Page 49 of Present Tense

“Fucking Lisa,” he says as he throws a pencil against the window a little too harshly.

I smile. “I missed you, that’s why I started slipping you notes when I was there. Then your senior year, I slept over a couple of times, even though Lisa and I weren’t close anymore. Then it was your graduation party, and you were with a girl for real. I got condolence looks from some of the dudes, like I’d discovered you were cheating on me. Not only did I cover your ass, but I made up a nasty breakup scenario.”

He can’t help but laugh. “The way your ass tortured me in my youth serves you right to have a little angst.”

I grin as I torture him more. “I totally hooked up with some guy named Michael at that party.”

“Eww. Michael Cure?” I nod. “He was a jagoff, a total ass. I want to kiss the memory from your mind right now.” He stands up and moves to the comfy chair in the corner.

“I let Michael get to third base.” I move back to the sink.

He’s violently shaking his head. “No. No. No. He made you come?” His eyebrows knit together, and I feel a possession in his voice. He’s low and grumbly. He wants me so completely, he’s jealous of a hookup from, like, twenty years ago.

“No. He patted my pubic hair. He wasn’t sure what any of that was down there.”

“I would have finger fucked you that night.” I inhale sharply at the flood of lust.

“I would have let you be my first that night. I remember the all-painful, angsty longing.”

“Come here. You want to come on my face right now. Let me remind you no one can make you come the way I do.”

I raise my eyebrows at him. Dirty talk, his weapon of choice. It’s intoxicating.

“Hmm. Stop trying to get me hot. I have to go to work.”

I hear his zipper come down, and I groan. He says while he strokes, “I would have slid my fingers deep inside of you while our parents talked about my college prospects. I would have fucked you so hard with them, in and out, until you were breathless. Then I would have introduced you to the wonderful world of getting eaten out. Your hot, hard clit pulsing against my tongue, your body bucking into my face, desperate for more. And me sliding in and out of your core.”

I can’t look away. It’s hypnotic and superhot as he strokes faster. I’m breathless, turned on beyond belief and fucking full-on wet. “If it’s not too much trouble, can we play that game later?”

“The one where teenage me gets to live out my fantasies? Are you fucking kidding me? That’s my real Christmas present.”

“Yes. We can take turns,” I say. He’s still stroking, and I take off my shirt. His eyes go dark.

“Find a turquoise bikini.” I squeeze my own tits and he groans. Every nerve ending in my body is on fire at the thought of doing even dirtier stuff with him. I get a call. It’s Meg. I’m sure it’s about work.

“Shit. My lusty, perfect man, I’m so sorry and I’ll make it up to you. Work call.”

“Well, I’m going to jerk off, so we both have a busy full schedules.”

I smile. “Till tomorrow.”

“Till tomorrow, Bella.” I quickly end the call and catch my breath. Then I call Meg back as I try not to think of how his current activity is making me so hot.

31

JILLIEN

I’m bolting around the office, trying not to think about him. I’m attempting to be in charge and professional. The lists are not printing and the place cards and seating chart are wrong. But my team is on it. My phone is ringing.

“Baby, I’m so busy. I have that ChiKid event tonight. Can I call you later?”

“No. You may not, Mom. Are you in Chicago?”

“I just said I was at work. Watch your tone.”

“Sorry. But, well…” Ethan begins babbling, and my focus shifts away from him. I change the phone to the other ear and squinch up my shoulder while I sign off on the catering bill. I scroll my iPad and head to the hallway to check if we moved the aldermen who are currently seated next to state reps. It’s supposed to be festive and I’m going to have people warring over potholes and district lines. Then no one will open their pockets and resources to my ChiKid.

“…and I can’t. I can’t with Dad.” I’ve heard every other word. I love my kid, but I’m in the weeds and freaking out internally. I see Meg. Thank God.