Page 75 of Fruit
“Edible gold. It’s a thing, grandpa.”
“Sounds dumb.”
“Your face is dumb.”
“I thought you said I was pretty.”
I snort. “Dumb can be pretty.”
“Well, as long as I’m pretty,” he deadpans. I wiggle against him, elbowing him lightly in the stomach, and he wraps his arms around me to still my soft violence. “Stop being a menace.”
“But menace is my favourite flavour of ice cream!”
“You don’t need any more menace in you.”
“Don’t tell me what to do, Donkey.”
“This again.”
“I’m sorry. Am I hurting your feelings?”
“Yes.”
“Too bad.”
Sebastián laughs and slips his hands under my shirt, tickling my sides.
“Stop,” I yelp, squirming, and then lean down to bite his arm when he doesn’t.
“Ow,” he cries out, letting me go.
“That’s what you get.” I laugh, settling against him again and tilting my head to look at him. He smiles, shaking his head.
“This is a very abusive dynamic we’ve got going on here.”
“I know. I feel very abused.”
“Oh, yeah,” he says sarcastically. “You’rethe abused party here.”
“Glad we’re on the same page.” I laugh and extricate myself from him. “I’m gonna get a snack. Want anything?”
“Whatever you’re having.”
“’Kay.”
I pour us some iced tea and grab some cut-up mango from the fridge, tucking the packet under my arm as I carry everything to the couch. I set the drinks on the table before showing Sebastián the fruit.
“Want some?” I ask.
“Sure.”
I surprise him by straddling him, but his hands go to my hips automatically. I rip the plastic film from the packet, and the scent of fresh mango fills the air between us. I fish a piece out and lift it to my mouth slowly, taking a bite. Sebastián looks at me. The taste is sweet and rich, and I swallow before brushing the rest of the piece against his lips. He opens them and takes the fruit, licking my fingers lightly. A shiver goes through me.
I watch his face as the taste of the mango registers, the way his eyelids lower just a fraction, the skin around his eyes relaxing. I kiss him there softly before taking another mango piece between my fingers. I lift it to his lips first this time, and he bites it in half, his teeth scraping against my fingertips. A little juice drips down, coating his bottom lip, and I lick it away before sitting back and eating the rest of the mango piece. He watches me with wide pupils, black, black, black all the way around.
When he’s swallowed another bite, I lean forwards again and kiss him. He opens his mouth, and I lick inside, lapping up the taste of fruit, of him. He returns the kiss, pressing his hands to pull me closer, but just as things get heated, I lean away again, lifting the next piece of fruit to his lips.
He takes it, looking at me.
