Page 29 of Smoke and Glitter

"No."

He presses into the center of my arch, and whatever I was going to say next disappears.

My eyes close.

"That is unfair."

"I didn't do anything."

"You know exactly what you did."

His hand settles around my ankle again.

We stay like that for a while, close enough that I can feel the heat of him beneath my legs.

Then Sam says, "You could do it here."

I open my eyes.

"Do what?"

He doesn't look up.

"Not be fine."

For a second, all I can feel is his hand around my ankle.

I could ask what here means.

His apartment. Tonight. Him.

But asking would make him define it, and I know Sam well enough to know what happens then. He'd search for the safest answer he could give me and make sure he didn't promise an inch more than that.

I don't want him to make it smaller.

"Okay."

His thumb moves once against my ankle.

"Okay."

A minute later he stands and holds out his hand.

I take it.

Chapter six

Chapter Six

Autumn

I'm halfway through my hair at Sam's bathroom sink when I realize he can't tie a tie.

His third attempt is worse than the first, and he's still working the knot like one more pull might turn it into something respectable.

"Come here."

"I've got it."