Page 77 of Crash

“Call me Luke.”

She smiles again. The table is silent as we eat. Vivi picks at her fries as she stares straight ahead, but she hasn’t pulled her hand from her mother’s.

“Why didn’t you let anyone in the family know you were in the hospital? How could you have not told me?” Vivi asks.

“I was in a bad place and didn’t want you to see me like that. I had failed you so much, and I didn’t want you to feel obligated to take care of me. I wanted to come to you when I was healthy so I can explain. I refused to see your father. He didn’t know where I was for days. I haven’t seen him since I went into the hospital.”

Vivi nods silently, absentmindedly eating her fries. Jojo finally lets go of her daughter’s hand to cut her chicken. Minutes later, Vivi pushes her plate away, her burger mostly uneaten. Unsatisfied with my meal, I reach over and take her unfinished burger.

“You have big appetite,” Jojo says when the waitress brings the check. “Maybe you two can come to see the apartment. I will cook.”

Vivi doesn’t say anything, and Jojo’s smile falters.

“Can you cook like Mrs. Etienne?” I ask.

“I can’t bake like her, but I can cook. Maybe even better. You be the judge.” She smiles at me again, and because Vivi has gone stoic, I smile back. When I pull out my wallet, Jojo quickly hands the waitress her credit card. “I invited you. Let me pay.”

“You know what I think? I think this lunch wasn’t long enough for us to talk. Maybe we can do it again over that dinner you promised?”

CHAPTER 45

VIVI

“You’ve got to let me finish,” I say to my boyfriend.

He completely ignores my protest.

Our position is ridiculous. We’re in the middle of his bed. He’s sitting and I’m straddling him as I try to read the problem set for my economics class over his shoulder. Instead of letting me study, he slides his hand underneath my skirt, which has bunched up and is now practically at my waist. He squeezes my ass with one of his giant hands at the same time he bites the side of my neck, sucking lightly.

“You better not leave a mark on my neck, Lucas.”

“Or what? Are you going to spank me?” He squeezes my ass again and bites down harder on my neck. “I think I might like a spanking from you,” he says against my neck. His hands leave my ass and find their way into my hair. He turns my head and without any warning, kisses me, cradling the back of my neck as he deepens the kiss.

I moan into his mouth. Economics is forgotten as I drop the problem set on the floor and grind on top of him. He pulls my sweater to the side, pushes my bra out of the way, and sucks a nipple into his mouth.

“I have a situation here, Sunshine,” he says, pointing at the tent in his pants. “I’ll help you study afterward.”

My response is to slide my hand inside his sweatpants and pull out his throbbing member. I run my thumb over the slit and I’m rewarded with moisture. To tease him, I lick my thumb while looking into his eyes, which have now turned a dark green.

“That’s a pretty big situation, Lucas. I don’t know if I can handle something of that magnitude.”

With just one arm, and hardly any effort, he lifts me and pushes my panties to the side before sliding two fingers inside my slick folds. I spread my legs wider and throw my head back, giving him total control. He aligns his cock with my opening, and I slide down, letting him fill me completely.

“Oh my god,” I moan.

“And you’d rather study,” he says before capturing my mouth again.

“Why might the government want to intervene in the market? Give three examples and explain the rationale for each.”

“I have no freakin idea. You’re much better at this than I ever was.” We’re still in his bed as I work on the last question on my problem set. The only difference now is that he’s naked while I’m wearing his t-shirt and nothing else. I’m spread out across his stomach as I type on my laptop.

“You’re supposed to be helping me,” I whine. My whine soon turns to a moan as he traces his fingertips across my bare ass. He continues to touch me as I type out the answer to the final question and slam my laptop shut.

I can feel how hard he is against my stomach as I’m sprawled across his chiseled body.

“Looks like someone’s wet again,” he says before sliding a finger inside my moist flesh. I climb on top of him and start to kiss his broad chest. As amazing as his entire body is, his chest is my absolute favorite. It’s hairless, with the smoothest skin I’ve ever touched. I kiss my way up to his mouth, and after kissing him deeply, I start to kiss my way down his body, eager to put something else in my mouth.

Halfway there, both of our phones vibrate at the same moment.

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