Window Shopping

by Tessa Bailey

Don’t trade emotional currency with strangers. You will never get a refund.

“How someone so cold can craft such a spicy salsa is a mystery.” “It’s the habanero juice and pickled—” “I don’t want to know, man, I just want to eat it.”

The girl barely reached my shoulder. Not that height has anything to do with committing crimes. Unless she’s one of those spies who has to carefully climb over a complicated series of green lasers protecting a giant diamond. Being small in stature might give someone an advantage in a situation like that.

“Okay, sweetheart.” As if he senses that I need to be anchored, he squeezes me tight with his left forearm, stroking his right one down the back of my hair. “You’re okay.”

“Don’t let the bow tie fool you, Stella. I’m not always nice,” he says, a deep burr in his voice. “When the situation calls for it, I can be downright rough.”

My cock was so stiff, I had to face the opposite direction and think about the time I walked in on Aunt Edna shaving her bikini line with a straight razor.

I don’t mind complications. I’d do just about anything to get complicated with her.

Watching awareness dawn on her face that I’m nothing in bed like I am in the street. Not even close.

Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words are just a representation of the speaker’s insides—not me. And not you.

“Now, that’s a laugh worth waiting around for, Stella.” Then, more to himself, “I was wondering if you were ever going to let me hear it.”

“Tell me you want to hear what would happen next, Stella. Give me permission to say it.”

Not only did I fantasize about her body, I had the nerve to pick out dinnerware without her input.

You’ve given me a weird bow tie kink and nothing else is appealing now. It’s terrible. All I was thinking when that guy offered to buy me a drink was, why? He doesn’t have any stories about Aunt Edna.

“Aiden, what has gotten into you?” “It’s finally happening,” Leland whispers. “He’s losing his temper. Get the popcorn.”