Page 44 of Sticking Out

“No, I liked it.” She points to the sofa. “I’m just not convinced that’s the right spot for the sofa. Maybe over by the window.”

I throw myself down on it. “Come here. Try it out.”

She walks over and sits beside me. Catching her by surprise, I flip her until she’s beneath me, and I kiss her with heat and fervor as I dry hump her like two teenagers indulging in a make-out session before their parents get home.

“How’s it working for you now?” I sit up, and she takes a couple of deep breaths as she looks up.

She crinkles her nose. “I think I need to paint the ceiling.”

I laugh at that. “Does the sofa stay here or not?”

She sits up and glances around. “I’ll try it here for a few days, and see if I like it.”

“Fine, even though you’ll be staying with me at my place for the next few days, or months, or for however long it takes to get you pregnant, and until this place is painted, and put back together.” I glance around. “What’s next?”

“Table and chairs, then the bed.” I nod and head toward the kitchen. She sold the old table and sofa set online, but we do need to tear down her bed and move it to the garage until heavy garbage pickup day.

In the kitchen, we go to work on taking the plastic and foam off the chair and table legs, and once we’re done, I position the table in the corner where her old table was, and admire the oak surface. “This is really nice.” I drop into a chair. “Comfy too.”

“Should we try it out?”

“You want to eat?”

She laughs. “Not what I had in mind…” She puckers her lips and straddles me.

“Oh, yeah, this is definitely the best way to try it out.” I slide my hand up her back until my fingers are at her neck. I pull her toward me and a moan catches in her throat when our lips meet. After a moment, she leans back. “What do you think? And I don’t want to hear about anything needing paint.”

She chuckles. “I think this set is going to work just fine.”

“The position?”

She wiggles. “I have zero complaints about this position.”

I whack her sweet backside. “You know what I mean.”

She grins, and climbs off me, standing back to look at the table. “It’s a bit smaller than my last one. Maybe we can pull it out.”

I jokingly reach for the button on my pants. “I can pull it out if you want to.”

She laughs and whacks me. “I mean pull the table out from the wall.”

I laugh, stand and do as she asks. She taps her chin. “I like it.”

“Good.” I gesture to the stairs. “Now on to the bed, but first I need a glass of water.” I walk over to the sink and pull down a glass. I fill it, and my gaze strays to a stack of brochures. “What’s this?” I take a drink, hand the glass to Dani, and pick up the brochure. I slowly read: Speak up for Dyslexia.” Dani takes a big gulp of the water, her eyes wide, almost worried. “What is this, Dani?”

“I’ve been wanting to talk to you about your dyslexia.” She hands the water back and I finish it before setting the cup in the sink. “I know you don’t like to talk about it, but I was thinking you should be doing the exact opposite.”

“What, you think I should talk about it?” What is going on here? I don’t talk about it because I was teased relentlessly.

She backs up and leans against the big island, a new kind of seriousness about her. “You’re a well-known hockey player with a platform, Conner.” I eye her, waiting for her to say more. “You were picked on.” I nod. “Lots of kids are picked on when they’re different.” I nod again. “What if you could show kids that kids aren’t different simply because they have dyslexia?”

I flip the brochure over and search for answers. “What are you getting at?”

“If you opened up about your learning disorder, and went to schools and did talks to bring awareness to it, it could help those who have it, help them see themselves in you, and that dyslexia is not something that should ever hold them back. Look at you, a famous hockey player. I actually think it would be beneficial to you too, Conner.”

I frown as I reach for another brochure. “You’ve been looking into this without even asking me?

She swallows, and grips the counter. “I only gathered the brochures. I didn’t go behind your back and talk to the schools or anything.”

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