Page 72 of How We Fooled

She walks toward the lingerie, and all gloves are off. I see what kind of game she’s playing. I watch from afar as she holds up a few bra and panty sets to her body, making me groan in almost pain as I envision what they would look like on her.

She takes a few off the rack and heads toward the dressing room. I’m quick to look around, making sure no one is watching, and slide in behind her, pushing her up against the wall and pressing my erection against her.

“You’re doing this on purpose, aren’t you?”

She giggles, and I know that’s a yes.

“Round five?”

She wiggles her ass just as we hear someone else enter the dressing room.

I wrap my hand around her front, squeezing her tightly. “Such a tease,” I whisper before I turn and sneak back out of the dressing room, hoping I go unnoticed.

When she exits the room, it’s with a smug expression on her face, holding on to a black ensemble that I can’t wait to rip off of her.

I can’t help but chuckle to myself as I watch her almost skip to the counter to purchase the piece.

We walk to another store with me keeping my distance and her looking as beautiful as ever. The next store she enters has tall racks, which makes me laugh. I can see over them just fine, but I know she can’t, so advantage to the tall guy on this game.

I’m just about to make my move when I hear, “Eli!”

I turn in shock when I see Maya pop out from behind the rack. Instantly, my eyes roam down the aisle to where Liza is standing, then back to Maya, and I kick myself for doing so. It’s too late though; Maya saw exactly who I was looking at.

Thankfully, she has her back to us, so Maya pops back to where she came from and whispers, “Are you here with her?”

I don’t answer her question, too afraid to say anything. I know my friends don’t expect me to talk a lot, but in this instance, I know I need to say something. But what?

She steps back even farther and holds up her hands to me. “Your secret is safe with me,” she whispers. “But I’m here with the girls, so you should leave before they see you.”

I nod and walk to where Liza is and whisper, “We have to go,” in her ear, rushing past her to leave in a hurry.

I find the first stairwell I can and enter, hoping Liza is right behind me. When she doesn’t open the door, my stomach sinks.

I open the door and search for her, only to see she’s nowhere around.

Walking as fast as I can, but trying to not seem so obvious, I head toward our cars, only to see her drive away as I step out of the building. I run to my truck, not giving a damn about what people around me think, and call her as soon as I’m alone.

“Answer. Answer. Answer,” I chant to myself.

When she doesn’t, I hang up and call again, only to have her ignore me, so I text her.

It’s physically impossible for anyone to see us talking on the phone. Answer. Please.

I give her a few seconds, then call again. Thankfully, she answers this time.

“Baby, it’s okay. Please talk to me,” I plead.

“It’s not okay,” she cries out. “Did they see us?”

I drop my head to my chest, knowing I could never lie to her. “Maya did.”

“Oh my God!” she yells out.

“It’s okay. She won’t tell anyone. I promise.”

“How can you promise that?”

“Because it’s Maya. You don’t know Maya like I do.”

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