That’sit.
My entire body starts in on an underlying quiver, and in less than ten seconds, I’m going to embarrass myself by howling in pleasure. Sylvia is about to have a nervous breakdown in the very bestcapacity.
“What’s with the suitcase?” he deadpans as if our lives had morphed into one of those old westerns my father used to watch and we were at a standoff athighnoon.
“Just taking something to the laundromat.” My voicesqueaks.
The laundromat? It’s nice to know my descent into madness somehow involves the need for basic hygiene. Speaking of which…“You know”—I jet past him to the hall—“you wouldn’t mind if I took a quick bath, would you?” I entomb myself in the restroom before he can sayaword.
“Did yousaybath?”
I give a slight whimper in lieu of aresponse.
“Um, yeah, go right ahead. I’ll heat up a truffle pizza and get the buffetgoing!”
“Sounds good!” Too good tobetrue.
While Knox takes off to whip us up a feast worthy of kings, I start up the bath, giddy to dip myself into the gorgeous, freestanding, clawfoot work of wannabe vintage art. No sooner does the water level rise than I drop my bath bomb in and watch the water turn a rainbow of blues and greens with sparks of pink and orange. My clothes practically jump right off my body in anticipation of the good time that lies ahead for me. I dip my toes in and let out a deep, hearty groan. I haven’t experienced this kind of satisfaction since that food we indulged in last week—scratch that. Those kisses we indulged in. I sink my body into the hot, steamy Technicolored waters and settle in with a sigh. Now this is something I can get used to. My toes flirt with the fixtures as if threatening to let all the water out. I can’t believe how roomy it is in here. I’m betting it’d fit two nicely. A vision of Knox comes to me as he straddles me in these murky waters with that lewd grin budding on his lips, those wing-like pecs spanning out in front of me that I crave to claim every inch of with mytongue.
Oh, holy heck, I’m just working myself into a frenzy rather than taking the edge off. I go to reach for my Kindle and cringe at the fact it’s all the way over by the door in mypurse.
“No, no, no!” I give a quiet moan. My all-time favorite pastime is reading in the bath. Honestly, it’s the only time I can steal a little study-free fun inanymore.
I glance down to see my phone peeking out of my jeans and I snap it up and shoot a group text to Ava andLucky.
I’ve infiltrated Fort Knox and am currently enjoying a nice, hot bath in the most beautiful restroom known to man. Be jealous.I hitSend. I may not be out on a hot date with the love of my life like they are, but I’ll be damned if I’m keeping myself out of the hotdatemix.
Ava texts back.Are you alone inthebath?
I make a face.Would I be texting you witches if I had company? Not only am I alone, but my Kindle is out of reach. All dirty books are officially off-limits. How the heck is a girl supposed to have funaroundhere?
Open the app?Lucky doesn’t miss a beat.On second thought,put the phone down and Jill off. That should make you feel better. Then when you’re done with that, find Knox, pull out his man sword, and tell him you’d like to apply a little lip-gloss. You know youwantto!
It takes a few seconds for me to decode the graphic verbiage Lucky has set before me. Crap! I toss my phone back onto my jeans and sink into the tub a little. As if. I’m not big on that whole Jilling off thing. I mean, wasn’t that the point of having a serious relationship? Even if it was one-sided.Bastard.
I shoo all thoughts of Justin out of my mind and in pops Knox without warning. My hand glides over my thigh like a reflex, and I can practically see Sylvia waving it in like an airline traffic controller. Damn pervert. But it’s Knox who has my full attention. That muscular chest of his, the definition is mindboggling, really. My hand slips between my legs and I don’t stop it. He almost looks as if he belongs in one of those fitness magazines with all the oiled up, tan beefcakes that strut the catwalk flexing and straining their neck muscles trying to impress themasses.
My fingers find a home over that swollen part of me that’s ready to detonate, and I follow the friendly advice that Lucky gave. Much to Sylvia’s delight, I Jill off, all the while envisioning my limbs wrapped around a very naked Knox Toberman. I see his face behind my lids, and just like that, I tremble to a body-jolting conclusion. Sylvia and I exchange a hearty high five for something that was long in coming—namelyme.
Slowly, I blink to life once I catch my breath and assess the sad state of my being. Not only did I show up with a suitcase, but I barreled right into his bathroom and gifted myself an orgasm. God, I’m some sort of perverted barbarian. I’ve gone from revenge-filled ex-girlfriend of one boy—to a masturbating stalker of another one in a singlesummer.
I sink under the water line a moment just as Knox gives a brisk knock over the door. “Pizza’sdone!”
Great. I reemerge and hook my toe over the drain stop in haste. How many more ways can I possibly humiliate myselftonight?
“I’ve got a T-shirt you can borrow,” he shouts. “You know, keep yourselffresh.”
I roll my eyes. “Sounds good!” That is, if you want the Pointer Sisters staring at you all night. The only possible way I can keep things fresh is to eschew everything elseI’vegot.
A thought comes to me. I think I’ve just discovered how to one-up myself in the humiliation department, and shockingly, every last part of me says goforit.
“I’ll be right there!” I shout with glee as I get out of the warm tub only to meet with the brisk cool breeze. I tiptoe across the bathroom floor in haste, and without giving it a second rational, perhaps much-needed thought, I swing the doorwideopen.
Knox drops his gaze up and down my body like an elevator stuck onaloop.
That conversation I had with Laney comes back to me like a slap intheface.
What the hell am I doing? This isn’t me. I don’t ambush men by moving into their rental houses, Jilling off in their bathtubs, and demanding they see me naked. What’s next for God’s sake? Falling down and applying a littlelipstick?
