Page 44 of A Break in Communications

“Not what?”

I blushed—it came on out of nowhere, hitting me with nuclear force, and my face burned hot. I looked away. “Uh… I don’t know.”

“Do you regret last night?”

That also should have been a softball question. Actually, I guess it was, just in the other direction. “Uh. No.” I put a hand over my face, busily watching snowfall outside the window. “Um… I guess it’s just that. You’re very attractive. And, uh—” I cleared my throat. “Well, you’re good—you know.”

“Good in bed?”

“Ah.” She sounded too happy about that. We were moving on. “I’m not looking to date you. But I don’t—I mean, I enjoyed… last night. I’m plenty… physically… attracted, I guess, but that’s all it is. Uh… sorry.”

“Hey, I’ll take what I can get,” she laughed, a small, soft sound, looking over at me with that twinkle in her eyes—both impossibly fond and distantly sad all at once. God, this girl actually seriously liked me. Where did she get off like that?

On my mouth. I… pushed the thought aside.

“I mean, if you want to just have something physical,” she said, a smile playing on one corner of her lips, and I got a shudder, heat pooling in my core. I could… just get into something physical with her, do that as much as we liked… maybe even starting right now, and she could climb on top of me, mount me in bed—

“I don’t—think—that’s a good idea,” I said, forcing words together in a way I think made sense. I put a hand over my mouth, trying to hide the blush. I don’t think it worked. “I mean… it wouldn’t really be that fair to you… and it’s just going to make feelings complicated…”

“Don’t think I’d find it too unfair to me.”

God, I wanted her. It was really getting in the way of a serious conversation where I knew what I needed to say. The rational, sensible part of my brain was warring with the part that wanted her to suck my nipples again. All I had to do was ask, apparently…

I shook my head. “I think it’s best to be clear with these things,” I blurted. “Unambiguous and direct. I don’t want to give you just… half of what you want and leave you there.”

“Hm.” She pursed her lips, looking away. “Well, if you feel that’s what’s best, then I guess that’s what we need to do. But just for the record—I’ve enjoyed this a lot.”

No please I take it back just one more time, please.Seriously—I swear I wasn’t normally this horny and desperate. No clue what happened to me, but I wanted to reset to factory default settings. “Right… uh. I mean, I have, too. Just…”

“Just in that you enjoyed being a good girl for me.”

I was halfway through sitting up, and I lost it, flopping onto my back with an arm slung over my face. “Jesus Christ, Lucy. We’re not invoking that.”

I couldfeelher smile even without looking. “You didn’t enjoy it?”

“No—it’s not that—oh my god.” I tossed a pillow at her face, standing up in a huff that broke out into the worst-timed laughter ever. “I don’t even know what to do with you, Lucy. I’m gonna take a shower.”

“I’ll go after you. Have a good shower. Whatever that looks like for you.”

I almost tripped on my way to the door. My face burned, but it wasn’t like I could call her out for it. Plausible deniability was a bitch. I cleared my throat, stopping at the door. “Um…” I glanced back at her, spread out perfectly in my bed. Why was itLucy?I hated every bit of it. “Thanks for, you know, uh… well, sorry for me being a little… slow… to the party.”

She smiled wider. “You go at whatever pace you need, Anna.”

I was not getting turned on. Was not thinking about whatever other things she had in mind. “Guess you’re, uh—making good progress with that, you know, emotional availability.”

“Psh. Don’t give me too much credit. We only got here because you kissed me and begged me to fuck you.”

I stopped at the door, hand on the handle, taking a long breath, before I turned back and gave her the sweetest smile I could manage. “And you made sure I knew just how wet you got, so we all know you were excited too.”

I satisfied myself with the glint in her eyes, lighting up at the challenge, and I refused to back down, meeting her eyes and holding it there until she said, “Not the only time it’s happened with you in mind, princess.”

Dammit—that was hot. I relaxed back against the door. “Oh, I believe it. I’ll let you think about it some more, darling.”

“I will. Feel free to take a long shower.”

JesusChrist.I was going to take a long shower. Long enough for me too. I pulled open the door, stepping out into the hall, and I looked back long enough to say, “I think I just might. Have fun, gorgeous.”

I probably shouldn’t have been… did this count as leading her on? Giving her crumbs? But I couldn’t help the exhilarated rush and the sense of power I got knowing Lucy would be spread out in my bed, hands on her own body thinking about me… or the fact that it was a turn-on. If she weren’t Lucy Masters, I’d have been there spending such a long, satisfying morning with her…

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