Page 45 of Taking A Chance

I break the kiss before it evolves into something I can’t stop and press my forehead to hers. “See you tomorrow?” I ask.

“Yes,” she breathes.

I say goodnight, leaving her apartment before I change my mind and lift her off the floor, carry her down her own hallway, and lay her on her bed. I leave before I can do all the things I’m desperate to do to her.

Inside the safety of my own apartment, I grab a blank canvas from the wall and position it on my easel. I mix pinks and flesh tones on my palette, cracking my neck as I move it side to side. Without hesitation, brushstrokes begin to fly across the white surface.

I still don’t know exactly what it will be, but I trust my hands. I trust myself here in this space better than anywhere else.

27

Cora

A warmth spreadsacross my cheeks as I recall what took place on my couch last night. Declan kissed me.Declan. Kissed. Me. In all the places.This is an extremely inconvenient time to replay those memories, considering I’m standing in front of the microwave in the break room at work.

I replay a flick of his tongue against me and everything south of my belly button quivers. My hand grips the edge of the counter as heat spreads down my chest.

“Are you okay?” Claire asks from behind me.

I whirl around, startled in the assumption I was alone. “Yeah, fine, why?”

Claire stares at me. She’s known me a long time, so she’s not buying it. Her eyes narrow, arms folding over her chest. “What happened?” she asks. It’s not really a question so much as a demand for information.

“Jesus, nothing, what?” I reply, my voice high and shrill.

Claire tilts her head at me, giving me herI smell bullshitlook.

“Okay, okay,” I huff. “Declan came over for a movie last night…”

She squeals, moving closer and leaning in. “Tell me everything.”

I give her the PG-thirteen-ish version. She doesn’t need every dirty detail. Some of them need to be kept for myself. I wipe away fake sweat from my forehead. It’s not there, but shit, it feels like it is.

“Most excellent,” she says.

I exhale, long and hard. “It was pretty amazing.”

“When do you see him again?” she asks, her eyes wide with excitement.

“Tonight,” I say, shooting her a look. “And I’m nervous as all fuck.”

“Why?”

“Um, because I have plenty of experience with first dates, but I’m a little rusty with anything beyond that if I’m being honest,” I admit.

“Oh, honey. Riding a man is like riding a bike. A woman never forgets,” she says, patting the top of my hand.

I laugh. Leave it to Claire to say something like that. “You’re an idiot.”

“I speak the truth,” she scoffs, retreating back to her desk.

I was so preoccupied with telling her what happened that I completely forgot about my food in the microwave. I reach in, retrieving my now lukewarm chicken teriyaki meal I got from the freezer section on a whim. Looking at it now, I have much regret. It definitely looks nothing like the photo. After depositing it into the trash, I walk back to my desk.

Great. Now I’m horny and hungry.

* * *

After work,I rush home as quickly as I can, wanting to give myself plenty of time to get ready. I feel like I need to step it up after last night’s sweatpants episode. Although, it certainly didn’t seem to bother him.

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