Page 114 of The ABCs of You & Me

“Oh, we won’t.” Foster laughs, pulling me tighter into his side, his fingers sneaking below my shirt, lazily caressing my skin.

The way he takes that exchange in stride, without stammering or making excuses about how it’s too soon to be discussing such things, warms something deep within me.

I manage to miss most of the demonstration because I’m too busy looking at Foster. I’m beginning to realize that I’ve never felt like this for anyone. I thought I was in love with Gregory, but I never missed him the way I miss Foster when he’s not in the same room with me. I never found myself smiling stupidly while thinking of him. My heart never raced at the thought of seeing him soon.

“Ready?” Foster asks, holding his hand out to me.

“Are your feet?” I joke, laying my hand in his and letting him pull me into his body. This part is seamless; my body doesn’t fight any aspect of getting closer to him. But then my feet don’t do what they’re supposed to do. I’m like a newborn foal out here trying to keep a rhythm on ice.

Eventually, Foster and I move into a slow waltz type dance while Davis and Maya dance dramatically around us. We tried and that’s the main thing, but now I’m quite content to rest my head next to Foster’s and match my breathing to his.

Intimacy, I think.Thisis what I’ve been missing. These quiet moments where we simply exist in this little bubble together.

While T is technically Foster’s letter and we have kind of learned a very basic tango, I couldn’t help doing a little add-on after we get back to Foster’s apartment.

He’s sitting on the stool at the counter, blindfolded, waiting patiently for what’s to come. Me on the other hand, I’m fidgety as all hell while I open little containers as quietly as possible, worrying that this idea is beyond dumb and won’t play as seductively as I hope it will.

“Ready?” I ask, stepping in front of him with the first tiny cup.

“I was born ready,” he says confidently.

“You don’t even know what this is?” I laugh. “Hold out your hand.”

I set the cup in his hand and direct him to smell. He raises it to his nose and gives a tiny sniff, his lips turning up immediately.

“Do I get to taste it?”

“If you’d like.”

“I’d like.”

This is where I hope things don’t turn weird. I’ve been imagining this since he told me about his favorite challenge on Top Chef. Long before touching him became a possibility. Dabbing my finger into the golden liquid I then apply a dab to the center of my bottom lip before leaning in and kissing him.

When his lips meet mine, a tiny sound of satisfaction leaves them. His tongue sweeps across my lip, and I feel his smile as the sweet honey settles on his taste buds.

“Honey,” he murmurs against my mouth. “The one from the farmers’ market.” He kisses me again, tasting my entire mouth this time. “Wanted to make sure I got it all.”

“You’re very thorough, Mr. Walsh.” I push back gently, wiping my lips just in case there’s any honey left and reach for the next cup.

Foster gets everything right. Mind you, it’s all sauces, which he claims are easier than herbs and spices, but he’s definitely not complaining.

“Last one,” I say, handing over the cup and watching him smell. He’s smiling before it even reaches his nose.

“Mmm, I can’t wait to taste this one.” He hands the cup back, and I apply the maple syrup quickly because as fun as this has been, I am very ready to get on with the evening.

He’s kept his hands to himself throughout the game, but the minute my lips meet his, they’re around my waist, pulling me into him.

Twenty minutes later, I’m the one with the blindfold on as Foster’s tongue dances across my skin. The combination of not being able to see where he’s going next and the stroke of his tongue unravels the fabric of my being.

All I can think right before his tongue dips between my legs and I release a moan that could wake the dead is thatTop Chefcould never.

“Now this was a good idea,” Maya squeals as we walk through the aquarium.

I’d seen an ad for an adults-only after-dark night at the aquarium a couple years ago, but Gregory had rolled his eyes and told me it was childish. How he worked that out was beyond me when the event was eighteen-plus. So when I saw a post about it last week, I bought four tickets immediately. At first I didn’t even factor in the alphabet, but when I’d mentioned it to Foster, he’d nodded and said that underwater was a solid choice for U.

So here we are, walking hand and hand through a tunnel while sharks swim lazily above our heads. It’s far more peaceful than I had anticipated. No kids allowed probably helps.

“Soph, can you take a picture while there’s no one around?” Maya asks, practically throwing her phone at me and pulling Davis into the center of the tunnel. Considering he was supposed to be a fling, Maya sure looks at the man like he’s her world. “Okay, now you two.” She takes her phone back and motions for us to go stand where she and Davis had been.

---