Page 95 of Zach
“Yes. It’s ridiculous. What grown woman can’t keep shoes on her feet.”
Becca rolls her eyes and lifts her bare foot, waving it in front of me. I grab it and tickle,
immediately regretting it when she rolls and her other foot connects with my ribs.
“How the fuck are you so flexible?” I drop her foot and rub my aching side. “Besides, it’s not the
same. Your job requires no shoes. Hers does not.”
“Fair point,” she mutters. “I wonder why she can’t keep them on.”
I drop my head against the wall, replaying our conversation earlier in the week. “I think they’re
just uncomfortable. But it doesn’t make much sense. Why not buy a pair she likes, then wear the
fucking things?”
Becca hums noncommittally and stretches her legs out in front of her, flexing her toes. “Is that it?
She won’t wear shoes, so she annoys you. And you kissed her because….?”
“She kissed me first, for fuck’s sake. You saw it. What the fuck was I supposed to do?”
“Um…not kiss her back?”
I stare at her, baffled, because how the fuck could I do that? It would be easier to flap my arms
and fly myself to the moon than pull away from those incredible lips of hers.
Jesus, I’ve never felt anything like them.
When was the last time I kissed a pair of bare lips? Most of the women I’ve…been with, wear
that never kisses off lip stuff. Tastes a little weird, honestly, but you get used to it. With Maya, all I
could taste was Maya. It’s impossible to resist her.
Nick’s back to laughing, forehead pressed on the mats. Becca’s grinning, eyes darting between
Nick and me. “Right. So clearly, that thought didn’t occur to you.” Her smile dims a bit. “Why are you
so against liking her?”
“It’s not about liking her, Becca,” I say, slapping my knee in annoyance. Why can’t they grasp such
a simple concept? “I like my life the way it is. She’s a complication I wasn’t looking for. Yes, I’m
attracted to her, but that’s all. It’s just a product of being in such close quarters this week. It’ll pass.”
I’m nodding, trying to convince myself it’s true.
“You don’t think a woman like Maya could make your life better?”
“No,” I say, ready to shut this shit down. Becca, of course, doesn’t pay attention to thefuck offin
my tone.
“Aw, my dear sweet brother-in-law, you’re talking out of your ass now. You have no idea how
