Total pages in book: 118
Estimated words: 106646 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 533(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 106646 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 533(@200wpm)___ 427(@250wpm)___ 355(@300wpm)
"I don't want it." B'shit turns her attention back to her pottery and does her best to ignore me. "In fact, I don't want you here at all."
There is no teasing, no warmth in her tone, and I scowl to myself. "Why not?"
"Because I don't want your company?" She makes it sound like a question, but I know it to be a statement.
"You have not minded my company every other night," I point out, moving forward and draping the fur over her shoulders. "I have been here all night long, every night. We are both not sleeping. I thought you enjoyed my presence."
"Yeah, well, I thought I'd enjoy a lot of things," she says in a sharp voice.
I frown. What is that supposed to mean? But she says nothing else, just concentrating on making ropes with her clay, rolling the lengths under her palms. She ignores me and my skin prickles with discomfort. I will take B'shit's anger if I must, but I prefer her kisses. I do not like being ignored at all.
It is like she knows what will get under my skin the most and does it.
B'shit adjusts the warm fur I have draped over her shoulders and glances up at me. "I think you should go, A'tam. I'm really not in the mood tonight."
That much is obvious. Still, I hesitate. "We are friends, yes? Even though you do not wish company tonight, we are still friends?"
My question makes her uneasy. B'shit shrugs, her attention focused on her clay. "I don't think it's a good idea." She gives the clay a whack with her palm, flattening it in a vicious move. "Maybe you should go be friends with Daisy. You already seem buddy-buddy."
Her tone is angry, and a slow smile spreads over my face. Even though she is sending me away, I am utterly pleased. "It is true, then. You are jealous of D'see."
"No, I'm not."
I laugh, because she sounds so grumpy. "Yes, you are. I can tell in your voice. You do not like that she is my friend." D'see was right. If she spends time with me, B'shit will grow jealous and realize she wants me because she thinks D'see will take me away from her. She is like a kit that does not want another to play with her toys. It is ridiculous…and yet it pleases me, because for all that B'shit claims she wishes to be friends, she views me as her male.
And she does not like that D'see is interested.
B'shit makes a face, smacking her clay again. "Go away. You're bothering me."
"Am I?" I smirk. "Or is D'see bothering you?"
She looks up at me with narrowed eyes and then flings the clay rope at me. It smacks against my chest, because there is no room to dodge in this tiny cave. I just laugh harder, which infuriates her. "For someone who is not bothered, you sure are angry," I point out.
"Go. Away." B'shit grits out, grabbing another handful of her precious clay and holding it up in a threat.
"Oh, I am going. Perhaps I will see what D'see is up to." I grin at her and turn to leave the cave. Not that I do not already know what D'see is up to—she is sleeping alone in my hut—but I want to see my B'shit's reaction.
Another handful of clay smacks against my back with a wet splat. Laughing, I squeeze back out of the cave and head back for my hut.
B'shit is mad. D'see's plan is working.
Now I just have to sit back and wait for B'shit to fall into my arms once more.
10
NOW
BRIDGET
"Okay, okay, stop." Raven raises her hands in the air. "What is with your hips? They're so tight." She moves toward me, where I have my hands on my hips and I'm trying to do sexy circles with them.
Emphasis on “trying.”
Raven moves like a goddess. She's fluid in everything she does, from bending over to pick up a stray blanket, to gracefully dancing, to working her hips in a filthy gyration. No matter the movement, Raven makes it look effortless and beautiful. I remember watching my mother practice in her studio, too. How she'd lift an arm above her head and just look so elegant and poised as she moved, as if she was born with a song in her heart.
I am not cut from the same cloth. I have no sense of rhythm, and everything I do is awkward. Even now, Raven shows me the same move she's shown me a half a dozen times before, and I still can't do it. I'm supposed to sexily squat (somehow) and move my hips in a suggestive grind (again, somehow). Instead, I sink halfway to the floor and topple forward each and every time.
It's been two weeks of sexy dancing lessons with Raven, and I can tell she's frustrated with me. I'm not surprised. I'm trying hard, but I was born graceless and I'll probably die graceless. I know my mother despaired of my two left feet, always saying I was more my father's child than hers. Even so, Raven just makes it all look so easy that I hoped maybe I'd pick up a few things from her. That she'd be able to unlock the secret sex kitten lurking just under the skin.