Page 57 of Let It Breathe
Larissa flung the door open to reveal a man whose size suggested a fondness for lifting small automobiles. He looked more sad than dangerous, but Reese watched Clay and Eric bristle anyway.
“Come on, Larissa, I said I was sorry,” the guy pleaded. “Just let me explain.”
“You don’t need to explain. I got the message loud and clear last night. Obviously I wasn’t interesting enough for you to bother staying awake.”
“But it wasn’t my fault, baby. I was just so tired. I loved what you were doing with your hands, and then when you did that twisty thing with your thumb and?—”
“Hi, I’m Reese,” she said, bolting off the sofa and hustling to the door before things got more awkward. She extended her hand to the guy, not sure if she should be defending her cousin or locking her in a bedroom. “And you are?”
“Joey,” he said, and stepped inside to shake her hand. “I just want to talk to Larissa.”
“We’re busy right now,” Larissa huffed, turning to march back to the living room. She plunked down on the love seat this time, then turned back to face them with her arms folded over her chest. “We’re playing ‘I Never.’ Here’s one: I never had a guy fall asleep during a hand job until last night.”
Reese winced, wondering if there were normal families somewhere that didn’t feel the need to overshare. She looked at Clay and Eric, who were staring at Joey with expressions of male sympathy.
“Dude,” Eric said.
“Ouch,” Clay agreed.
Larissa’s date gave an exasperated sigh and followed her into the living room. “Well, I never been so tired as I was last night. Come on, I worked late and?—”
“Are we supposed to drink to that?” Eric asked Clay. “Because I’ve been pretty tired, and there was this one time with Sheila last month where I just didn’t feel like it.”
“I think we’re still playing,” Clay said. “You should probably drink.”
Reese shook her head, pretty sure the time had come for the game to be over. “Can we just call it a night?”
“We’re still playing,” Larissa insisted as Joey sat down beside her on the love seat. Reese couldn’t help noticing her cousin didn’t move away.
“Clay hasn’t even gone yet,” Larissa pointed out. “Everyone sit down and let’s keep going. I haven’t decided what to do with you yet,” she said, directing her ire back at Joey. “But we’re not done here. Clay, go. It’s your turn.”
Clay lifted his water glass, considering. “I never had sex on an airplane.”
Larissa rolled her eyes. “No fair, I already did that one.”
“You just did it as an example, not as a real I never,” Clay pointed out.
“No dice, go again.”
Clay sighed. “I’ve never been in love with anyone I’ve dated.”
Reese bit the inside of her lip. Larissa’s eyes widened. Everyone fell quiet for a second.
Joey was the first to speak. “Wow, man. That’s kinda depressing.”
“Yeah,” Eric agreed. “Not exactly sexy.”
Clay rolled his eyes. “You didn’t say it had to be sexy. Just that it had to be the truth. I’m making amends for past wrongs here, remember?”
“And we’re not judging, remember?” Larissa said, shooting a pointed look at Reese.
“I’m not judging,” she said. “That’s just the first time I’ve ever heard someone say something like that when playing ‘I Never.’”
“It still counts,” Clay said. “Come on, I’ve gone twice, someone else go.”
“I’ll go,” Joey said. “I’ve never slept with anyone in this room, but I’d really, really like to. Um, I mean Larissa. I’m talking about Larissa. Because she’s so smart and pretty.”
Larissa beamed, and Reese resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Clearly, Joey had homed in on her cousin’s fondness for flattery.
