Page 82 of Any Second Now
What is he thinking?
The waves of pleasure sneak up on me and then knock me down at once, and Atticus is moaning behind me as he comes, holding himself tight against my hips.
We collapse on the bed together a minute later. He smiles and lies on his side facing me. I turn to him.
“Why are you smiling?” I ask.
“Why areyousmiling?” he retorts.
“Am I?” I touch my face with a finger and, yup, there it is. We both burst out laughing and he keeps his gaze locked on me.
“Should we finish that video?” I finally say, but he’s playing with my nipple and doesn’t look like he’s ready to leave this bed.
An hour later, I kick Atticus out of the Pink Palace as I know he needs to go work out and I need to edit the video we finally finished. And I need a freaking minute to process everything that’s happening.
Also, I have a whole shitload of texts from my friends checking in on me. I stopped responding to the group last night after telling them I was out with some of the hockey boys.
I settle down outside the Pink Palace facing the lake in one of the captain’s chairs, Megghen happily pecking away at seeds next to me, the peaceful view of the water soothing my soul. The video is freaking adorable almost just as it is. I just cut out the part where he called mecoachand I called himreboundbefore he started kissing me. He’s so cute and smiley in the video andoh my god.
Then there’s the gap where we paused the video and—my cheeks heat when I realize we came back looking subtly different. Hair mussed,cheeks pink.
Now it’s time to face my friends.
To confess what I’ve done. I bite my lip.WhoI’ve done.
“Do I have to tell them?” I ask my chicken. Megghen looks up for a second and I swear she nods before going back to pecking.
“Yup, no secrets with your best friends,” I warn myself in Megghen’s chicken voice.
“I hate that you’re right.”
I also realize I really need to start talking to people more so I don’t morph completely into a chicken lady.
I open the group text chain with Lucy and January.
Me
Hey
Lucy
SIS WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?? I almost sent a search party after you. Atticus left me unread as well
Her response is immediate. I can’t lie to these women about what I was doing last night.
And for the past few weeks.
Me
I have something to tell you, Lulu
I hope you’re not going to be mad
They know all about New Year’s Eve. I didn’t tell my friends right away, but could only hold it in for a few days into the new year before I confessed. They squealed.
January
I bet I can guess
