Page 74 of Privilege

Then I slide into the skirt, which is stretchy as he promised. The skirt is short, or I’m tall, and a sliver of tan skin shows between the bottom of the shirt and the top of the skirt. I try pulling up the skirt but now it’s too short to be comfortable. I pull it back down and poke my head out.

“Almost ready,” I tell him when he glances up from the folding chair he’s sitting in. “Come here a second, I need to ask you something.”

He comes immediately. I sit him on the bed and show him.

“I’m not sure if I should wear the skirt lower, but it leaves a gap here, or higher, but then it’s so short?” I ask, tugging the skirt up to show him.

“Vale?”

His eyes are on my legs. They seem a little glassy.

“Vale? The skirt?”

“Um…” He looks up to my face, grimacing.

“Sorry. Sorry, Ami. What was the question again?”

I sigh. “What do I do about this skirt?” I show him again. He starts to reach out and pauses before his hands touch me.

“May I?”

Suddenly my mouth is as dry as it’s ever been. His voice is so intimate, and his hands are hovering over my hips. I can’t form the word yes so I nod, holding his eyes. Without breaking my gaze he brings his hands to my hips, tugging the skirt lower, leaving that sliver of stomach.

His hands linger on my hips as he says thickly, “Like this, I think.”

I’m silent for a beat and his hands are still on my hips. I wonder what it would be like for his hands to slide around my waist, pulling me towards him. As if in answer to my thought his grip slides up, resting on the skin between my red shirt and the tight black skirt.

“Ami, I…”

I bring my hands to his shoulders and he pulls me even closer, hugging me between his legs. His breathing is deep, he sounds like he’s trying to calm himself down.

“I’m worried about tonight,” he mutters. “I don’t want anything to happen to you.”

Oh. He’s worried about me. I thought maybe we were going to kiss. I hug him.

“It’s okay,” I reassure him. Maybe seeing me in these clothes makes me seem vulnerable. “It’s what I want. I want to get the laptop,” I tell him. The words are heavy and wrong in my mouth. I do want to get the laptop, but I’m speaking a half-truth.

“This is something I need to do,” I tell him. At least that’s the truth. We stand there, hugging, as his breathing regulates. Then he releases me and I back up, giving him space to stand. He busies himself with the backpack, and I grab what I need for my purse.

It occurs to me that I might not see Vale after tonight. If I can get that laptop for the PS, and get it to a drop point tomorrow, they said I’d be on my way back soon. And Vale will be here, in Anchorage.

When he turns back I slip closer and he stills. I maynever see him after tonight. I bring my lips close to his, almost brushing them together.

“Vale, can we…”

He closes the space between us and our mouths press softly, our lips fitting together. He’s gentle. His lips are soft.

There’s a thud of the backpack hitting the floor and Vale’s hands are gripping my ribcage, pulling me closer. I angle my head, exploring, and drop my purse to wind my arms around his neck.

My whole body tingles. I’m hot all over but the kiss is slow, gentle, and ends too soon. I step back, and he drops his hands awkwardly.

Then I remember I’m supposed to be his girlfriend at the party.

“Okay.” I take a couple of breaths, backing up more, trying to remember what we were doing. “So. We’re going together, like we’re on a date?”

“Yeah,” Vale says slowly. “But we don’t have to do what everyone else is doing,” he goes on, looking worried.

“What kind of party are we talking about?” I joke.

“Oh, not like that, but guys are pretty protective of their women up here. You’ll want to stay close…” He trails off, suddenly unsure again.

“That’s okay. Yeah.” This party is going to be quite the experience, I can tell already.

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