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My pulse kicks.
Interesting.
Very fucking interesting.
I’m lost in thought, staring at his hands. And forearms. And his ass.
Mostly his ass.
Roman turns.
I jerk back into the aisle. My hip slams into a pyramid of canned tomatoes. It sways.
My eyes widen. “No.”
One can rolls.
I catch it.
Another falls.
I catch that one, too.
Three more shift.
“Oh, fuck me.”
I throw my body against the display.
It stops.
I stand there, arms wrapped around a pyramid of tomatoes.
A little boy stares at me from the other side of the aisle.
I stare back.
He points at me. “Mommy, that lady is hugging the tomatoes.”
His mother looks over.
I slowly release them. “I really like tomatoes.”
She pulls him closer.
I wait until they're gone, then peer around the corner.
Roman is farther down the aisle now.
Whew. He didn’t see me.
I smile. I'm getting really fucking good at this.
By the time Roman reaches the self-checkout, my basket contains one cantaloupe, crackers, Count Chocula, a jar of pickles I don't remember picking up, two cans of tomatoes, a box of tampons even though I have plenty at home, chocolate pudding, a bottle of ranch dressing, and one banana.
I stare at it.
When did I grab a banana? Or the pudding? Or the ranch?