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Jessica sat down with her at the diner down the street and found herself shredding her napkin to ribbons. Dana wasn’t part of the sorority, but they had known one another since the two of them had suffered through an art history course in which the professor didn’t seem to understand PowerPoint.
“I got so much homework done while she was up there screwing around with that projector,” Jessica said.
“Right? I spent practically every class doing figure studies of all our classmates.” Dana chuckled. “It was like a double-duty art class for me. I could turn in my sketches for my drawing class.”
“You spend a lot of time with your cousins, right?” Jessica asked. “Could you give me some pointers on what kind of things you’d do with them to keep them active and engaged?”
“I mean, I have, but they’re fifteen and twelve. And they have their dad, still.”
“The girl I work with is about eleven. It’s not that different.”
“Are you looking for art stuff to do or outside stuff? My cousins mostly want to play video games.”
Jessica shook her head, feeling a bit proud. “No, she doesn’t play video games or watch TV much. She’s interested in so many different things, but mostly science and sports. She’s sweet, and very smart, and clever without being mean.”
“Sounds like a great kid.”
“Yeah, I adore her. I hope things get better for her soon. The kids at her school are pretty awful to her.”
“Unsurprisingly, I didn’t have a good time in school.” Dana grinned and picked up a fry. “I can suggest some pranks to pull on the little assholes.”
“Well, maybe as a last resort.” Jessica took a fry from Dana’s plate. “Do go on.”
***
“Oh, no. I’m only wearing a tank top.”
“Is that all? You’re really wandering around your apartment without underwear on?”
“Okay, you got me. I have a pair of panties on, too.” Jessica was perched on a stool in the kitchen. It was getting to be a bad habit, flirting and fooling around on the phone. The first time had been on Monday when she hadn’t come over… Now he sometimes called her in the middle of the day, or if she left the manor before Brent returned from work. Sometimes, she called him.
They’d managed to keep their hands off of one another in person… mostly. But the separation was a tease that only made their inevitable calls and lingering looks hotter.
“What color are they?”
Jessica licked Greek yogurt off her spoon. “Different colors. They have a broad orange-pink band along the top, and then hot pink and orange-pink kiss marks.”
“Oh, really?”
“Like when a girl puts on lipstick and lays one on your cheek?”
“That’s sounds… interesting. I’m imagining what those must look like on you.”
“They’re hipsters. That means they come down low, but the legs are cut flat across.”
“Can I see anything when you’re wearing them?”
“Hmm… Well, not from the front. In the back though…”
“You can see a bit?”
“Yeah, just a little.” Jessica caught herself giggling.
Brent let out a breath, like he had just run up a flight of stairs. “I think I need to see these to believe them.”
“Maybe you do.” Jessica traced a pattern on the counter. “What are you wearing? Is it a boxer day?”
“I wear dark-colored ones, thank you.”
“Hmm, not sure if that would make you Mr. Super Intimidating at all.”
“You caught me on the right day.” He paused, and she bit her lip, grinning. “Some days I’m not wearing any underwear at all.”
“Oh, my God!” Jessica was grateful no one was in the apartment to catch her playing with her hair.
“If you wanted, I could arrange for one of those days to be this week… Maybe next time you come over?”
“And what am I supposed to do with that?”
“You don’t have to do anything but enjoy knowing that I’m swinging free, just for you.”
Jessica laughed and rubbed her forehead. “Maybe I’ll let you guess whether I’m wearing anything the next time you see me.”
“This sounds like an interesting game. What do I win if I guess correctly?”
“Maybe…” Jessica thought for a moment. “If you guess wrong, you’ll have to wear something of my choosing the next time we go out.”
“And if I’m right?”
“Then I wear something you choose… any place you choose.”
A hand touched Jessica’s shoulder, and she nearly fell off her stool. She immediately put her phone down on the benchtop. “Oh, God! Daddy, you scared me!”
