Page 55 of The Thorne at My Side
She's watching me as she tries to suss this out so I just shrug in response.
"I'm getting closer." She drums her nails along the side of her glass. "Who is someone we know, that is out here for the debate, but not someone you work with?"
"That seems like a pretty small venn diagram of candidates." I mutter as I cut up the flatbread that was just set down in front of us.
"Holy shit, it’s Austin Thorne."
"What?" I cough because I didn’t know he was in Arizona until minutes before the debate, how would Sam know? In fact, she doesn’t, she just told me he was back in D.C.. Austin wasn’t in the spin room when we got there. He didn’t stay backstage. In fact, if I didn’t have his room key in my pocket I might think I imagined him being here. When I look up at Sam, she's staring off past my shoulder. I slowly turn around and see what she's mesmerized by.
Austin Thorne is waiting by the elevators in gray athletic shorts and a navy blue tee that is like a second skin so we can see his incredibly fit torso.
“Is that a yoga mat?” Sam asks.
"He does yoga." I tell her, matter of factly.
"Down dog," Sam says in a way that makes it sound sexual. I turn to her and we both giggle a little like freshmanspying on the seniors.
That's what it feels like to be around Austin. He's so put together, so in control. He feels more mature than me sometimes. I pride myself on being both mature and in control but around him my own highly evolved sense of responsibility melts away. Maybe it’s that he grew up in the spotlight. More and more I’m realizing I’ll need to practice my public persona if I want to be successful.
"Told you I would guess it, you’re going to do him," Sam says as we watch him step into the elevator. I envision him getting ready for me to visit in a few hours. My mind goes to him in the shower, wondering what it would be like to join him. I get a little uncomfortable thinking about the way my body seemed to settle when he was at my side earlier.
"Ha, yeah." I agree with a little laugh.
"Listen, I don’t know the details of your agreement with each other but based on your big distressed energy earlier I think you should see what a million thread count sheets feel like with him on top of you." Sam pops the cherry from her drink into her mouth and chews it around a smile.
I blush, violently, as the mental image of just that invades my brain. All my senses. I’m sitting at the bar, I know that, but I can feel my skin warm as his touch travels across my body. I can smell his unique scent that energizes and soothes me.My blood turns to lava as icicles crash down my spine.
"I…ah…well," I try to laugh it off again and focus on the damp sections of my napkin.
“Oh Maggie, sweet, sweet, gentle, Maggie.” Sam laughs as she pats the back of my hand.
“What?” I challenge.
“You’re so gone for him.”
“No I’m not!” I argue butwe both know it’s a weak stance.
“Okay, keep telling yourself that.”
"Yes, alright, fine, he’s hot. And the sex makes me question the laws of physics but it’s just sex. Most of the time I can’t stand being around him."
Except, I can. Every time we’ve taken the time to talk he has surprised me with how well he listens. And oddly, that thought brings my conversations with DCFox to mind.
For the first half of our correspondence I wondered if DCFox and I could have a relationship that is physically fulfilling. Now I have the texts to prove that it is. That it can be. And, sure, I'm nottechnicallysleeping with another man, but would Austin consider my sexts with DCFox to be cheating.
Before I let that train of thought out of the station I remind myself that this is just sex. That's all it is between Austin and me. Sex. Really, really good sex. Like mind blowing sex. The kind of sex that gets you hot just thinking about it.
"You're thinking about it aren't you?" Sam asks and my attention snaps back to her.
"Thinking about what?"
"Sex with Austin Thorne.”
???
It's several hours later andsex with Austin Thornehas indeed been on my mind. I got back up to my room at 10:30 and have been pacing the small space for twenty minutes.
Do I change clothes before going up there?
