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"I’lad you’re here," he says as I fill my mouth up with alfredo "I was afraid you’d run"

I was afraid of that, too And I probably still will I circle my fork in a pile of noodles and hold it out to hiet all srins and leans forward He leans his head back after his htfully "Yours is better than mine," he says

I take rins and shakes his head It doesn’t stop htfully on a piece of his chicken "Mine’s better than yours," I agree

He shrugs and smiles "Eat," he says

We eat quietly, and I steal food off his plate so often that he puts up a fork to block me But I feed him just as much of mine as he will accept I like this time with him But I also liked the time in the bathroom

When the waitress takes the plates away, I have to forcefor o to waste But there won’t be anywhere for me to keep it at the shelter That is, provided that I can find a shelter that’s not crowded already

The table is clear between us, and the waitress comes and leaves a leather-bound folder I reach for it, but he intercepts it "No," he says, shaking his head

"But I wanted to pay," I coain "No" He slides his credit card into the slot and lays it on the edge of the table

I reach over and take his hand, and he startles for aonat the inside of his wrist

You can tell it’s a fresh tattoo, and it’s looking a bit like Fruity Pebbles, all rough and crinkly But the design is still there "I love this," I say "Will you put one on me one day?" I ask I want one just like this one And I want the keyhole "How , for you," he says

"I wouldn’t let you do it for free"

He smiles "I wouldn’t let you pay for it"

"Do you do tattoos like the one today often?"

His brows draw together like he’s not sure what I’ to

I point to my boobs And then heat creeps up rins

"Oh, jeeze," I say, burying my face in my hands

He pulls ht I said so" I shake my head

"I don’t do those often Just once in a while They give e them"

He shakes his head "I can’t They need it"

"So, how rimaces "Some," he says

"Really?"

He nods "It’s a popular place for tats Even when people aren’t getting new nipples" His face colors I think he’s embarrassed

Our discussion about boobs makes me think of e’d just done in the bathroom When I ran s He’d even let s do you have?" I ask

He starts to count on his fingers He stops at seven "Seven?"

"Where?"

He points to each nipple, then his ears, then the shell of his ear And then his gaze goes down to his crotch He’s not s to see asp, and nearly choke onata sip of his root beer

"Did they hurt?" I suddenly have the s

"Can you do one for me?" I ask Then I rush on to say, "Not today Or any tih money"

"Where would you want it?" he asks

I’ve only hadany other part ofabout it "Did your niles hurt?" I whisper Then I realize he can’t tell I’ oes away Just like any other piercing"

I can’t stop thinking about the one down there Heat creeps up ain

"I could pierce you Anywhere you want," he says And his face floods with color

"Anywhere?"

He closes his eyes and takes a deep breath When he opens the when he says carefully "Anywhere" He looks at ain and licks his lips "Take your pick of places"

Suddenly, I’m curious "You do a lot of those?" I don’t knohy that bothers s

I don’t like the idea of hih the idea of hi mine… I squir?" he asks He’s sether "Can anyone get a piercing like that?" I point towardso bold about this But I’m curious

"Most people can" He plays with the salt shaker "We’d have to take a look to see what type of piercing would be best for you"

My face fla a look down there He pushes my root beer toward , though, and I’ve never seen such a look of confidence on a man The aardness of ame squirm

"Are there, like, different kinds?" My words don’t want to coracefully

He nods He takes s his thumb across the back "There are as many kinds as there are types of women"

I take a deep breath