Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 71082 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 71082 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 355(@200wpm)___ 284(@250wpm)___ 237(@300wpm)
Kazex shrugs. “I’ve gotten drunk before. It’s all right but I wanted to be sober enough to pay attention to you.” He leans closer, his voice lowering. “How’s the soreness?”
My face immediately heats and I press my thighs tightly together. “Let’s just say it’s been distracting me all day.”
“That bad?”
“I didn’t say it was bad.” I take a sip. “It’s just been…noticeable.”
“Huh.” He watches me and then adds, “You know mesakkah get their cocks pierced. For their mates.”
The heat in my face rises. “You thinking about getting a piercing?”
Kaz grimaces. “I don’t know that I can do it. That seems like a mighty sensitive spot to put a needle near.” He pauses. “Unless that’s something you’d like.”
He’d be willing to get one just for me? I’m flattered. Even so, “I wouldn’t want you to get something you weren’t comfortable with. I just like piercings because they make me feel a little different. Like when I look in the mirror I see more of my own face than Ruth-Ann or Ruth.”
“Huh.”
His short little answer perplexes me. “What?”
“It’s funny that you see them when you look in the mirror. When I see you, all I see is you.”
I make a face at that. This is where he gives me the spiel about how we’re all clones and yadda yadda. I’ve heard it a dozen times. “You say that, but I have the same mouth as them—”
Kazex shakes his head. “You have a smaller upper lip.”
“—and the same nose—”
“One of your nostrils is smaller than the other.”
“And—wait! What did you just say about my nose?” My hand flies to my face, horrified. “My nostrils are different sizes?”
He laughs and taps the end of my nose. “Not noticeably by most people. But I notice everything about you. I’ve studied your face for hours on end. To me, you’re vastly different than your sisters. You don’t sound the same. You don’t move the same. You don’t act the same. I know you’re hung up on things, but trust me when I say you are unique and glorious all on your own.”
God, that beer must have really loosened him up. My blush rises at his flattering words. Either that or he’s decided to go for the hard press. Either way…I like it? Except for the whole nostril thing.
Kazex tilts his head, regarding me with a soft expression that makes my stomach flutter. “We’re going to have a word, you and I.”
“Oh? What about?”
He leans in close to me, his lips practically brushing against my ear as he whispers, “A secret word. One just for you and me. So if you don’t want me to do something, you tell me this word.”
I’m so distracted by his nearness that it takes me a moment to realize what he’s talking about. “You mean a safe word?”
He nods.
I like the idea. We’re not exactly kinky—at least not yet—but a safe word is good to have. It’ll let me put the brakes on things if it gets to be too much too soon. He’s smart for coming up with this. It’ll allow us to be comfortable with each other without pushing too hard. “Good call. What word do you want to use?”
“It has to have meaning for just the two of us.”
I think for a moment, but draw a blank. “So…what word? Any idea?”
“Ruth-Ann suggested ‘noodle.’”
He was talking to Ruth-Ann about us? Why does that bother me? “Noodle is too common.”
“Then you pick.” He gestures at me. “Whatever word you like.”
My mind goes blank. “Um…ship?”
“Too easy.”
“Piercing?”
“Too common.”
I nod agreement. I’m picking words that are terrible for what we want, but I also don’t know what word it should be. We toss a few other words around before I lean back, frustrated. “I can’t decide.”
Kazex’s eyes go wide. “Kef me. I’ve done it again.”
“Done what?” I’m confused at his response.
He gives me a sheepish look. “Made you choose.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“It’s all right.” He reaches out and gives my hand a gentle squeeze. “Let’s just forget about the whole word thing, all right? We’ll figure something else out.”
So now he doesn’t want to safe-word with me? Why do I feel as if I’ve vaguely disappointed him in some way? Uneasy, I sip my beer and watch the others get drunk and have a good time, but I’m too tense.
Relaxing with Kazex should be the easiest thing in the world…so why isn’t it?
CHAPTER
TWENTY-ONE
KAZEX
I’m doing this all wrong.
I should be taking charge of the situation, like Ruth-Ann said. I should be telling Ruthie what I want to happen and introducing scenarios to her that she might like. Instead, I immediately put her back into the same situation as before—I let her overthink things.
I’m just as bad an overthinker. If we can’t even decide on a safe word, how are we ever going to move forward? How will I ever get her to realize just how much I want her?