Page 36 of Practice Makes Perfect
“So… do you want to start right now?” I ask, nodding toward the door to my building.
Linc steps closer, close enough that I can feel the heat radiating from his body in the cool night air. “There’s nothing I’d rather do right now,” he says, his voice low and primal in a way that liquefies my insides. “I’m amped up, wired, and honestly, horny as hell for you.”
My mouth goes dry at his words.
“But,” he continues, “I want to be in the right mindset for our first lesson. I want to plan it, make it good for you.”
“When, then?”
“I have an away game tomorrow, but I’m free Monday night. Three days from now. That work for you?”
I nod, unable to form words with his face so close to mine. For a wild moment, I think he might kiss me, but instead, he leans forward and presses his lips softly to my cheek. It’s honestly the hottest and most erotic thing I’ve ever experienced, and I don’t want to run this time, which makes it all the more frustrating.
“Goodnight, Em,” he murmurs against my skin before pulling away. “I’ll text you the details.”
“Linc…” I whisper, breathlessly.
But he’s already walking backward, still facing me, a small smile playing on his lips. “Sweet dreams.”
I stand frozen on the steps, watching as he turns and strides away into the darkness, my cheek tingling where his lips touched. For a second, my mind is still—content, at peace—but then it fires up again, and one treacherous thought circles in my mind, even though I’d agreed to his rules.
Why did he kiss my cheek if I’m not his girlfriend?
nine
EM
“And then—Iswear to God, Em—she pulls out her phone and starts showing me pictures of her ex.”
I bite into my bagel, watching Louis gesture wildly across our table at Pine Barren Bagels. At 7:30 a.m., we have the place practically to ourselves—the perks of being chronically early risers in a sea of college students who consider noon “the crack of dawn.”
“Maybe she’s just not over him?” I suggest, licking cream cheese from my thumb.
“You think?” Louis’s voice rises in mock surprise. “I’m surprised the monologue about how Adam was her soulmate didn’t tip me off.”
I snort. “Please tell me you didn’t sit through much of that.”
“Twenty-three minutes. I timed it.” Louis takes an aggressive bite of his pork roll, egg, and cheese bagel—a Pine Barren specialty that will have the weekend lines stretching out the door in another hour or so. “Maybe I should follow McCaffrey’s example.”
“Who?”
“He’s on my soccer team, and because of him, half the team is taking some vow of celibacy this semester.” He dabs a napkinat the corner of his mouth with surprising delicacy for someone who moments ago was eating like a rabid wolf. “He might be onto something.”
I add another packet of sugar to my coffee. “You’re being ridiculous.”
Louis arches an eyebrow. “Celibacy seems to be working well enough for you.”
Perfect opening. I’ve been waiting for this.
“Actually…” I stir my coffee. “I’m not exactly celibate anymore.”
Louis freezes mid-chew, his bagel halfway to his mouth. “But none of?—”
“The dating apps were a bust,” I explain. “You screened too aggressively, and found nobody suitable. After that, Lea and my attempts to find me suitable nerdy candidates failed miserably. So I went back to the well with the one guy who Iknowlikes me…”
“So, what then?” Louis crosses his arms over his chest. “You’re sleeping with this guy?”
“I mean, technically…” My voice trails off, knowing what I’m about to say will shock him. “He’s going to coach me on how to have sex…”
