Page 5 of Tasty Cherry

I understand and hold onto her, letting go of my tightly held control. I haven’t unleashed like this in ages. Everything about this night has been unexpected and perfect.

When I’m spent and can focus again, she pushes my hair back the way I had hers.

“I liked that,” she says. “I like you.”

I grin at her. “I like you, too. And I haven’t forgotten about that raincheck on the elevator.”

Her smile drops for a second, but then she says, “Nor should you.”

I slip out of her. We’ve left the lights on, and I see the condom is coming out red. “I think we might have gotten your monthly started,” I tell her. There had been no sign of it earlier.

She looks down, and every muscle in her body tenses. “You don’t think that when you were down there…God.” She seems panicked. “When your mouth was, that there was…Oh, no.”

“It’s fine. Woman things happen.” I pull away, but she grabs my arms.

Her eyes flash wildly, as if she has to explain this to me. “I’m not on my period. I thought it was an old wives’ tale about the blood. I’m twenty-two. It shouldn’t have been like this.”

I don’t know what she means. “What old wives’ tale?” Then it hits me. “Were you…a virgin?”

She sucks in a breath. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I didn’t want to freak you out. I ruined it, didn’t I? I’m sorry. God. This is why it took so long. I’m so awkward. And nobody’s choice. I know what I am.” She lets out a strangled groan. “This is the worst.”

“Don’t think that.” I snatch a tissue from the box by the bed to quickly handle the condom. Then I draw her against me. “You are my choice. It’s all right. You’re all right.”

I slide us down on the bed and draw the rumpled covers over our bodies.

She gulps in what sounds like a sob. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. I didn’t want to ruin it.”

“It’s okay. You didn’t ruin anything.” I draw her head to my shoulder. “Shhh.”

I wait until her breathing slows and I’m sure she’s not crying.

Then my thoughts whir.

Hell of a thing. I’ve never had sex with a virgin. Not even when I was one.

What would make her do that? Pick up a stranger?

God, it could have been Carl.

But I’m not asking questions tonight. I’ll stay here.

We can talk about it in the morning.

I just hold her close.

3

MILA

Iwake up with a start.

I lie perfectly still in the unfamiliar bed, staring at the ceiling in the dark.

Everything’s wrong. The feel of the sheets. The scratchiness of the bedspread. The smells. What was that sound? Panic rises.

I peer across the room, trying to make things out.

It’s a TV on a dresser.

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