“Like...what celebrities do?” He sounds skeptical. “Personally represent the brand? Like, being seen using the product and featuring in ads andstuff?”
“Sort of,” I answer, even though that’s exactly how Jim Sanders described it. “They said it involves lot of creativethinking.”
“Sounds sketchy,Peaches.”
My hand tightens around my phone. I know it’s immature, but hearing him voice all my own doubts makes me turn all the frustration I’m feeling ontohim.
“Can’t you just be happy for me?” I hate how whiny I sound. “So what if it sounds sketchy? It’s still an interview with an industry giant. That’ssomething. Have you even bothered to follow up withanyone?”
“No. I’m focusing on school until I’m done myprogram.”
The calmness in his voice is grating. I know he’s just trying to be sensible, but I can’t help taking it as achallenge.
“Well I’m going to theinterview.”
“I never said youshouldn’t.”
My frustration reaches an even higher pitch and I breathe out, trying to clear myhead.
“Hey,” he says, his tone soft. “Itisexciting, no matter what job it’s actually for. Did you, um, I mean...” He trails off and clears his throat before continuing. “Did you want to maybe come over here? We could celebrate your gloriousachievement.”
I’m shocked right out of my irritation. Last time I was at his place he seemed so nervous about me being there I almost felt like I should offer to leave. He barely let me see more than thebedroom.
Not that I minded. He made sure I was well entertained inthere.
“Is this a thinly disguised booty call?” Iask.
“Call it what you want. Just come over and bring me datbooty.”
There’s the Aaron Penn I know andloathe.
“Okay, but if you say ‘dat booty’ at any point, I’m walking right back out thedoor.”
* * *
“There’s dat booty.”
I’ve only got one foot in the door when Aaron slides his hands around me to grip myass.
“I told youI—”
Before I can offer any kind of protest, he crushes his mouth to mine and pulls me tight against his chest. For a moment I’m startled, and then I let myself fall into the kiss, reaching up to grab hold of his shoulders and slip my tongue into his mouth. I feel him sigh, and the sound travels right down between mylegs.
He backs me against a wall—at this point I’m not even surewhichwall— and parts my thighs with one of his own. I squeeze around him and he presses into me harder, targeting where I’m most sensitive even through all of our clothes. When the kiss finally ends, we’re bothbreathless.
“Well somebody’s all riled up today,” Ipant.
Aaron presses his forehead to mine. “I wanted to seeyou.”
My initial impulse is to call him out on what he actually means by ‘see’ but there’s a quiet intensity to his words, a sincerity that’s only amplified when I feel him press his lips to myhairline.
Uh, okay. That took a turn for theemotional.
“Well I for one would like to seeyouwith a lot less clothes on.” Even in my own ears, I sound anxious. The laugh I give at the end of the sentence comes out just a little too high-pitched.
“I give the people what they want,” heanswers.
He throws me over his shoulder and I squeal in surprise, beating my fists against his back as he carries me to the bedroom. I land with a thump on the mattress and he lets himself fall down besideme.
