Page 115 of Hot Mess Express
“Is it in?”
“Gonna need to get lube if you want your finger inside me.”
“Get the lube, then.”
“It’s in the other room.”
“Then just tease it.”
I let out a groan. “This feels so good …fuck, I swear I—”
The sound of shuffling feet causes me to slap the phone to my chest and turn, wide-eyed. Juni emerges from the hall, yawning, half-dressed, and goes to the fridge to help herself to a glass of milk, apparently. After taking her time slowly chugging it down, she wipes her mouth with the whole length of her arm, sets the glass on the counter, then walks back to the hall.
But not before tossing something at me. It lands on the couch.
A bottle of lube.
“You can stick Bridger’s finger up your tushie now, Tony, I’m going back to bed.”
After her door softly shuts, I let out a sigh that fills the room, our mood effectively shattered into pieces. When I lift the phone back to my face, I find Bridger laughing. “Hey, it ain’t funny! Anddid she just call me Tony? DidyourPete getmyJuni on the ‘let’s call AnthonyTony’train? Hey!” When he breaks into another fit of laughter, I sink into the couch. “Ireallyneed to get my own place.”
It’s true, I did need to get my own place.
I guess I just wasn’t expecting to get it so soon.
“It’s so much nicer than mine!” sings Juni, circling around the empty unit to inspect every last inch with amazement.
“You only think it’s nice because you can see the actualfloor,” I point out, “since it ain’t covered with your dirty laundry.”
“But it’s also so much bigger!”
“Nope, same size as yours. Mr. Joy obviously kept his unit neat and tidy, from the looks of it.”
“I’m glad he got back with his wife,” admits Juni, coming to a stop by the hallway. “He seemed so sad. And my music made him so upset all the time. How can ABBA possibly make anyone upset?”
“They only moved back in together. They’re still separated.”
“At least they’re trying again. Hey, are you okay?”
I stop at the opened front door, leaning against the frame and gazing out at the morning haze across the parking lot. “This unit’s just a few doors down from yours,” I point out. “We’re neighbors.”
“I asked if you’re okay.”
I don’t look back at her. Whenever she’s looking at my eyes, she can tell if I’m lying. “I’m fine. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Because Bridger’s visit got delayed another month.” After a moment, she comes up to slip her arms around my waist, hugging me from behind. “You were really looking forward to him coming, weren’t you?”
There’s no use lying. “Of course I’m disappointed. But he’s got his own life up there in Kansas. And I’ve got my family business to help out with. Our lives just … aren’t aligned quite yet, that’s all.”
“I miss Pete, too.”
I throw her a look over my shoulder. “You guys are having sex chats every damned night. How do you possibly miss him?”
Surprisingly, she answers in a calm, sincere tone. “Just like your guy, Pete has his life, too. He and Bridger were supposed to come together again, just like last time.”
“You don’t have any ties here. I mean, other than me.”
“Other than you,” she agrees dutifully.
