“My whole body is shaking. Watching you come was so erotic, I almost had a heart attack.”
I snicker and my heart does another flip. I’m thrilled I’m the one who makes him feel like that. That I experienced it with him. But I want next time to feel his touch instead of my own.
Next time.
I let out a heavy breath filled with anticipation.
“Thank you,” Victor whispers.
“For what?”
“For going with my suggestion.”
His voice vibrates in my ear, pulsing down my spine, and settles in my chest, rocking my heart. The steamy water beats down on my upper body. And I feel like I’ve plunged into the deep end without knowing how to swim.
Chapter Twenty
Showering with Victor was intense. Everything about him is intense, and yet he brings so much peace to me that I forget my imminent problems. I’m still perplexed by my openness to him and the depths of my emotions and wild bodily reactions. How does he feel about last night? How are we going to pretend in front of my brother?
I skip downstairs to find Abi and Alek, each with a coffee mug in hand. My brother is dressed in his football uniform and Abi is bubbly in her pink-framed glasses with a white T-shirt that says in pink writing, “There’s nothing holding me back.” I chuckle, knowing on the back of her shirt I’ll find Shawn Mendes’s name or picture.
We talk about our day, and when Abi says they’re going to catch a late movie at night, Alek invites me. Abi’s face is stoic, but her eyes dart around the room.
“No thanks, Alek. You have a date. Just enjoy. I’m sure you don’t get much quality time together when it’s football season.”
Abi mouths,Thank you.
“Okay, but are you going to be okay, Twinkle?”
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”
Alek doesn’t answer. He washes his mug in the sink and places it on the dish rack.
I throw a questioning look to Abi, and she rolls her eyes.
“By the way, where’s Victor?” I ask.
Alek’s body stills and he raises his eyebrows.
“We were supposed to jog together in the morning,” I lie.
“His dad called him early to get his ass into the gym. Victor looked flustered.”
“Huh.” I shrug as if I don’t care.
I keep busy during the day and try to push aside thoughts of Victor. He hasn’t texted or called. It’s unlike him. Is he okay? Did I do something wrong last night? Does he regret it?
At night the lovebirds head to the movies and I plop myself on the couch, flipping through channels. I wish my monkey mind could stop jumping around, but instead, I think about the November deadline.
Seventy days left.
The air in the apartment suddenly becomes stuffy, and my lungs beg for oxygen. I haven’t saved enough money to pay off Charlie. Not even close.
I sit through my favorite shows about dragons and magic but catch myself constantly checking the time on my phone. I doze off close to nine thirty. It feels like only a moment has passed when the front door rattles.
A familiar male voice outside curses. Keys are jingling. I run to the door, holding my breath, and look through the peep hole. I swing the door open to find Victor with his keys in his hand.
“Damn door.”
