Page 117 of Under Her Skin
“My turn!” I walk quickly to set up the shot and he steps back and rubs some blue stuff on the tip of his pool stick. I look over and hold my hand out for him to give me some. “I need some of that. I haven’t even put any of that stuff on mineyet.”
He drops it in my hand and says, “It’s not gonna help, but goahead.”
I’m determined to make him look at me, so I lean way over and Kip lets out a wolf whistle and I see Peyton smack him. But Blake looks at them, notme.
I take the shot and three of mine go in somehow. I really have no idea how it’shappening.
“Wow!” Peyton says. “Would you look at that,Blake?”
He yawns and goes over to the table and picks up his beer and takes a drink. I make another shot and misseverything.
I step back and he comes back and sizes up the next shot and just before he gets into place I lean into him. “Goodluck.”
He hits the little white ball and one of his goes in followed by it. “Scratch!” Peyton shouts as she jumps up and down. “Your turn,Shellie.”
Kip puts his arm around her. “Stop jumping up and down. Damn,love!”
She turns red and stops bouncing all of hergoodies.
I see my next shot and take it, sending the ball down the hole and line up my next one. I take the long way around so I have to pass by Blake. He steps back and gives me plenty ofroom.
Itakethe shot and miss and he laughs. “Looks like the beginner’s luck is fadingfast.”
He makes several shots, getting down to his last ball. I lean on my stick and watch as the last one goes down the hole and he turns and high fives Kip. “You won!” Kipshouts.
The two walk off as Kip claps Blake on the shoulder. Peyton walks up to me. “Good game, Shellie!” She puts a beer in my hand. “Let’s goeat.”
Blake
Finally, Rachelle has seen fit to put on a little cover-up over the barely-there bikini. Sure, it’s nearly see through, but it’s better than nothing. My shorts have been very uncomfortable this entireevening.
The girl is trying desperately to get my attention, but I’m not going down that path again. She’s like Lucy with the football and I’m Charlie Brown. She entices me until I give in then yanks it allaway.
No more for methanks!
I’m no dim-wit.Peyton reaches over and puts a dollop of something on the edge of my plate. “You have to taste this, Blake. It’s an award winning recipe ofShellie’s.”
It’s the dessert that she named after my mother. I take a bite and want to cry. It’s delicious and well thought out and she was a saint to even think of it. But she’s nosaint.
No, she’s mean and evil and will hurt me if I ever give her another chance to. Peyton looks at me. “What do youthink?”
“Needs something else,” I say and mentally say to myself, ‘love.’
That’s what it needs, love and joy. Maybe a little happiness. Lord knows Rachelle needs some of that in her life. But will she allow it tohappen?
NO!
And in theprocess of her denying herself any of those things, she is denying me them as well. Heartless,little….
“I have to see a man about a dog,” I say and get up and leave the table, taking my plate withme.
After an eternity in the bathroom trying to gain control over my emotions I go out and find Rachelle in the kitchen. Dancing away to music as she rinses dishes and puts them in the dishwasher. She turns and sees me and I lookaway.
“I caught you,” she says with a giggle. “I finally caught you,Blake.”
I try to walk away without saying a word and suddenly she’s in front of me. Little, hot body glowing as a thin sheen of sweat covers it. Her hand touches my stomach as she tries to stop my hastyretreat.
“Hey, let’s talk,” she says in a sultryvoice.
