Page 73 of The Genius
Standing in my kitchen with a cold beer in my hand, I watched how Tristan and Storm joined the others and the five of them were dancing and laughing.
When Shelly flung her arms around Storm’s shoulders I squeezed my beer harder and counted to ten in my head. She didn’t look at me or invite me to dance with her. It was like there was nothing between us. None of the others had any idea that this past week, we’d had sex several times. I knew exactly what hid underneath Shelly’s white pants and purple shirt. How her breasts felt and tasted, and what sounds she made when I was inside her.
Storm spun her around and beamed at her with a charming smile. My knuckles turned white from squeezing my beer so hard.
“Shelly, can I talk to you?” I asked when they were done dancing and Storm was pressuring Willow and Shelly to drink more whiskey.
“What’s wrong?” she asked.
My eyes bulged with silent urgency. “Nothing. I just want to show you something one of my students made. You’ll like it.”
She followed me down the hallway and when we got out of ears reach, I turned around confronting her. “Can you turn it down a bit?”
“Turn what down?”
“The weed and the drinking.” I wanted to say dancing but knew that was overstepping the line.
“Why? I’m having fun.” She narrowed her eyes. “You’re drinking, so why can’t I?”
“Because you’re not used to it, and it’s a bad idea.”
After a few seconds of silence, Shelly opened the door to my empty bedroom and pointed inside. “Do you see what I see, Marco?”
“What do you mean?”
“That’s a room full of all the people who think you should decide how I live my life.”
I frowned my forehead and she blinked her eyes, her pupils expanded from the weed.
“Do you get it?” She gave a small snicker. “You know, because it’s empty…”
“Yeah, I get it.” I pulled back from her. “I was trying to look out for you.”
“Aww, that’s sweet, but I’m an adult.” She was swaying slightly when she lifted her hand and counted on her fingers. “I’m a biologist, an engineer, a psychologist, and arealadult, Marco.”
“You told me several times.” I rolled my eyes and took a step toward the living room.
“That’s right. I can drink and take weed if I want, and I can have sex with whomever I want, because I’m a free woman.”
Her words made me stop and turn around. Keeping as cool as possible I stepped back into her personal space, grateful that the others were still listening to loud music.
“Did you get your period yet?”
“No.”
“As long as you’re sleeping with me, there will be no one else, do you understand?” My intensity made Shelly take a step back.
“You’re possessive,” she breathed.
“No.”
She blinked a few times. “Yes, you are.”
“I’m leaving for the tournament in four days. Do you think you can keep faithful for that long?” My tone was blameful, as if she’d done something wrong.
“Faithful would imply we were in a relationship,” Shelly pointed out and tilted her head, her beautiful brown eyes looking up at me.
My body was shaking with emotions that I didn’t want. Stepping even closer, I pressed my body against hers and spoke into her ear. “I accept that you don’t want to marry me, but either you’re with me exclusively until the tournament, or we won’t have sex again.”
