Page 168 of Full Contact

Peaches met us at the door and walked straight past me to inspect Mark’s bag. She sniffed the airline tag for a long time.

“It’s been to New York,” Mark told her.

When she was finished, he crouched and held out his fingers, and she rubbed her cheek along his knuckles. I let them take their time.

He texted Leah that he was back, read her answer, and laughed. “Leah says nothing’s on fire, and I should stop texting her.” He plugged his phone in by the toaster and left it there, screen down.

It was nearly seven. I gave Peaches her gel at the counter while Mark searched the refrigerator and pulled out bread, cheese, and a massive bag of spinach.

“Your nutritionist?”

“She’s firm in the postseason.”

“Grilled cheese and a salad,” Mark said.

For a few minutes neither of us said anything. Butter sizzled in the pan. I tore spinach into two bowls.

We ate at the table. He’d cut my sandwich into two triangles.

“Did they feed you in New York?”

“There was a pastry in the conference room.”

“So, no.”

“This is better than anything in New York.”

“It’s grilled cheese.”

***

We didn’t get to the dishes. I’d put the plates in the sink and turned around, and Mark rested his hand flat on my chest.

“Bedroom,” he said.

“That’s my line.”

“I’m stealing it.”

He pulled my shirt over my head. My hands weren’t quite steady on his buttons, and he kissed me while I worked at them, backing me down the hall toward the bed.

“I missed you,” he said against my mouth.

“Twenty-one damn days. I counted.”

I got the last button open and dropped his shirt on the bench. He didn’t pick it up. We lay down facing each other, and he kissed me like he meant to make up for every one of those days. His hand moved over the little airplane without tickling it, and then lower.

“I want to fuck you,” Mark said.

He pushed me onto my back. I drew a knee up, and the hip caught, a hot line into my thigh. I hissed.

Mark stopped at once. “That’s the hip.”

“That angle’s bad. It’s not you.”

“What’s better?”

“On my stomach. Pillow under my hips.”