Page 53 of How to Score Off Field

Oh, Christ. The dorky kind. “Flannel bottoms and a tee shirt.” That my mom probably got at Costco.

“Flannel bottoms? Even in the summer or just in the winter.”

“Yes.” I laugh, mimicking her answer since she mimicked mine.

“Fair enough.” She goes back to the book. “What characteristic do you find attractive in another person?”

“Male or female?”

She bites down on her bottom lip. “Female.”

Now we’re getting somewhere. “I’m attracted to funny people. And brunettes with long hair.” Tess is a brunette, and she has long hair. She touches it now as I continue, running her fingers through it like a comb. “A nice smile is a bonus. I also like freckles. And short girls are cute, but I like someone a bit taller.”

It's not lost on me that I just described my best friend’s younger sister.

“What about you?”

She snuggles into the pillow, book on her chest. “Um. I like someone tall. Uh.” Her eyes slide to my side of the bed, skimming down the front of my body before meeting my eyes. “Tall, dark. Handsome.”

I roll my eyes. “So you like a walking cliché.”

“You’re a walking cliché.” She scoffs before she can catch herself. “Here, you take this. Unless you want to watch TV.”

I could give a shit about the TV.

I take the book. Start from the beginning and read through some of the pages:

•French kiss your partner.

•Give your partner oral for 30 seconds

•Would you rather: Play would you rather, or answer intimate questions?

•If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?

“What’s taking you so long, read one.” Tess is impatient. “Read exactly the question your eyes are on right now. Go.”

“It says ‘Whisper a compliment into your partner’s ear.’”

Easy enough but somehow too familiar.

“Oh, I get a compliment? Yay me!” Tess tilts her neck, lending me her ear so I can lean over and whisper something into it.

I have to think a few moments before I’m ready, not wanting to say anything too revealing, too perverted, or too personal.

I schooch over so I’m closer; close enough that I can easily lean down and speak into her ear.

The first thing I notice is that she smells fucking amazing. Like sweet perfume, but nothing overpowering. Perfect.

Her hair smells good too.

“Did you just smell my hair?”

I mean. “It’s right there.”

Her low laugh sends a small tingle down my stomach and into my groin.

“Let’s see,” I say in a quiet voice, into her ear, right below her lobe. “If I…” I gulp down my next words. “If I…”

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