Page 69 (1/2)

There’s a big gaulars, and even er, some older, and a few in between I keep track of the drinks of the people sitting at the bar, and carefully irls in a booth near the jukebox

Luke co for one of the waitresses He’s laughing with Fred when I join thes one ofwide

My entire body is full of tiny boives ed into a pair of dark jeans and a blue T-shirt that stretches tight across his biceps and across his lats I runhi over his forehead and his ser when I say, "There you are"

"Can I drive you home?"

"My car is here," I re?" I put a coaster in front of hiin filling it with a new IPA I’m sure he’ll love

He catches lass in front of hihost over ets up with the sun to go surfing I want to come home with you I haven’t been in your bed yet"

He says it without a hint of trepidation, and suddenly it’s all I can think about

Luke in my bed

Luke naked in ainst my pillohen he comes

My voice is noticeably shaky when I tell hiet my attention at the other end of the bar "Go play with your friends so I can work"

"Yes, an?"

"Yeah?" I ask

"You look beautiful tonight"

IT DOESN’T ESCAPE my notice--or Fred’s, for that ht He talks aniahim, too

My breath catches every ti that rises like carbonation intheir way up my throat

I love you

I blink away and back down to the credit card I’ to start a tab, and have to clear out the sale and start over

About an hour later I watch one of the sorority girls leave her group and wander into the back roo attention--his eyes seem fixed on the screen above the pool table as he appears to argue with Not-Joe about the game--so he doesn’t immediately react when she slips into the chair next to hi in his ear, and loops her ar h to put sorip Luke shakes his head and, without any iven to the moment, turns back to the television He clearly didn’t do it for

My hands trelance at the clock, counting down the hours until I can take him home, and kiss another set of words into his skin: I trust you

IN THE END, I do leave my car at the bar and let Luke drive me all the way back don I don’t really want to be away fros between us feel settled but not When is he ? What will I do?

He holds my hand as he drives, we listen to quiet music, and an easy sleepiness takes over the space between us

Upstairs, we brush our teeth side by side Luke brought a toothbrush with hi, I tell hi Ashley’s at Justin’s house His reply is to spit, rinse and wipe hiskiss toof dicks," he says when he’s pulled away