I sort of know that feeling…but I’ve never experienced it with another person in the room.
I don’t move, letting him take the lead as he nibbles and sips from me, murmuring like I’m the best
thing he’s ever tasted. It’s ridiculous, of course. I’m a mousy, introverted, weird woman. And men
like him don’t fall for women like me. It’s perfectly insane. But for a second, just one second more,
I’m going to pretend.
Ok, so maybe ten seconds.
I probably would have laid on top of him, perfectly still, for the rest of my life. But suddenly, his
tongue darts out and licks along my bottom lip.
I’m not conscious of it. I don’t realize I’m doing it, but before I know it, I’ve rolled off of him and
all the way across the room, only stopping when I hit the wall.
“Well,” Nick murmurs from the doorway where he’s standing with a gleeful-looking Becca. “That
was interesting.”
“Shut up,” Zach mumbles, head turned to stare at me. He flails briefly, raising his arms an inch off
the floor, rocking side to side. He’s turtled. Completely. “Would somebody get me out of this fucking
suit?”
Laughing, Nick — already out of his suit — and Becca help him sit up, so they can pull the heavy
padding off of him. I take the opportunity to push to my shaky feet and quietly exit the room, breaking
into a run as soon as I clear the door. I fly around the corner to the changing room, grab my purse and
coat, shove my feet into my shoes, then run out the front door. I came with Bree in her old Jeep, and
I’m so thankful that she’s still there, waiting for me.
She smiles as I hurriedly climb in. “Hey, Cara went home with Holly. How are you feeling?”
“Great,” I squeak, eyeing the front door of the Dojo. “Let’s grab some food.”
Her eyes widen. Understandable since I’ve had to be convinced to have a meal with them so far,
but she doesn’t question me, just starts the car and pulls out of the parking lot. And if my heart stutters
to a stop in my chest when Zach runs out the front door of the Dojo, locking eyes with me as we pass,
then I don’t let on.
We’re quiet, both lost in our thoughts as we drive through the industrial area. “So,” Bree says,
breaking the silence, “are we going to talk about the way Zach just ran after my Jeep?”
Inhaling, I break into deep coughs as I choke on my own spit. Bree passes me a water bottle and I
sip gratefully. “Ah, yeah, what?” I mean, he came out of the door. He didn’t run after the jeep like in
