Page 41 of Solanum

"I know, Nor." In that position, I could see that she wore one of her near-sheer tank tops. I always admired her sleep clothes, especially because I could see her perky little nipples through the fabric. "What do you want?"

Again, the lip between her teeth. "Something."

"Uh huh." I propped my head up on my arm. "Go on."

She drew in a slow breath while twirling her hair around her finger. "I want you to…" She hesitated, but her cheeks burned bright red. "Make me purr."

My heart sank in my chest at the same time that my stomach turned over in somersaults. I watched her tentative eyes on the screen as they awaited my reply. Her big green eyes, shimmering like one of those Precious Moments dolls my mother used to collect, tore into me despite the shy, need-laden stare.

"We're not supposed to be doing that, are we?"

"I don't care…" She held her breath for a second. "I don't."

"You do, Nora." I glanced to my cracked bedroom door when it opened further. Sam peeked her head in. "What's up?"

Nora's brow furrowed while she watched me.

"Making something to eat. Where's your frying pan? It wasn't in the cabinet," she asked.

"Oh. Probably still in the banker box in the pantry. At the very bottom."

"From when you moved?" Her brow furrowed and she laughed.

"I never cook." I waved her off and she left, then looked back to Nora. "Sorry."

She moved to a sitting position from her former, her eyes narrowed slightly. "Who was that?"

"Samirah."

"Oh." The way she said it, with so much hurt in her tone that it killed me. "What were you guys doing?"

"Running a scene," I said, blandly at best.

"Just the two of you?" She pulled her knees to her chest, wrapping her arms around herself while holding her phone.

"No. Marley joined us. Know her?"

She shook her head and leaned her chin on her arms. Her quietness told me almost as much as her body language at that point. She kept her eyes focused on something in the distance while brushing her lips over her arm.

"How about for your birthday, we go to dinner together," I suggested, hoping to break her from her stance. "Just us."

She looked back at me then, her eyes misting over. The redness that flooded her nose and cheeks gave away her stifled emotions. "I'd like that."

"Friday night birthday cake at Wildrose with Maya and the Mermaids, then pick you up on Saturday at seven for dinner on your actual birthday?" I propped my head on my hand while watching her.

"Yes." She smiled then, her expression lifting with it. "Okay."

"Good."

I watched her pull the blanket up to her shoulder again and curl up in the pillows. We said nothing for a little while, until she broke the quiet.

"Maya's new apartment is so cute the way she set it up. I brought her groceries today," she said, tucking her hand under her chin.

"She's doing good, that kid of yours."

"She is. Yeah." Nora smiled, sleepiness weighing on her again. With her eyes half-lidded, images of her post-sex afterglow flittered through my memories. She was beautiful, now and always.

"Get some sleep, Nor," I said, severing the connection in the gentlest way. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"'Kay. G'night, Caroline."

"Good night."

We ended the call and I rolled onto my back, blowing out a heavy breath. With the onslaught of racing thoughts induced by Nora, sleep didn't find me, but the smell of pancakes sure did. I abandoned my bed, grabbed my robe off the hook of the closet door, and made my way to the kitchen to join the others.

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