Page 59 of Bewitch

I burst out laughing. “Ow. Don’t make me laugh. It hurts.”

“Don’t you like the pain yet?”

“I’m not a masochist.”

“No? More of a submissive partner?”

I shrug and do my best not to retreat into my shell. “I don’t know if I would be or not.”

He snorts. “You might act that way at times, but I think you’re too… You aren’t a dom, but you aren’t a sub either.”

“And you would know because of experience one way or the other?”

Lucas catches the ball from me and just holds it, forcing me to hold onto the second ball longer.

“Almost done?” I bite my lower lip. “I… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to make you feel uncomfortable.”

“You don’t make me feel anything at all,” he says.

I slowly nod and force myself to wink at him. “Keep telling yourself that.”

He shakes his head, and I swear I see a bit of wonder in his bewitching eyes. “How do you do that?”

“Do what?” I ask, completely uncertain as to what he’s talking about.

“It won’t do if you can’t be laughing at your party,” he says. “I wouldn’t advise getting drunk.”

“I’m not twenty-one.”

“I’m sure you’ve had alcohol before.”

“I plead the Fifth,” I say lightly.

“Alcohol won’t help you any with reaching your goals. Everything that passes your lips affects your journey one way or another.”

“I know, but I also have to live a little, right? I can’t let myself go insane with this or else… I don’t want to get back into my old mindset, but I also don’t want to go too far to the other extreme either. I won’t starve myself ever. I don’t think I could ever do that because it would trigger the bingeing, but I… I’ve found a balance, and I won’t rock the boat. I’ll be fine.”

“I’m not just saying you shouldn’t get drunk because of the calories but the lowered inhibitions. You might not intend to binge, but the alcohol might change your mind.”

“I’ll be fine. Thanks.”

“Go on. Get out of here.” He tilts his head toward the front.

I put down the medicine ball and groan as I stand. So sore. It never goes away entirely, that pain. I’ve come to accept it. It’s not nearly as bad as it had been when I first started, but during the workouts especially, it all comes back. Thankfully, that time when I fell and hurt my ankle hadn’t been anything serious. It could’ve side railed me, setting my back for weeks, and who knows if I would’ve had the motivation to stick with it on the nutrition side of things if I didn’t have the workout component too? But that hadn’t happened, so it’s all good.

“Do you have any plans for tonight?” I ask, keeping my tone as casual as can be. We aren’t there yet, but maybe we’re getting there. Soon.

“My mom’s in from out of town so I’m taking her out to dinner.”

“Aw, what. Good son you are.”

A flash of anger crosses over his devastatingly handsome features.

I wince. “Sorry. I forgot about… Open mouth, insert foot.”

“At least I had one parent in my life who was good and decent and supportive.”

“I’m glad you had that.”

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