Total pages in book: 52
Estimated words: 52699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 263(@200wpm)___ 211(@250wpm)___ 176(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 52699 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 263(@200wpm)___ 211(@250wpm)___ 176(@300wpm)
“My ex, Frank, used to take me out on dates.”
“I don’t want to learn anything from him.” I leaned forward. “What else do you want?”
She swallowed, looking as if she had no idea.
“Want me to go grocery shopping for you?” I asked. “Well, not me personally, but I can see that it gets done.”
“I was thinking of something a bit more romantic.”
“Okay,” I stood up and walked over to my liquor cabinet. I carried two shots of bourbon to her and motioned for her to toss one back before sitting down.
“You don’t have to write me a letter to tell me what you want, Elizabeth,” I said. “Just say it.”
“I’d like to talk about something other than the law.”
“My favorite color is orange.”
“Mine is purple.”
“What else?”
“Going out would be nice. We don’t have to call them ‘dates’ if you don’t want to.”
“That’s it?”
She nodded, but her eyes revealed the truth.
“I want more, but I’ll settle.”
Easily sensing that, I knocked back my drink and pulled her into my lap. Then I flipped her over.
“Let’s make sure we’re on the same page,” I said, pushing up her skirt, “you don’t want to have sex with me again until I do something romantic and commit to you?”
“That’s not exactly what I meant.” Her breathing slowed as I rubbed my palm against the back of her thighs.
“I have no problem staying true to that,” I said. “I’ll date you and only you. Is that what you need to hear?”
“Yes.”
“Good, but as far as the sex—” I slid my thumb under her lace panties and ripped them off, tossing them across the room. I pressed my palms against her ass, gently caressing it until she moaned.
“Even if you beg me,” I said, sliding two fingers inside her pussy, slowly thrusting them in and out, “I won’t do anything more than this, and I won’t go down on you again until you tell me I’ve passed this apparent romance test.”
“It’s not a test.” She tried to sit up, but I pinned her down with my elbows.
When she finally stopped fighting, I slid my fingers even deeper, pushing her close to the edge, but never allowing her to fall over into full bliss, letting her feel exactly how this ‘test’ made me feel.
“Damien, I take it back,” she said, softly whining. “We can still have sex.”
“Not until you tell me what else you expect from me outside the bedroom,” I said. “You need to make sure that I like you, correct?”
“No.” She arched her back and managed to maneuver out of my lap and onto the floor.
Before I could pull her back up, she moved between my legs and unzipped my pants. Sliding a hand into my briefs, she pulled out my cock and took it deep down her throat.
“Elizabeth...” I leaned back, staring into her eyes, but then I pushed her away.
“Your mouth is so perfect,” I said, standing up from the couch. “Almost perfect enough to make me give in with you.”
“What?”
“You heard me.” I kissed her forehead. “Let’s get some tea and walk around the goddamn park.”
“You’re serious?”
“Grab your jacket.”
PERFORMANCE (N.)
FULFILLMENT OF ONE'S OBLIGATIONS REQUIRED BY CONTRACT
ELIZABETH
“How do you want your hot dog today, sir?” The street vendor smiled at a perplexed Damien. “I’ve got the best in all of New York!”
“Your food license is expired...” Damien pointed at the tag on his truck. “Why should I trust this?”
“He’ll have extra relish and mustard.” I ordered for him. “I’ll have the same but with jalapeños.”
“That’s sixteen dollars even.”
I pulled out my wallet, but Damien gently pushed my hand away, giving the guy a hundred-dollar bill.
“You can keep the change,” he said.
We watched the man craft our hot dogs and strolled down the pathway.
“I’ve never had one of these.” Damien took a small bite.
“How is that even possible?”
“Never considered giving it a try.” He took another bite. “I officially regret that decision.”
“Your parents never made you hot dogs when you were a kid?”
“They never made anything,” he said. “My foster parents didn’t either. We had rice and corn flakes most of the time.”
“What about at school?”
“We were homeschooled,” he said. “They kept us in the apartment as much as possible.”
“You have siblings?”
“Yes.” He tossed his paper into the trash and wrapped his arm around my shoulder.
“I have a sister,” I said, telling him something I never revealed to Frank. “We hate our parents, too.”
He smiled and pulled me closer. Two kids ran by us, playing with bubble wands and water guns.
“Do you think children should be charged as adults when they commit crimes?” I asked.
“We’re allowed to talk about the law during my romance test?”
“I promise it’s not a test.” I laughed. “Answer the question.”
“It depends on the crime,” he said. “And the age, of course.”
“Aggravated theft, eighteen.”
“Eighteen isn’t a child, Elizabeth.”
“What if they committed the crime the day before they turned eighteen?”