Page 108 of Bound to Burn

Gabriel shakes his head, a smirk on his face as he tips his chin to me. “I see you got your hands full. I’ll catch you later.”

I start to protest, wanting him to stick around and enjoy the show when Cash interrupts me.

“Good thinking, Gabriel,” Cash glares at him as he walks away, snickering.

“It’s called art,” I tell him, planting my hands on my hips defensively.

“Thatright there,” he points, “is called a nipple.”

“Jesus Christ!” Jack bellows, crashing his body against Cash. He puts his arm around Cash’s shoulders. “You invited me to look at your girlfriend’s tits?!”

“Of course not,” Cash spits, and shakes off Jack’s arm.

“Who invited Jack?” I ask, glaring at Cash.

“Well how the fuck was I supposed to knowthat,” he points to the offending photo, “was going to be on full display?”

I shrug innocently.

Jack tilts his head, inspecting the photo. “She looks like she’s-” Jack doesn’t get to finish his sentence because Cash angrily interrupts him.

“She is not!” Cash says defensively, assuming what Jack is referring to.

If looks could kill, Jack would be dead right now.

Jack chuckles and clears his throat. “I think I know when a woman is about to…”

“Do not finish that sentence,” Cash warns him, and Jack holds his hands up in surrender.

I start to cut in but am interrupted by another person barging through the crowd.

“Isn’t that your bike?” Wade asks, appearing between them and trying to get a closer look.

I roll my eyes at Cash. “Wade, too?” I mouth but he just glares at me.

Jack is looking anywhere but at the photo. Meanwhile, Wade is inspecting it like an art collector. I raise my eyebrows innocently. Who knew the picture Cash took of me on his bike would be such a conversation starter?

If this wasn’t so comical, I would be blazing mad right now at his chauvinistic attitude.

“You think it’s funny that everyone in this room is looking at your tits?” Cash asks, exasperated.

“Technically it’s one tit,” I point out, but that just makes his eyes flare with anger even more.

“When you said ‘art show’ I thought it was going to be landscapes,” Jack says.

“I think I saw a horse over that way,” Wade says, pointing behind him.

I ignore Jack and Wade. “The only person looking at my tits is you,” I tell Cash.

“Don’t forget about Bob Ross over here,” Cash gripes, smacking Wade in the arm.

“What? I’m gay! I can look all I want,” Wade says, rubbing his arm.

“Wade, did you get a chance to see that one photo with the bridge?” Adam interrupts, oblivious. “I think it would look great above our…” he stops, noticing the photo and says, “holy mother of… glad we didn’t bring Dylan. I didn’t know there’d be nudes.” Adam squishes his lips sideways as he looks at the photo.

“All of you need to grow up,” I yell, throwing my hands in the air. “A nipple is only a sexual object because youmakeit sexual.”

“What is everyone arguing about?” Erin asks as she wedges her way between Cash and Jack. “Oh,” she says and then looks at me, cocking her head. “Sasha, it’s beautiful.”

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