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“No, he’s not here, that I can see, which gives me a whole new set of questions when I see him.”
When we go and sit down to watch the jousting, I’m very aware of how close Nina is sitting to me. I can smell her, and she smells the same as she did that night. Like vanilla and coconut. I need to watch it, or I’m going to do something rash like pull her into my chest and kiss her beautiful lips.
After the first jousting tournament has finished, I realize Nina’s finished both her meads. I’m still on my first one and feeling all right.
“I’m going for more.” She smiles, and without giving me a chance to respond, she’s off. I watch as she gets another.
She starts to get a little sloppy after about an hour and a half, while I’ve managed to nurse the one cup of the heavy drink, she’s on her fifth. I can’t tell if she’s a big drinker, or if she’s just trying to forget about being stood up. I’m guessing the latter, the way her speech is slurring already. I’m a little bummed she’s not just enjoying being here with me, but I’m not selfish. I understand how she feels and just want her to be happy.
When she stumbles into the largest man in chainmail there, I know it’s time to go. Luckily, all he does is laugh at her.
“Ohhh! I’m shooorrry.” She giggles and slurs at the same time.
I’m worried for a moment that this giant tree of a man is going to take offense and challenge me to some kind of duel, but to my relief, a wide smile spreads across his face as he gently sets her upright. “Too much of the devil’s nectar, huh, lassie?”
I’m not sure what he’s supposed to be, or from what era or accent, but I just smile and move on.
“Travis,” Nina screeches when she gets to a tent, “I need a floral tiara.” She points at a cart with a man dressed as what can only be described as a half-goat, half-human pushing it. He’s wearing little horns that look like they’re glued to his head and fuzzy pants with hoofs. Not unlike the goat woman who offered me her milk.
“Okay,” I tell her, “you grab your tiara, I’ll get you the turkey leg, then I think we should go back. I have to get some things done.”
That’s not true, I have nothing to get done, but I don’t think she can stand up by herself if she has another mead. She’s clearly drinking to forget being stood up, and this could be problematic if we continue down this road.
After she gets a flower tiara thingy, I manage to coax her to the car by telling her I’ll give her another turkey leg when we get back to the apartment. I bought a backup and wrapped it up in paper towels. She giggles and nods. It takes me a minute to get her into the car with her massive skirt, but somehow, I manage to get it done. Happy I only had the one drink and can drive us back, I pull out onto the highway.
We get back to the apartment, and she rips a big hunk of turkey off the leg with her teeth. She moans as she chews happily on it. There’s so much grease on the paper wrapped around it, I can’t imagine it’s good.
“That could be the hottest thing I’ve ever seen a girl do,” I joke.
She giggles and opens the door into our apartment. I’m suddenly hungry, probably the smell of that turkey leg the whole ride home doing it. Once inside the apartment, she drops the half-eaten turkey leg into the sink and washes the grease from her hands. She then wipes her mouth and gives me a lopsided grin. I hold out the other one I promised her.
“Thank you, Travis,” she says as she takes a step forward, putting the turkey leg on the counter. She leans in and before my shocked brain can register what is happening, she presses her soft lips against mine. She whimpers and drapes her arms over my shoulders and presses her body tightly against mine. It fits so perfectly, but everything in my brain begins to scream at me. This isn’t right. Nonetheless, I kiss her back; I can’t help myself. I want her badly, but I know better than to let it go any further.
Reluctantly, I pull away. It’s moments like these that make me sometimes wish I wasn’t such a good guy because damn, all I can think about is tasting her lips again. Even with the turkey grease as a lip balm, she tastes good. I know how her body feels when it’s pressed against mine. I know how she feels around me as she comes undone at the seams. I want it. I want her, but not like this.
“Nina, wait,” I urge, taking her hands from around my neck.
“I don’t want to wait. Come on, we’ve already had sex, it’s not a big deal,” she whispers and pulls my shirt up so she can kiss my chest. A shiver passes through me as all the blood decides to start flowing away from my brain. It takes all my willpower to move away from her.
“Nina, I had so much fun with you today, and yes, I want you, but not like this. Not when you’re drunk and hurting.”
“Come on, Travis. Don’t be a pussy, you were man enough to do it with me and then skip town if I remember correctly.”
“It wasn’t like that,” I say, but now she’s worked herself up, and nothing good is going to come from this. I know it, and I’m pretty she sure does too.
“No,” she says, pushing me against the wall. “You don’t get to say no, I’m the one who gets to say no,” she says.
“Nina, please,” I say, ducking away from her again.
“You wanted it before you left town,” she yells, “guess once is good enough.” She grabs the turkey leg off the counter and huffs off to her room.
“Nina,” I try to say, but she’s already shut the door in my face. She needs to sleep it off, hopefully then, she won’t still be mad at me in the morning. I’m trying to do the right thing, but who knew doing the right thing was such a pain in the ass.
I look at her door one final time before making my way into my room. I peel out of my clothes and collapse onto my bed. I don’t know how much time goes by as I stare at the ceiling, but the last thing I remember before falling asleep is kicking myself for being such a good guy.
NINA
The fact that my head is one big pain keeps me from taking my head out from under the covers. I know as soon as I do, the light is going to shoot a laser beam of hell through my sensitive skull. I’m vaguely aware of the smell of fried poultry, and it turns my stomach. Opening one eye, I see that I’m cuddled up to a giant turkey leg. Why was the turkey leg back in bed with me? I’m reasonably certain I left it in the kitchen right before I . . .
