did I already mention that? "Go on."
"So I propose that we dispense with the nonsense and just be real. You clearly need someone in your life willing to call you out on your bull.”
“Oh and you don’t?”
She smiled. “Maybe I do. This agreement would work both ways.”
“So total honesty.”
“Total and brutal. Yeah. Deal?” I looked at her like she was crazy, but her face said she wasn't kidding, which gave me pause. I hadn’t been truly honest with anyone, especially myself in a long time. Somewhere in me I knew that it could only end badly, but I couldn't say no. I wasn't ready to give her up. I rationalized that brutal honesty could actually be good -I could tell her how much I wanted her and could honestly claim her body. I knew it was flimsy but, I needed to be around her. She was drug. A fixation. An escape from my life.
"Deal." We shook on it and that same electric feeling charged up the air in the car between us like the last tiem I’d touched her. Her skin was supple and warm and I found myself running my hand along the inside of her wrist long after the handshake should’ve been over. Her pupils dialated and her breath quickened, but before I could fully enjoy what my touch could do to her she broke contact.
"Good.” She cleared her throat and rubber her wrist where my hand had been. “Me first: who's the girl?"
Shit. Play dumb. "Who?"
"Her." She said as she tossed a photo in my lap. Goddamnit! How did this end up back here? I thought I got rid of everything! I could feel my jaw clenching which was an immediate tell and she picked up on it right away. I was already resenting this brutal honesty pact.
"C'mon, Teddy, quit stalling. We said brutal honesty so just tell me."
"Ex," That goddamned picture. I was going to kill you, Lacey. Or your mother. Probably both.
"That's bullshit. C'mon Teddy, don't lie. If she's your girlfriend you can tell her not to worry about me. Obviously I pose no threat to her."
"She's just an ex."
"How long did you date?"
"A while."
"Was it an amicable
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