Page 99 of Caper Crush
Kiyoko’s friends take turns singing a bunch of different songs.
I pick “Bizarre Love Triangle” by New Order. William’s mouth kicks up as I sing it, but I don’t sing it directly to him. That’s just too obvious.
She picks “Only You” by Yaz and stares straight at William when she sings it. This is brutal. She sits back down and curls into him.
As I take the mike, I raise my eyebrow at him, and he shifts away from Kiyoko.
And I close with “Fire for You,” staring at William, with a few sultry moves thrown in.
As the song fades, he stands. “We should probably leave. We have to meet the uncles tomorrow early. It was great seeing you, Kiyoko, and nice meeting you guys.”
“You’re leaving together?” Kiyoko asks.
“We were having dinner together,” William says. “I’m taking her home.”
He says it like he’s taking me to his home. Which he is.
As we walk down the street at Saint Mark’s Place, William pulls me close, wrapping his arm around me. We pass by shops crowded on top of each other, both basement level and up a staircase. Signs announce tattoos, ear piercings, and psychics. The peeling remains of rock concert posters pepper one brick building. Another building is painted orange and black to suggest tiger stripes.
“Why didn’t you introduce me as your girlfriend?” I ask.
“I thought you wanted to keep it just between the two of us,” William says.
“Not in front of someone you dated.”
“Were you jealous?”
“Yes.”
“You don’t need to be.”
“I thought you didn’t stay friends with exes.”
“She’s barely an ex. Plus, she’s my grandmother’s friend’s granddaughter. I can’t be rude to her,” he says. “You’re one to talk, given Rex.”
“I know. I’m sorry,” I say. “I suppose it’s good to go to this accounting thing.”
“It sounds like it would be a good place to make business contacts.”
“Hmm.”
“Do you want to come?” he asks. “I don’t exactly think it would be your thing.”
I do want to come. “No. I’d probably be bored, and that wouldn’t help you.”
“Anyway, that’s not what I want to focus on right now,” William says as we stand alone on the street corner.
“No? What do you want to focus on right now?” I ask archly.
He pulls me close to him and kisses me, his hand reaching up to curve around my head. I run both my hands through his hair as I kiss him back.
“Let’s go back to my place.” He hails a cab.
We scoot in and buckle up our seat belts. Strapped in to our respective spots, there’s some distance between us. Plus, I prefer to keep it respectable when I’m in a cab. William has a mischievous look on his face.
His hand is on my knee, and he traces zigzagged lines over my thigh, coming closer and closer. My breath hitches.
We are stuck in traffic. Our cab suddenly pulls ahead of the other cars.
