Page 70 of Switch
He’s not being romantic.It’s a threat.One that absolutely shouldn’t turn me on the way it does.
“Is this why you attacked me when I walked in the door today?It’s going to be a long semester if you fly off the handle each time another student asks a question.”
“They didn’t need to know anything.Trust me.”
Their questions were good ones, actually.One student was eager to draw parallels between seventeenth-century society and today, and another wanted to discuss the role of witchcraft and superstition in the story.Something tells me that wouldn’t help PJ’s mood.
A thought occurs to me.A terrible, awful, wonderful, ill-advised thought.
“What if there was a way you could show I’m yours outside of school?”
He stops walking again.“How would that look?”
“My friend Daniel has a kink club in Beacon Hill.The membership is exclusive, and so pricey that there’s almost no chance anyone from academia is a member.Even if they were, every member signs a nondisclosure agreement.They wouldn’t be able to tell anyone without also hurting themselves.”
There would be some risk, going there with PJ.A small one.For PJ, it’s a risk I’m willing to take.
“You’re saying you want to go to this club with me?”
“I’m saying…” Deep breath.“We both enjoy sex when there’s a chance of getting caught.What if we could fuck in an open room, where people could see us, and all of them would know I’m yours?”
It’s probably the worst idea I’ve ever had.But I’d do it for him.I want to.Maybe this is how it starts.One concession.One slip.What will the next one be?
PJ spins me around and presses me against the brick wall of a building, pushing his lips against mine.It’s not a sexy or romantic kiss.I never thought of kisses as being angry, but that’s exactly what this one is.
Nerves gather in my belly.“If you don’t want to?—”
“Shut up.”
“I’m sorry,” I say.“I didn’t mean to upset you.I was only trying to suggest that maybe?—”
“Jesus fuck, baby, I said shut up.I’m not mad.I’m so fucking turned on I can’t see straight.I will fuck you right here, so hard it rattles your brain, Fallon Monroe.I’m just glad you finally caught up with being mine.”
He kisses me again, sliding his tongue into my mouth.One hand slips underneath my shirt, warm fingers over my skin.It’s too warm and muggy out to be fooling around like teenagers, but that hasn’t stopped us before.
“Hey.”
I jump what feels like a foot into the air.
A tall figure approaches wearing a hoodie.Hands in pockets.I clench my fist and pull PJ closer to me, though I’m honestly not sure what to do here.
We’re in a more populated part of downtown now, right outside of a place called Midnight Cookies, its glowing storefront conveniently sandwiched between two different bars.One has outdoor seating, and there are people milling about.Still, those people are all drunk, they’re laughing and fooling around, and I don’t know if anyone would notice us getting mugged right now.
Now that the idea of Eric still being alive has wormed its way into my head, I’m suspicious of everyone.
PJ, shorter and slimmer, shoves himself in front of me as if I’m a fragile maiden and he’s my human shield.I don’t hate it as much as I should.
After a beat he relaxes, saying, “Hey, man.What the hell are you doing here?”He sounds curious but not concerned.That’s good, I hope.
“Looking for you.”The young man glances around.He pulls back his hood, then seems to think better of it, putting it back up again.I don’t know how he’s not dying in this heat.
“I shouldn’t be here, but you helped me out, so I’m trying to return the favor,” he tells PJ.“I saw someone who looked like the guy in your picture.”
Picture?
Beside me, PJ is frozen, his hand limp in mine.
I nudge him.Not trying to be nosy but trying to break him out of his freeze.Also, to be nosy.
