“Do you think that means the police have a sample of Casanova’s DNA?”
“Maybe.”
“Should we give the gas can to the police, and let them see if there’s touch DNA or fingerprints?”
“He wore gloves.”
“Okay, so, last night he did, but maybe not when he filled the can or touched it at some other time?” She spends too much time talking to my dad about forensic evidence.
“I’m gonna hold off on turning the can over to the cops. I want to see what comes in from the neighbors.”
“Are you going to give the police your DNA?”
“No.”
Her eyes shift back to her laptop, and she unplugs it. She probably has something more to say about my lack of cooperation with the police, but if there’s a tide of follow-up questions, she manages to hold it back.
“Dinner?” I ask as she stands. The sun’s going down. Brunch was a long time ago.
She shakes her head. “Not hungry yet.”
“Then we could do something else.” I take the laptop from her and set it aside. My hand slides into her silky hair and tugs it to tip her head back.
I kiss her slowly, the taste like honey in my mouth. Her lips part, letting me have her tongue for a few moments.
When she draws back, she gives me an appraising look. I’ve broken the no-kissing rule again, and, by the downward tip of her mouth, she’s trying to look unhappy about it. I’d prefer a smile, but I’m not ruffled by the frown. She’s still here and still mine, whether she wants to admit it or not.
I rub my thumb over her lower lip. “On Monday, you should go to Student Health and get a prescription for birth control pills.”
“Why would I do that?” she asks, her expression shifting to defiance. “I’m not going to need them anytime soon.”
I fold my arms across my chest. “We’re spending Christmas and New Year’s Eve together. You don’t think it’ll happen?”
Her voice is breathy and gentle when she says, “No.”
I’m not convinced, and I doubt she is either.
“You sure that’s a line you want to draw in the sand, baby? Because some nights the sex will be rough, and that’s easier for a girl to take the traditional way.”
A flush spreads over her pretty cheeks, but she arches a brow. “The thing I let you do to me…that wasn’t meant to be a regular thing we do. I just wanted to try it.”
“Then you should get some pills.”
Despite the blush, she looks me straight in the eye, and she’s so fucking cute I want to kiss her again, but I know that would just set her off more.
“What’s wrong with oral?” she asks, gathering up her laptop.
“Not a thing.”
“So, for now, that’s what you can have.”
I chuckle dismissively. “You think so?”
Her eyes snap up to my face like she’s ready to confront me the way she did the frat boys with the flowers. My unmoved expression must make her think better of it, because she just studies me, albeit with fire in her eyes.
It’s unclear to me why she thinks an announcement from her will affect what I do when it comes to sex. Maybe because I said she could set limits, and she doesn’t understand what hard limits are. The truth is I’ve already decided there are things I won’t do while she’s still so young and inexperienced. But I’m not looking to her for guidance on that score, since she’s got no real experience to draw from.
“I need to ask you something,” I say, sobering.
