Oh…they were my favorite kind of adversaries.
Soon enough Head Case was going to realize that’s exactly what she was to me: an adversary. And that there was only going to be one outcome with an opponent like me…
A crushing defeat.
2
“And there’s no Prince Charming coming to give you that fateful kiss that will wake you from your curse.”
Selene
The last time we were together, I asked Neil to be exclusive.
I still couldn’t believe it. I must have experienced a temporary bout of insanity after he’d given me another little piece of himself. He had actually admitted to me that he suffered from a sexual dysfunction that kept him from achieving orgasm with a woman. Despite that, when he was in my bed, he surrendered himself completely to a passionate climax.
How stupid could I get? For goodness’ sake!
I knew that backing him into a corner and putting pressure on him definitely wasn’t the right move, and yet I’d let my gut feelings lead me astray. Right before he fell asleep beside me, Neil had told me that he’d think about it, but I had a suspicion that wasn’t the truth and was instead just his way of shutting me up and putting an end to my interrogation.
By then, I knew him well enough to recognize his moves.
We’d talked on the phone the night before, and, like usual, I could tell that Neil was giving in to the dark thoughts that constantly inundated his mind. He told me that I should hate him for the way he’d been with me, but all I could do was remember everything we’d done together the next morning. When I got the wild idea in my head that I needed to taste him.
I turned bright red every time I thought about that moment, but, despite my embarrassment, I couldn’t bring myself to regret any of it.
It had been magnificent, seeing him so aroused for me.
I had to smile when I recalled the way he clenched his fist around my hair and how his golden eyes stared into mine reassuringly. And I pressed my thighs together as I thought about my lips sliding along him.
He was still fighting with himself, but, with me, he felt more than just the physical pleasure a man with his specific kinks usually felt. He also managed to shatter every psychological barrier, even that of his own ironclad self-control. Ever since he’d left, I had to admit that a strange desire had been kindled within me: I thought about him constantly and longed for a repeat.
I wanted to make love to him again and pleasure him with my mouth. I was even wondering why I’d waited so long to explore his perfect body in such an intense and earth-shaking fashion. My thoughts had me off kilter. Sometimes, I even thought it was wrong to want a man so much and that it might be bad for me. Other times, I thought my brain was just becoming more lustful as I discovered the true beauty of sexuality.
“Did you know you have to massage your boobs every day if you want them to grow?” Janel managed through a mouthful of chips. Janel, Bailey, and I were all on my couch watching an episode ofSex Educationon Netflix. Every so often, my friend would come out with some kind of nonsense like that, making me smile.
“What are you talking about? That’s an old wives’ tale. There’s no scientific support for it,” Bailey answered, not looking away from the TV because she was intent on understanding the sexual issue discussed in that particular episode.
“Now people just get surgery. I like my boobs the way they are, though. Little but firm,” I put in. I had a slight frame, but I had no complaints about my body.
“Of course, you can’t complain; you’re very proportionate. You were even a ballerina when you were a kid,” Janel shot back.
“True, but I only danced until I was twelve. Then I started on Pop Rocks and Cheetos,” I answered.
“Selene, you’re going to make me hungry if you keep talking like that,” Bailey grumbled with a noisy huff. “Have you ever tried a Goo Goo Cluster?” she added, licking her lips.
“I have. They’re so good,” Janel said.
“I’ve never had one. What is it?” I creased up my forehead and inched closer to the fireplace to warm up a little bit.
“It’s a round candy bar with a chocolate covering and peanuts, marshmallows, and caramel inside. You should try one.” As Bailey rhapsodized about the characteristics of a Goo Goo Cluster, I began to feel too warm. The air was suddenly sweltering, so I pulled off my woolly sweater, leaving just my short-sleeved T-shirt.
My friends shot me weird looks, and I gave them a nonchalant shrug.
“I’m too warm,” I explained quickly and turned my full attention back to Bailey. I frowned, however, when I noticed her eyes were fixed on a spot on my arm.
“What is that?”
My first thought was that I had some sort of bug on me, so I turned to look where she was staring in alarm. Instead, I saw faint but undeniable bruises on my skin. I had more of them on my hips and my neck, so I could guess pretty quickly what they had to be thinking.
