The Force rattles once more at my probe as I glance at the manual in front of me.
"Install leg braces with support flange towards center of grill onto the legs using eight M5 x 12 mm Phillips head bolts. Do not tighten until Step 5 in completed."
Alright.
Music continues emanating from Sabine's speaker as she continues tinkering with her canvas. Grabbing the cup I placed my Phillips head bolts in, I turn back to the mess that has overwhelmed my living room.
My grill came in today. Both gas and charcoal for my convenience and comfort. And I'm glad Sabine was here because the box…
I cast my eyes to the box that, standing on its end, is taller than my entertainment system.
Would have been a problem just sitting on my front porch while I was at the Temple all day.
Once I have my bolts in hand, I reach over and grab the first leg brace, then shift myself over to—
OW!
My knee gives a twinge in protest before I grit my teeth and ignore it. Seconds later, my phone vibrates.
Cayle…
I roll my eyes to myself before attaching the leg braces to the legs and set the legs so that they're standing vertically and won't fall apart, ruining my work.
"Maybe you should have paid for installation too." – Cayle
"Real helpful." I text back, but not before another push notification slides onto my screen.
"Your Order is on its way!"
Turning back to where Sabine is, I relay "Dinner's on its way."
"Great." Sabine says before turning back to me and smiling. "And the wine too?"
"Should be."
We combined the normal dinner order form our favorite Mexican spot with an order for a bottle of wine. First time for everything.
And I don't imagine Jaicey wants to be our wine mule forever.
Sabine nods again, gives me another smile then turns back to her canvas just as the Force rattles again.
Again.
I think…
Forcing my attention back to my construction project, I attach the other brace and set the bolts in position before glancing back at my instruction manual.
"Next, install firebox support bracket onto the holes on the left legs using two M5 x 12 mm Phillips head bolts. Do not tighten until Step 5 in completed."
Those must be the other holes directly below the braces I just installed.
Reaching over, I grab the bracket which is leaned up against the coffee table and set it into position just before it seems to settle into place.
Yeah, that looks right.
My phone gives off another buzz before I have time to grab the next bolts.
Cayle…
"What's her deal? She looks…stiff." – Cayle
She is stiff. She's being robotic, very methodical. Constantly hovering over me and my dumb knee, doling out an extra smile or two…
"I think she's working herself to tell me about this guy." I tell Cayle.
I can't think of anything else. She's gotten comfortable here faster than she did at my old apartment, probably because of all the new space, the fact that I'd already set up a little art station for her and just a familiarity with everything.
Granted, she tore the station I built apart and rearranged everything, but still. She thanked me for trying just before she ruined my handiwork.
I smile at the thought while tipping over the cup and allowing to more bolts to roll into my hand.
Okay ,these should just slip right into place. I'm on Step 3, so I'll be needing those washers soon too to tighten everything down.
A knock at the door halts my progress as I'm halfway thru inserting the second bolt into position, putting Sabine into motion.
"I got it. Where's your wallet again?"
For the bribe.
"Right there." I point to the square table in between my recliner and couch that Hera found at a garage sale and unilaterally decided I'd like.
It's alright. Sort of unnecessary and I don't like clutter.
Nice place to put a lamp though.
Sabine snatches up my wallet and moves towards the door as I start to my feet.
Stupid…KNEE!
I clamber to my feet, then limp around my mess as the door opens and Sabine's voice perks up.
"—thank you."
"And you paid with card?" The delivery person, who sounds like a girl asks.
"Yes." Sabine confirms, then extends the tip for our delivery.
"Oh! Thank you!"
"You're welcome." Sabine beams as behind her on the floor are the two plastic bags of food as well as the paper bag or the wine.
"Have a great night!"
"You too." Sabine smiles once again before shutting the door and turning to the food just as I arrive to help.
Immediately she pushes me away. "No, go sit down. I got it."
"I'm here. I'm helping." I reply.
"Ezra…I asked you to stay off your feet as much as you can. I'm really getting worried about it."
The swelling should have gone down by now, it shouldn't be so stiff, blah blah blah.
"I'm fine. I'm just a little stiff is all." Sabine rolls her eyes as I grab one of the two bags of food, leaving the rest to her.
Normally I'd be grabbing it all. I'm complying with her.
"How's your painting?"
"Alright I guess." Sabine says, expression still taut. "I'm free handing the trace right now, and I don't like what I've got."
"What's wrong with it?"
"I can't get the beach right." She explains as she grabs our plates.
"What's the beach?"
"The beach of Lake Shore…the silhouette of downtown and the skyline isn't bad." She elaborates as she digs into the bag and sets our tacos aside. "Get out the sour cream if you want some, I think they remembered the pico and guacamole."
Silently I move to the fridge and begin emptying it of what we need for our fajitas. "Found the tortillas yet?"
"Yeah…anyway. I'm close. I'm just being a perfectionist."
"Lake Shore. Like Drive? Chicago?" I ask, prompting Sabine to turn.
And give me another soft smile.
Sabine nods with that same expression. "I've seen it a thousand times."
"So that's why you're being picky." I smile as I hand over the squeeze bottle of sour cream. "Those peppers smell amazing."
It all smells amazing.
"Right." Sabine smiles.
"What's the painting for anyway?"
Sabine turns back to her preparations. "For here."
"Here?" I repeat after her.
Sabine!
"Yeah." She lets out a light laugh. "You have even more bare walls than last time. I need to do something with it."
"You don't have to make me more art though." I counter. "I was going to go out and buy some decorations too."
You don't have to do it all.
"Oh I can make whatever it is you like at Target or Hobby Lobby or whatever." Sabine dismisses the idea.
"Sabine." I groan. "You don't have to."
"I know." She turns to me and smiles again. "I've got to get my creative juices flowing somehow though, and I'd rather make stuff for you than just…stuff." She justifies herself. "Now start pouring that wine, food's ready."
This episode is not what she had in mind I bet.
I continue occupying myself with my food as the two characters continue fighting.
"—I know you were just abroad. But I just need to borrow your truck." The new girl, whose name I can't remember yet pleads with her newest roommate.
"And I just got it out of long term parking at my brother's place. It needs to be driven around, charge the battery, test the tires, you know all of that." The roommate turns new girl down.
"No better way to test 'er out than helping me move my stuff!" New girl circles around as I take a bite out of my fajita.
So good.
The two characters continue their bickering as beside me Sabine sips her wine and shifts around again. "More wine?"
"I'm okay." Sabine turns the offer down before the Force rattles once more.
Okay, that's enough. I'm taking action.
She's been tap dancing all night, and I'm not going to let her keep ruining her own night.
I already know a lot already.
Unilaterally, I scoop up her wine glass and start to the kitchen before Sabine protests. "Ezra! I said I'm fine. Thank you though."
I barely hear the couch flex as Sabine gets up and moves to follow as I set her glass down and go to open the fridge.
"No you're not." I say as I feel her enter the kitchen."
When my head emerges from the fridge, Sabine has a look on her face that I've never seen before. "What do you mean?"
Easy…grace. Be gentle.
"You've been puttering around all night. Giving me weird looks, deliberate movements. You slowed down on your art—" At this, Sabine's eyes fall to the floor. "You're avoiding something Sabine."
"And how would you know that?" She questions me quietly while moving to fiddle the napkins and plastic cutlery that came with our food.
I shrug sarcastically then set the bottle of wine on the counter. "Oh, I don't know. It's not like the Jedi have trained me to read people or anything."
"I—" She starts, then stops herself. "That's fair I guess."
I guess.
"Have you always just…read me like this?"
"No." I shake my head. "I turn that part of my brain off when I'm here. But you're displaying all sorts of signs that you're nervous. And you shouldn't be."
Sabine takes her eyes off the cutlery and turns back to me. "I'm not nervous here. I…"
"Hey." I soften my tone while pouring her a refill on the wine. "I know a little bit. And I think I know what it is. So how about I make it easier and tell you what I know."
"I don't think you know what it is." Sabine counters, then scoops up her wine and flees from the room.
Actually, I don't think that's a bad thing.
I probe using the Force one more time as Sabine maneuvers her way back to the couch. "Running from me won't help."
"I'm not running! I'm hungry." She justifies herself before taking a bite of her fajita, only for half of the contents of the tortilla to spill out. "Oh dammit." She mutters, mouth full.
I laugh and make sure to smile as I move to grab my own wine. "Okay then…I'll start. His name starts with a 'B'."
Instantly, Sabine goes stiff and the color begins draining from her face as I round the recliner and move back toward the kitchen. "How do you…"
She trailed off.
"You told me, drunk back in like September. Maybe early October." I explain. "I didn't get the name, just something you slurred out as I guided you back to my bed."
"You never said anything…" Sabine answers, voice still quitter than usual.
"I figured that if it was important, you'd tell me." I refill my own glass of wine, then peer up in time to see Sabine looking at me thru the hallway.
"Then my bosses at work mentioned something about some guy with you. Back in Chicago. Wanted me to read some file they've compiled…Told them no." I return to Sabine as her eyes are now firmly in her lap. "They didn't like that."
"Your boss made you a file about this? Count Dooku did?"
I reach over and scoop up the remote to lower the volume as the episode continues.
Not important right now. We'll rewatch it.
I need to get this right.
"Not Dooku personally. They're just doing their homework, which is their job. Have since that whole fight at that party where everybody got arrested."
Oh dammit.
"hey now…I'm not done." I try to pump up Sabine as she's now looking completely defeated.
"I…I've made such a mess. And all you've done is get caught up into it—" She says, voice unsteady before I cut her off.
"No, no you haven't." I give her a smile. "This isn't a mess to me. It's not even a problem."
"Well it's a problem to me!" Sabine snaps, the heat coming back into her voice.
Okay…I think she might be buying Water Works here soon. I better get the tissues from the bathroom.
"I know, I know…I didn't mean it like that." I turn back towards the anterior of my apartment. "Hang on."
"Where are you going?" She calls after me.
Out! Damn! Well I know I have some in my storage closet.
Returning to Sabine, I walk towards the closet just by the door and open it up to reveal my stash of paper supplies as well as my safe.
"Wait, you—" She stops, then starts again. "You still have that?"
I turn back to see her eying the safe. "Yup."
"Oh."
"It's not that big of a deal." I lie. "It's just a precaution and a safety feature. One day…" I scoop up a box of tissues and kick close the door. "I hope I'm able to tell you the combo, let you open it and see your reaction to what's inside."
"What is inside?" She returns the question.
I laugh and extend the box to her. "That'd ruin the surprise." Sabine concedes the point and her eyes drop to look at the box of tissues.
"Anyway…I know there's a guy. Or was. Doesn't matter. Then the whole Christmas present thing happened and—"
"Ez—"
I raise my hand to stop her. "Let me finish. It'll be easier once I do. You'll just be able to fill in the gaps. Promise. And you don't have to tell me if you don't want to."
She will. She's been trying to psyche herself up all night.
Before my eyes, I see Sabine's mind racing before she nods for me to continue. In return, I give her a smile.
"Anyway, Christmas happened. And yeah, I was mad." I confess. "I didn't like that I hurt you, and didn't know why. Then your Dad showed up one day. Did he ever mention that?"
The Force suddenly rattles before Sabine gives me a nod. "Yeah. Said he saw you and talked to you a little bit. Mentioned…this."
I'm on the right track.
"Well he told me that my hunch was in the right direction. And that it was your story to tell."
It is.
"I know it's not easy." I lower my voice. "But if you want to tell me—"
The rest of my sentence is cut off as Sabine tackles me into a hug so hard that it knocks the air out of me.
—
She's trembling.
"His name's Brett…" She tells me, voice barely above a whisper. "I…"
Brett.
On a whim I snuggle closer to her and hold her tighter, trying to encourage her. "I've known him almost as long as I can remember. We went to elementary school, middle school and high school together. He's always been my best friend."
"Okay." I tee her up to carry on.
"Play dates, talked, texted all the time when we got phones, always around each other. Longest time we were apart were my soccer camps. And even then I snuck my phone in and talked to him."
"Sounds great."
Sabine finally lets me go to reveal that she's actually smiling. "After a while, like eighth or ninth grade, early ninth grade we started going out. He never really even asked me. We just went to go eat at Subway one day at the mall 'cause we were hungry, he paid and held my hand. And then we were going out."
"Awesome." I smile at her.
She's loosening up.
Sabine finally lets me go and starts back in the direction of the couch. "It was never hard, things never really changed. We were best friends who shared everything with each other. We weren't even thinking about stuff like awkward first kisses or going to the movies or prom and homecoming and all of that, we were just living life like normal."
There is a 'but' coming.
"It was so…easy. Sharing everything. Things that would be awkward or not allowed like sleepovers were fine because we knew each other so damn long."
"You're best friends." I smile to encourage her.
Sabine nods and lights up a little bit. "All those high school milestones that are so important like homecoming and mums and proms and who is dating who and…sex and all that. All him. Never hard, just us…together."
I don't know anything about those milestones really. I don't even know what—
"But I guess I should have noticed that he was getting a little more serious about things." Sabine's tone changes dramatically.
"Don't blame yourself."
Sabine plows ahead like I never said anything. "By our senior year I've got all sorts of offers from soccer programs across the country. I…I used to be the top soccer recruit in the country." She smiles sheepishly.
"You? Oh that doesn't sound right at all." I tease her, only for Sabine's smile to grow.
"I know right?"
She's a kickass soccer player.
"Anyway, Brett starts pushing me to stay home. Go to Northwestern, where Tristan went, where he was planning on going. But I…I don't know. I wanted to get away for college. See what was out there, you know?"
"Me too. That's why I'm here." I spin the tale I told back at the campfire.
Sabine smiles again then continues. "He kept pushing, pushing, pushing. I didn't like that and for the first time ever really we started fighting. And…it got bad."
"I'm sorry."
"But we stayed together. Every time I would apologize or he would apologize and we'd work things out and he'd tell me how much he loved me. Then last year at Christmas…he proposed to me."
Prop—
"Said that I was his forever girl, that he loved me so much—" Sabine's voice quivers. "And that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. I…"
Oh no.
NO!
"Sabine…" I mumble out.
I'm so sorry…
"I was so happy." She says, then sniffles loudly and moves to wipe her eyes. "The ring was beautiful and our families were there and it was…perfect."
"And you said yes." I confirm.
Sabine nods while pulling out a tissue and wiping her eyes.
Oh I screwed up royally. The timing, the gesture…
I didn't know what I walked right into.
"I committed to USC that February after taking a trip out here with Dad. I just loved the place, the weather, the opportunity…all of it. And I wanted to get away. Brett didn't like that."
Too bad for him. It's your choice Sabine.
"We…fell into this pattern." She begins to explain, then stops short and looks dead at me.
…
She's looking for something—
"He started planning and thinking like my LOI, letter of intent didn't matter. That I was just coming to Northwestern with him. And any time that I brought all this up, it just pissed him off and we'd have a big fight. Then…"
"We fought, then we'd make up and fuck. We'd fight and we'd fuck, we'd fight and we'd fuck. Over and over and over again. Brett was changing and it was scaring me, how much he thought he controlled me and could plan out my life. Stuff like me dropping soccer all together and going to medical school to be like my Dad. I suck at that shit, I don't even want to go do that."
"You're an artist. You don't seem interested in that." I volunteer.
"He didn't like my art." Sabine's expression turns cruel. "Started asking me why I wasted my time with all of it, that sort of thing. Even though he knew damn well I've always drawn! Always! Sketches way back when we were at Bethesda! I made money on the side in high school at Benet selling paintings and stuff I did. Never had to get a job."
Sabine's art is a part of who she is.
Always has felt like that to me.
"He just got so controlling…and we just kept going in circles. Like I said." Sabine pauses, then eyes me.
She kept sleeping with him.
Hoping it'd get better.
Because she loves him.
"Next thing I really know we're at our graduation. Outdoor thing, everybody is so happy. Balloons and everyone's families and everything. And as we're taking pictures Brett just…says…'Oh, Sabine's coming to Northwestern with me.'"
Oh no.
"Oh yeah." Sabine says, apparently reading my expression.
"Uh oh." I manage to get out.
"I lost it." She confesses. "I'd had enough of all of his manipulations and assumptions and him trying to live my life for me. When all I wanted to do is love him and be happy! Long distance relationships can work! They've worked!"
I nod in agreement. "Yeah, they have."
Not really. It has to be a special couple.
"Like I said, I lost it. In front of Mom and Dad and everyone. I started screaming at him, he started screaming right back, saying that my dreams didn't matter and that he was trying to protect me. So I…"
Sabine stops, and her whole face seems to quiver and—
Here we go again.
"I…took off the ring. Shoved it into his chest, told him we were broken up and ran off in tears. I don't know how I got home. I…I don't really remember anything."
"Sabine." I say softly. "I'm so—"
Sabine doesn't let me finish and has already leapt off the couch, crashed into me and is bawling into my chest before I reflexively pull her into a hug.
"I was so sad…and heartbroken. I…I…" She sobs. "I've known him my whole life, and the last year he changed and morphed into this…monster! I tried telling myself that he was the same, that he just loved me, but I couldn't take it anymore." She cries, tears falling onto my shirt.
Sabine…
Sabine continues sobbing into my shirt, hot tears soaking thru to my chest, and I just keep hugging and holding her, occasionally rubbing her in between her shoulder blades to try and comfort her.
She's still messed up about all of this. And who can blame her. This wasn't even a year ago.
"I…I'm sorry." She sniffles, then finally moves to extricate herself from my grip.
I quickly counter by giving her another squeeze. "No, you have nothing to be sorry for Sabine. I'm…I'm sorry he did that to you."
Sabine lets out a little squeak, then crumbles back into my arms. "I…don't deserve you…"
"Yeah, well, we all get things in life we don't deserve." I say with a laugh. "You're just stuck with me."
Thankfully, Sabine laughs, then peers up at me with a hug smile on her face while her makeup is ruined.
Why'd she wear makeup again?
"Oh jeez, I'm sorry…" She cringes at the sight of my shirt, which causes me to look down and see that's where all of her splotched makeup went.
"It's fine…" I wave away her worries. "Like I told you. You don't have to wear makeup here if you don't want to. You're beautiful either way."
Sabine's jaw gives another little quiver before her face settles and she starts to move back to the couch. "Uhm, well, after that…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to give you play by play."
"It's fine. After that…" I prompt her, then smile.
C'mon…
Sabine returns the smile, albeit shakily then sips her wine. "Well, a majority of my summer was booked up already. And so was his. I was helping at a bunch of soccer camps in Chicago and a few around the country."
"Big shot soccer star and all that." I joke.
The joke works and Sabine laughs. "Yeah. And Brett had an internship with a financial firm in downtown Chicago. So he was booked up too. But that didn't stop him from trying to make up."
Uh oh.
"I didn't want to hear it. I was done. He came to my house, he called, he texted, all the damn time…trying to talk to me, to hear from me. Anything. At a certain point it just annoyed me. I mean, can't he take a hint! I didn't want to talk to him! Can't you see this is hard enough on me without all your damn calls and texts?!"
Yeah.
I silently nod, and Sabine continues. "Finally I just had to tell him again that we were broken up. For a while at least. He's at Northwestern, I'm going to USC, and that's it. We'll see each other during the summer. That only pissed him off more, he told me to go to hell, he hated me, blah, blah, blah."
That's not true.
"That's more than 'blah, blah, blah.' That's awful." I reply, only for her expression to remain glum.
"The summer raced by. I was really at home, where he could reach me for like two and a half weeks. Then I came down here early, to train and prep for the upcoming season. You know what happened next…"
She tried drowning him out with alcohol and every guy she could find.
"That's not fair."
"Fair doesn't matter. I hurt you, and everything in the process." She rebukes me. "If it's any consolation…almost all of them were two pump chumps."
I can't hold back a laugh, then turn back towards the kitchen. "I'm sorry…"
"No, no." She calls back, a laugh in her voice too. "It's true though."
I shake my head, then notice that most of my wine is now gone. "Continue on with your story. You need more too?"
"NO, not unless you want me to start crying again…"
"Okay!" I call back.
"Anyway…I met you, met Matt, Trey, Jaicey, everybody that I know here and just started living life. I didn't check my old socials to see what he was doing because I totally blocked him and wiped him off all of them."
"Ouch!" I help her out while pouring more wine.
So that part is true after all. Huh.
"Thanksgiving comes and goes, and now it's Christmas. You gave me this beautiful necklace Ezra, which I really do love—"
"It reminded you of the ring." I cut her off as I return to the living room. "That's why it made you so upset."
That's the nerve I hit. It wasn't about my mission, it was the fact that I accidentally hit way too close to home.
And she wasn't ready for that.
As soon as I'm close enough, Sabine snatches up my hand and pulls my down to sit on the couch with her. "I really am sorry for abandoning you like that. I…I couldn't tell you, and I didn't want to hurt you. The look on your face…I'm so sorry…"
"C'mere." I hold my arms out, and Sabine just collapses once again, crying her eyes out into my chest before she accidentally tips me over and sends us lying down on the couch.
"I'm sorry. Like I said, I purposely didn't look. I didn't know. I…just wanted to get you a nice Christmas present. You deserved it."
"No I didn't." She sniffles in return.
Giving Sabine another squeeze, I smile at her. "Yeah, you did. You hadn't had a nice gift like that in a while. I'm still glad I did it."
"It's beautiful. You didn't have to spend so much money."
"This is going to sound bad, but I got it on sale." I laugh. "Jaicey saw it at full price."
No she didn't.
Thankfully, Sabine laughs. "Well I don't care. I love it."
"Good."
Together we fall into a comfortable silence for a moment, punctuated only by Sabine's sniffles and the light murmurings of our show, long forgotten.
"You're smarter than you think though. When I saw you again…you said that you didn't want to pester me and just continuously text me…you were right."
"Oh no." I blurt out.
BRETT!
"Yeah." She confirms with a nod. "All Christmas Break long. Day after day after day."
Jeez…
"What'd he say?"
"I don't really know. I only read the first couple, on the first couple of days. Something about really wanting to talk to me, smooth things out, try again. Brought up my 'rocky'—" Sabine uses her fingers for air quotes "—first semester. All that crap. I deleted it as soon as I saw him bring up Northwestern again."
Jesus dude take a hint.
"I just started deleting them after that. Didn't even read them. It wasn't until my phone just kept going off at dinner one night that Dad put two and two together. Next day he went to the Verizon store and blocked his number."
Oh damn.
"Haven't heard from him since."
"Damn…I knew texting you was a bad idea. I knew it."
In response, Sabine giggle and burrows closer to me. "You're super smart. Brett's…well he's actually kind of like Cayle. He's blunt and stupid, and you're—not."
"He's not that bad…he probably knew most of this. He was just trying to help."
"Yeah." Sabine laughs dismissively. "He told me to 'go back there' to your bedroom that night he brought us home. I know what he wanted us to do. You're smarter than that."
Wouldn't have happened anyway.
"I try."
"How…you said he knows all of this? How?" She asks.
"It's his job to know." I counter. "He's…he's Tano's apprentice. He's really smart."
"He's a damn idiot." Sabine retorts. "Reminds me of fifty frat guys here. Not all Jedi are like him are they?"
I shrug as she peers up at me. "Some, not all. Not the good ones."
"You're not." Sabine curls close once again. "I…"
The Force rattles again before I hug her once more. "Yeah?"
"You're…so important to me. I hope you know that. I…I really wasn't looking for another best friend so fast after breaking up with him. But you…" I squeeze Sabine tight, hoping that my message will get across, only for her to keep going.
"You're kind and caring. Thoughtful and sweet. Strong and tender. Honest and so…loving. You walked right into my heart like I left the door open, and it most definitely wasn't. I thought it was closed and locked…but no. Thank you. So much. I care about you so much Ezra…" Sabine curls up closer, giving me a massive hug while leaving nothing to doubt about the hug.
"I know…And I care about you too. So much it…"
I shouldn't.
"It…" Sabine prompts me.
"It scares the crap out of me." I blurt out, then lay my head on her shoulder. Only for Sabine to extricate herself away from me slightly.
"What do you mean?" She asks, a tinge of fear in her voice.
"I'm…bad with people."
"No you're not." Sabine contradicts me. "You're amazing."
"But I'm bad at letting them get close to me. By design. I moved a lot as a kid, and it's not like…I lived in the most loving house. So I'm bad at loving other people. I…just tell me when I start doing something wrong. I probably don't mean it, I just don't know what I'm doing over here."
"I will." She whispers in my ear. "I promise."
I smile and move to give Sabine another hug just as she—
Oh.
—
—
Sabine repositions herself ever so slightly on me, all the while keeping her lips on mine before deepening the kiss once again.
—
—
Eventually, after a bit, Sabine disengages from her kissing assault on my lips to smile.
"You keep on saying you don't want a boyfriend, then you keep on doing that…" I tease her, only for Sabine to giggle happily and lay her head on my chest.
"I told you there's different kinds of love. Silly."
"Yeah, well you say that, then keep on kissing me."
Sabine laughs again, then repositions herself. "Love. Romantic love. Intimacy."
Seems pretty intimate to me. You all pressed up against me, kissing me senseless.
Sabine just stares at me for a moment, seemingly waiting for me to say something.
"This seems pretty intimate to me." I confess.
"It is…" She smiles. "But it's physical. If I can…with all those frat boys, I can kiss you if I want."
"Oh can you?" I pop off.
Immediately, Sabine's eyes drop to me. "I felt you on that last one…pulling me closer."
Yeahhh…
"You said I'm a good kisser. You're not bad either."
Sabine just smiles at me before—
—
—
—
Yup.
—
—
Sabine gives me a final…twist of her hips then breaks away from me. "Our…little secret. You understand me?"
"Mhmm." I nod weakly.
This...
I've got to get out from underneath her.
"Are we good?" I ask Sabine as she's curled up on my chest and gives the TV a glance before turning back to me.
"Yeah. We're good."