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I sensed David’s movement beside me as he leaned over, the lawn chair creaking underneath his weight. “Y’know, Rachel is available,” he said in a low voice.
I tensed.
“My sister has been tryin’ to get that girl a decent man since we found this place. She’s twenty-two”—he reached down and positioned his hands on his hips and made a vulgar gesture—“could carry lots o’babies with those hips; and she’s quite a looker, don’ ya agree?”
I went to take a drink from my mug as a distraction, until I realized the mug was no longer in my hand.
“Um, yeah she’s pretty.”
David raised back up. “Don’ get me wrong,” he said, “she’s my niece, and I’d never look at her that way myself, but she needs love as much as any of us”—he pointed at me and chuckled—“or jus’ a good time, if ya know I mean.”
Yeah…okay.
Rachel came back out onto the porch with two mugs of beer, handing David one first, and saving me for last. I couldn’t avert eye contact this time. She held onto my mug, dragging her fingers over the top of my hand as she slowly pulled away.
“Can I…talk to you for a minute?” Rachel asked.
I looked to and from her and David.
“I-I don’t think that’s a good idea,” I finally said.
I took a drink, hoping to wash down the awkwardness.
“Oh, go on and talk to her,” David pressed. “If you’re worried about my sister, then don’—she don’ mind.”
“No, I really don’t think—”
David stood, mug of beer clutched in his hand. “Nonsense,” he said with a dismissive gesture. “I’m goin’ out back to clean the rabbit before it goes bad; give you two some privacy.” He bent over and scooped the dead rabbit up.
The sound of his old leather boots went heavily over the creaky boards as he strode past, descended the steps, and left me and Rachel sitting alone as he made his way around one side of the house and out of sight.
Rachel boldly took up residence on my lap, sitting sideways across my legs. I froze in surprise. Her long fingers swept across the back of my neck; her breath was warm and minty; her skin smelled of heat and soap and woman. Instinctively, my hand moved to lay against her thigh, where I squeezed the flesh gently.
The tip of Rachel’s warm tongue snaked out and caressed the shell of my ear. “I have my own room, y’know,” she said. “You can do anything to me you want.” She tugged my earlobe with her teeth.
It’s not about want. It’s about need.
I couldn’t help myself. My mouth found hers, where it lingered, our lips parted, touching, and I breathed hotly into her mouth, letting her taste me—or was it I wanted to taste her? She tried to kiss me fully, and I almost let her, but Thais’ kind and innocent face flashed across my mind, and I helped Rachel off my lap promptly.
Fuck…
“Look, I’m sorry, but this can’t happen.”
After getting her balance from the abrupt move, Rachel stood in front of me, arms crossed tightly over her chest, head cocked to one side with disbelief, her mouth pinched with resentment.
“Why not?” she demanded.
I stood. “It just can’t.” I tried to walk past her.
She stopped me, pressing her hand against my chest.
“Is it because of my mother?” she asked. “You can go in there and ask her right now if she minds, and she’ll just tell us to use her room if we want.”
God, it was so tempting—it had been days since I’d been with Evelyn. This girl was somewhat like Evelyn, and I knew I could probably take her in the same way, without fear of consequence or guilt, and that she’d only thank me for it, and want to do it again, and again, and again.
Rachel made a move toward me, exchanging a bitter face for a genial one. “You could stay here,” she proposed, hopeful. “There’s nothing for you out there on The Road. ‘Cept death. Why don’t you stay here with us where you can have a life?”
“I have a life elsewhere,” I lied.
