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"It wasn’t that I don’t think you’re capable of taking care of her," I say "It wasn’t that at all"

"Then as it?" he asks

It’s so hard to explain, but if I don’t tell hi it’s because I think he can’t do the kid justice with his disability, and that couldn’t be farther froht she was yours," I say with er

"What?" he asks

"I thought she was yours," I repeat This tih that’s the last thing I want hiri care of a child I can watch the lights on adiapers doesn’t require my ears" He’s irritated And I can tell it "She cries, and I can figure out what she needs"

"It’s not that" God, I’es the my lips "I was jealous," I admit There I said it

"Jealous?" he asks "Of Hayley? She’s three, for Christ’s sake"

"I know" I don’t kno to tell him "It made o" And made me realize someone else has had him Probably a lot of someone’s A lot of someone’s I can’t co "That’s all it was?" he asks, his voice incredulous That’s not really all it was I also wondered how in the world I would do sharing him with someone else But he’s not mine to share, is he? Not really Not at all

I nod "That’s all It’s not because you’re deaf I was just jealous" I shrug "I’m sorry Really, really sorry I didn’t mean to offend you" I want to tell him that I want him all to myself But I’m not free to do that

"I don’t have any kids," he says "In case you ondering"

The thought hadn’t even crossed ht"

"I want kids so intoto help a kid of , and school is soreat ainst my forehead and he lays his hands on my nad hips I draw in a breath My hps are bare and his hands cover them completely as he pulls ets sandwiched between our bodies

"I’lad you came to talk to me," I croak out

He dips his head, and kisses the side of ive hiainstatHis eyes are closed His hands slide around to ainst him "I have never wanted to have sex with soainst my belly, and I can barely think or take in a breath

I lift up his shirt, and lay ertips I want to touch him I want to touch him so badly "Pretend I’m someone you don’t care about," I say impulsively

He must have seen my lips, because he stills "You think I can do that?" he asks, his voice incredulous He lifts a hand and runs it though his hair "I don’t think you realize how very much I like you"

He likes ainst my stohs heavily, and says, "I don’t mean like that" A muscle ticks in his jaw for a moment, and then he steps back from me, lifts the towel and wraps it around my nad body "I’ve had sex Lots of sex But I’ve never had it with anyone who matters to me"

He’s only known me a few days "Why do Ito know

He shakes his head

"Tell me," I pro time," he says "I have an excuse to keep people away, because of my disability And then I saw your tattoo" I turn his wrist over and tracehis eyes tightly "And I felt like maybe, just maybe, ere each locked in our own little worlds and we could let each other out"

He’s pouring his heart out here, and I have nothing of encourage with you," I start I look up at hi in his eyes

"That’s not true" He shakes his head

"There’s nothing wrong with you So, we’re not on equal footing, and we never will be"

He shakes his head again, like there’s soue that he wants to say but won’t

"I can’t read I can’t get a job I can’t go to school I can’t do any of the things eta trophy wife But I refused That’s why I left They’d co I couldn’t play my music because it was "beneath our class" and I couldn’t further my education, because it was too hard for thele It was all about them Always about them

"Don’t underestimate your own value, dummy," he says

I stiffen I hate that word Absolutely hate it He stiffens when I do

"What?" he asks "What’s wrong?"