“You’re perfect,” I whispered. She was. Round, full breasts. Tipped with soft brown nipples that were puckered and hard. I licked my bottom lip like I could already taste her.
 
 “Thank you,” I said.
 
 I had no idea why I said it. It was a completely lame thing to say. However, it made her smile. After that, she pulled the cups back over her breasts and fastened the front clasp, doing up the buttons of her shirt like what had just happened was all perfectly normal.
 
 Perhaps it was. After all, I was going to be eighteen in a few months. I was with an incredibly sexy girl. On a date. Now I was impossibly hard and sexually frustrated, and she looked satisfied with my discomfort. Was this dating? Or something else?
 
 “Did you do that to rattle me?” I asked, trying to keep the suspicion out of my tone. Only, I had to know. Was this a game to her?
 
 “I did it because I didn’t want you to be thinking about Star’s breasts. I wanted you to be thinking about mine.”
 
 “I was. I will. Now. Often.” Oh God. Shut up.
 
 She smiled again. “You promised me dinner.”
 
 My jaw dropped. “You expect me to eat now?” I shouted. “Are you mad? I need to…I have to…”
 
 Shut up now!
 
 “You’re angry,” she said, her expression changing in a way I didn’t like.
 
 “No,” I said, even as I reached for her hand. It was small and soft. I touched each of her fingers with my thumb. “No, I’m not angry.”
 
 “I’m not trying to tease you.” She said it like she was defending herself.
 
 “No, you’re not. You gave me something of your own free will. I’m not expecting anything else. I…need a minute. That’s all. Where would you like to go to dinner?”
 
 She tilted her head like she was considering her many options.
 
 At least one thing Croft had gotten right.
 
 Finally, she said, “Ponzio’s.”
 
 “The diner? I can take you anywhere, you know. We could go to the Chop House.” One of the fanciest steak restaurants in town.
 
 She shook her head. “I’ve had a lot of guys who have wanted to take me to the Chop House. Like a filet mignon is going to make me put out.”
 
 “Well, I already got some boob action without the steak. So this would be me askingifyou if you wanted something fancier because you might like the taste of it more.”
 
 She smiled, then shrugged. “I like burgers.”
 
 I liked burgers, too.
 
 7
 
 Monday
 
 AP Chem Class
 
 Locke
 
 It was going to be difficult to concentrate. However, this could be a good test for me. Mind over body. If the mind was sound enough, strong enough, it could overcome anything. Any pain. Any pleasure.
 
 Yes, she was right behind me. Once again in a short skirt.
 
 Whydidshe dress that way? There was something more there than wanting to look particularly sexy.
 
 No, I couldn’t think about that. I had to focus on what Mr. Crowley was saying. Because I wasn’t going to be some average teenager subject to the whims of his hormones.