Good Sensations Read Free Page B

savoring the chocolate.
    Irresistible. She’s completely irresistible.
    Just as my tongue tastes the frosting on her lips, there’s a knock at the door. I get more comfortable on the couch, irritated by the interruption, knowing that one taste was going to lead to so much more before that knock . “You expecting company?”
    “No.” She stands and walks to the door.
    “Mallory? You in there?” some guy shouts from outside the door. “Sarah said you stayed home.”
    “Let me guess… ummmm Ryan?” My sarcasm is not lost on her. Smart girl.
    “He’s just a friend,” she whispers, grabbing her robe and tightening the belt. “I promise.” Before she opens the door, she looks back at me and I can see her nerves developing in her expression. “I’m sure he just wants to talk about our project or something. I’ll get rid of him and we can pick up from where we left off.”
    As much as I’d love to open that door and come face-to-face with this guy, I remain on the couch, sitting in only my black boxer briefs, the ones I know she likes on me. I’m not worried about this creep seeing me. It’ll be good for him to see me like this in Mallory’s apartment. I gulp down the jealousy I have toward this guy who is spending more time with my girlfriend than I am these days, and try to play it cool.
    As soon as Mallory opens the door, this Ryan guy presents her with a cupcake and a candle sticking out the top. “Like I said on campus today, everyone should have cake on their—” he says, Mr. Smiling Smooth until he sees me staring back at him. He shakes his head, putting two and two together as he looks between us. I think the lack of attire clued him in. I inwardly laugh as he scrambles to play off that he showed up at his current obsession’s place to find that she’s just had sex with her boyfriend. “Hey man,” he says, “you must be Evan?”
    My chest heats inside, feeling a lot like heartburn, but I know the difference these days. This jerk-off actually believes I’m not onto him. What is he expecting? Are we supposed to be besties because we both surprised my girlfriend with cake? Yeah, right, fucker. I stand up when Ryan strides across the living room with an outstretched arm, offering a handshake.
    “Yeah, and you are?” I play dumb.
    “I’m Ryan. I brought Mallory a cupcake. I thought she might be down since she didn’t come to the party. You know how that is,” he says as if that justifies his presence in my girlfriends’ apartment.
    I take his hand because it’s the right thing to do, but I’m not happy about it. “How do you know Mallory?” It’s best for him to think she’s never mentioned him before, ultimately showing his unimportance in her life. But then another thought occurs and I get pissed wondering if this guy is important to her.
    “I’m one of Mallory’s friends from school,” he explains, a little too flagrantly for my liking.
    “We’re assigned to the same group in English class. Yeah…” he says not finishing whatever he was going to say and shoves his hands into his pant pockets. I think I make him nervous, which is good. He should be nervous.
    “We’re working on a project together,” Mallory says, interrupting, obviously hoping to water down their relationship and the situation.
    It’s not working because I saw the disappointment in his eyes as soon as he saw me sitting here. We stand in silence, an uncomfortable tension filling in the room and I begin to gloat because I’m back. The boyfriend is back in the picture and he’ll have to try to fuck someone else’s girlfriend. But something he said stands out and I call him on it. “You said, ‘You know how that is.’ How what is?”
    “You know. No one should be alone on their birthday. I thought maybe she was sad or something and I wanted to cheer her up.” He shrugs as if this conversation is mere chitchat.
    “Why would you assume she’s sad?” I ask, tilting my head and crossing my arms over my