Page 41 of Grudge Puck
I lowered my voice. “But aren't you mad at me? Aren't you disgusted that I defiled your sacred love-making space?”
“Sacred love-making space? Please. When was the last time I found anybody worth loving? Honestly, I'm just glad my mattress finally got to see some action.”
She let out a whimsical sigh.
“I can't believe you're not even upset. Even I think what I did is reprehensible.”
“If you grew up on a commune like I did, you'd be used to it. People werealwaysfucking.” She gave a small shrug of her shoulders. “Can't even tell you how many times I walked into my room and caught people doing the deed in my bed. Saw some weird scenes in my youth, man. Whatever you and Beau got up to in my bed? Guarantee you, wasn't half as freaky as the stuff I've seen.”
“Can I make it up to you, somehow? Ask for something and I'll give it to you. It'd make me feel a whole lot better.”
“Hmm.” Piper stroked her chin. “Let's just say you owe me one.”
Whew.That made me feel better. “Deal.”
She ran the dishwasher, and the appliance's hum grew between us. Piper stepped closer and asked me under the machine's droning, “So how was it? The sex, I mean.”
“The sex was great.” I rolled my eyes. “Everything else was not so great. He leftimmediatelyafter. He made up some excuse about having a curfew.”
Piper wagged her finger at me. “No, that's actually true. That little cutie Jack Cameron told me about it.” She covered her mouth and tittered. “I call himlittlebut you saw him—he's enormous, isn't he? But he's so sweet and adorable. Anyway, Jack told me they have a midnight curfew on game-nights.”
“Really?” I was surprised to learn that Beau was telling the truth … but it didn't make up for everything. “He still acted like a prick once he got what he wanted. I can't believe I was so stupid to give it to him.”
“But you said it was hot, right?”
I admitted with a groan, “Yes.”
“How'd it even happen?”
I told her how Beau and I had relentlessly teased and insulted each other all night. I told her how the sight of Beau tossing her sleeping body over his shoulder, as if she weighed nothing, roused some pathetic part of myself that wanted nothing more to submit to him. I told her how I never would've thought I'd let him kiss me … but how I not only let him kiss me, I all-too-happily kissed him back in the cab.
I told her that my submission was exactly what he sought, too. He riled me up, until I insulted and disparaged him—only to have him reach his breaking point and sternly put me in my place. I told Piper what a sad but undeniable thrill swept over me when I submitted to his power and obeyed his lewd commands.
I told her how surprised I was to discover the sinful side I had hidden inside me. I was the type of girl who made my past boyfriends wait untilabsolutely no one else was in the housebefore we made soulful, passionate, and respectful love. But with Beau? Apparently, I was the type of girl to loudly fuck a guy in her friend's bed—screaming, grinding, wailing, the bed loudly banging against the wall—justdaringsomeone to catch us.
“It was amiracleyou didn't wake,” I told her.
I was the type of girl who, having disliked giving blow-jobs her entire life, was suddenly all too happy to spit and gag on Beau's cock.Beau,of all people.
I told her that the night with Beau had scratched an inch I never knew I had.
Piper fanned herself. “Damn. That sounds hot as hell, girl.”
“Sure. But it's not enough. See, I might have been dumb enough to sleep with him. But what I'mnotgoing to do is romanticize that night and make it out to be anything more than it was.” I picked up a cupcake and, using a spatula, scraped off the cream on top. “See, with Beau, this is all you get. The cream. Hey, everyone loves cream, right? But try living off of cream, andonlycream.”
I thrust the vegan cream at Piper's mouth, but she batted my hand away with a look of disgust. “No thanks. I don't have to taste Beau's metaphorical cream to grok what you're saying.”
“He's an empty disappointment.” I smeared the cream back on the cupcake. The treat was ruined now, but I held it up to my face and eyed it hungrily. “I want a man with substance.”
Piper giggled, slightly uncomfortably. “Sure thing.”
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You're shocked I fucked him, aren't you?” I asked.
“Uh. Not at all. Haven't you been listening to me? I knew this would happen.”
