Page 5 of Absolutely Pucked
Boden: Fine. Put it on your Red Card and I’ll make a payment.
Me: I love you so fucking much.
Boden: I know.
Me: Also it is a sex thing, but I’m not paying for sex.
Me: But I’m not judging people who do.
Me: If you want to pay for sex I would never think less of you.
Boden: Vas-t’en.
I’d known Boden too long to not know what those French words meant. Shoving the phone back into my pocket, I dug the Red Card out of my wallet and slid it across the bar. “For the food. And the room.”
Max glanced down at it, then sighed. “You’re not going to be a lodger for the week, are you?”
“Just a night. Scout’s honor.”
“Honey, there’s not a chance in hell you were a Scout.”
They were right. I wasn’t allowed growing up. I wasn’t allowed to do much of anything. I ignored the little twist in my stomach that happened every time I thought about my parents and instead grinned. “Drinks too. Whatever he was drinking that wasn’t booze, and maybe a couple of beers? I don’t know. Something to get us in the mood.”
Max stared at me. “You don’t do this a lot, do you, sweetheart?”
“I’m not a virgin or anything, but…yeah. No.”
They looked over at Ian and hummed. “Why him? He seems so sad.”
“Yeah. I think I’m sort of into that,” I confessed.
Max blinked, then burst into laughter. “I gotchu. Look, head up there, alright? I’ll bring it all up. And hey,” they said as I turned to walk away, “good luck.”
I felt a tiny thrill creep up my spine as I headed backtoward Ian. He was watching me now—openly. Curiously. His gaze flicked down to my feet, then back up to my face. “Old football injury.”
He huffed a laugh. “What are you, eighteen?”
“That’s fucking rude. I’m twenty-seven, thank you so fucking much.” I leaned on the stool beside him, and our gazes locked. I could tell him the truth. It was a good time to let it all out. But I couldn’t get the words out. I took a deep breath, and it trembled on my exhale.
“If you want to change your mind,” Ian started.
“What? No. God, no, that’s not…” I passed a hand down my face. “I swear that’s not it. I’m just kind of an awkward gremlin when it comes to this sort of thing.”
“Picking up total strangers in a bar?”
“Something like that.” I glanced at the stairs. “Wanna head up? I have the key, and Max said they’d bring us the food when it’s ready.”
Ian’s eyes widened, and then he nodded. “Yeah.” He hopped down and stepped ahead of me before stopping next to the railing.
“After you,” I told him. It would be easier that way. I could move quickly if I was allowed to move differently than people with two legs.
He gave me a funny look, but then he turned, and I only had enough time to take a breath before I grabbed both sides of the railing, put all my weight into my forearms, and practically arm-walked behind him.
When we hit the landing, he turned just as I reached the top step. His hand was out in front of him, fingers grazing my chest. He seemed almost terrified, but he didn’t pull away. Instead, he stepped closer.
“Thisisa sex thing, right?”
I bit my lip, then nodded. “That was the original plan. If you want to just hang out though, I’m cool with that.”
