I nod, but my brain is completely offline, her words careening around my skull.Solo exploration.
Jesus, I’m fucked.
27
MAYA
“I s this what it’s like?” I whisper to Janey and Cara. We’re huddled around my desk, running out
the clock on the last few minutes of the day. “He’s looking at me all the time. And his eyes…god,
they’re so intense.”
Cara grins and leans her hip on my desk, resting one bare foot on top of the other. “Is this what
whatis like?”
“Dating. Having men look at you like they want to eat you. All of it.”
Janey smiles, “It’s pretty wild, isn’t it? Having so much attention on you? Are you and Zach
seeing a lot of each other outside of work?”
“A lot? Well, we ride home together and we went for a late dinner last night. It’s been busy so
we’ve been working late. But here he’s just so…watchful.” A shiver runs down my back as I picture
Zach’s chocolate brown eyes on me. Cataloging the different looks he gives me has become my new
favorite hobby. There’s theI’mthinking something dirty.And theI’m so hot you can’t resist me.
And let’s not forget about theI wonder what you’re wearing under your clothes.I think that one’s my
favorite. His eyes go all hazy as he stares somewhere around my chest, and he’ll absentmindedly rub
his fingers over his jaw.
So hot.
“Watchful,” Janey echoes. “Sounds…intense.”
“It is,” I say with feeling. “But it’s also weird.”
“Weird, how?” Cara asks with a snort.
“I mean, I’m wearing the same stuff he used to scowl at. I’m the same person. But suddenly, he’s
looking at me like I’m dessert. And I’ve never had that before. It’s just weird.”
Cara frowns. “And you’re wondering what changed?”
“I guess…maybe I am. That day at self-defense, things changed, but I don’t really understand what
he sees in me.”
“How can you say that?” Janey asks, lifting herself to sit on the edge of my desk. “You’re
wonderful.”
