“You started it with your dirty egg roll.”

She chuckled. “I told you. Sometimes I just need your dick in my face.”

I kissed her shoulder once more. “Still hungry?”

“Kinda full right now.” She shifted her hips, smiling.

I laughed. “I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but I like it.”

“Oh, I think you know what’s gotten into me.”

I rolled my hips. “You’re just going to keep going, aren’t you?”

“Maybe.”

“Let’s eat and then maybe I can work this out of your system.”

She twisted to look back at me. “Who’s hungry now?”

I brushed her hair back and kissed just behind her ear. “Me,” I whispered and pulled out.

She sighed and rolled onto her back, looking like she could take a nap on my table as I grabbed a fresh kitchen towel for me and one for Maggie. She took it lazily.

I cleaned up and tossed the towel in the general direction of the laundry room. I was washing my hands, still watching her with a smile as she made a half-assed attempt to get up.

“I’m too tired to eat,” she said.

I dried my hands and made my way back to the take out cartons. “Hmm, too bad. There’s lo mien, pork fried rice, orange chicken, beef with broccoli.” I sniffed melodramatically. “Plus some hot, fat egg rolls.”

She’s perked up a little. “Damn you and your crispy fried goodness.”

I was still smiling as I filled my plate with my chopsticks. She washed her hands and sat next to me, piling on even more food than I did. I gave her a look.

She raised her eyebrows. “What? I told you I was hungry. I don’t mess around when it comes to food.”

“I can see that you take it very seriously.”

Maggie scooped up noodles with her chopsticks and stuffed them in her mouth, smiling at me with the lo mien hanging from between her lips for just a second before slurping them up.

I couldn’t help but laugh. “How much more work did you have to do again? Because I really think you should stay.”

“The night? Come on, buddy boy. You know the rules.”

“A few more hours. The night. Whatever I can convince you of.”

“I do wish I could stay a while. But …” She sighed and fished around for some pork. “I have a lot to do. I mean, it’s not that big of a deal, just three programs a week, but I need a plan of attack, sort of like a manifesto.” She took a bite. “Mostly though, I’m worried about impressing our mysterious benefactor. I don’t even know that much about her other than that she’s a rich lady named Catherine who’s been in working with the shelter on some level since the 90s.”

“Don’t worry about the meeting. You’ll do fine. I promise.” I hoped she did, at least. Knowing Catherine, Maggie would hit a home run.

She seemed reassured and smiled. “Thanks. I’ve got a lot to do for sure, but I’ll get it done. Hopefully Lily is already at West’s because I’m not quite ready to see her again after last night.”

“Was it that bad?”

“No, not really. I just feel guilty for dragging her into the mess.”

“I hear you on that.” I picked up a piece of orange chicken and popped it into my mouth.

She sighed again. “At least we only have to sneak around for eleven more days. Then we’ll both be on our way.”

I almost inhaled the chicken and started coughing.

Maggie dropped her chopsticks and patted me on the back. “God, are you okay?”

I nodded and croaked. “Yeah, wrong pipe.” I took a swig of my water.

She picked up her chopsticks again. “I’m just feeling really awful about it. I hate lying to West, knowing how upset he would be. It’s selfish, us using each other, lying to everyone.”

I watched her. “Maybe it’s time you did something selfish for once.”

She looked over at me, eyes wide and open.

“I’m just saying. Don’t let anyone make you feel bad for doing something you want to do.”

“Even if what I want hurts someone else?”

“No one’s going to get hurt.” I knew it was a lie as soon as it left my mouth.

She shook her head and looked down at her plate. “Maybe we should just end it now while we can, before anyone else finds out. Before things get any more complicated.”

Anxiety ripped through me at the thought of ending it now. I wasn’t ready — that was one thing I knew without a doubt. A very alarmed part of me wondered if I’d ever be ready.

In a heartbeat, I was off my stool and holding her. I looked down at her, smiling to hide. “Let’s just enjoy it while we can. We’ll be more careful. We’ll be smarter about it. Because I’m not ready to stop yet. Are you?”

Those eyes. Those eyes would be the end of me.

She shook her head.

“Then it’s decided.” I placed a soft kiss on her lips and sat back down, picking up my chopsticks like everything was normal, like my heart wasn’t hammering against my ribs. I glanced back at her. She was still watching me, though I couldn’t quite place the look on her face.

I shot her The Smile. “You’d better eat that dirty egg roll before I do.”

She picked it up, making a show of taking another bite, and I laughed, trying not to sweat the bullet I’d dodged.

THE SURFACE

Cooper

BOBBY PULLED UP IN FRONT of Astrid’s building that night, and I climbed out to greet her.

She smiled and made her way out from under the awning, her high, black studded heels clicking on the sidewalk. She was dressed in black — tight jeans and a tank, black leather jacket — even her blue eyes were lined in kohl, which made them shades brighter than usual. The only light was her blond hair and creamy skin.

She pressed her cheek to mine as we embraced. “Hey.”

“Hey.” I helped her into the backseat and slipped in behind her. “Take us to Church, Bobby.”

“You got it, Coop.”

“You ready for tonight?” she asked as Bobby pulled away from the curb.

“How can I not be ready to go to a bar called Church?”

She snickered. “I heard it’s all Gothic, and they have these amazing stained glass displays.”

“I love concept clubs, if I have to go out.” I sighed and leaned back. “Is it just me or is this getting harder and harder to bullshit?”

“It’s definitely not you. Think Ash is already there?”

“He’s probably doing body shots off willing girls as we speak.”

She laughed. “Ash is never going to grow up.”

I raised an eyebrow. “He’d say the same about us.”

“Yeah, well, we know better, don’t we?”

I shrugged. “Maybe he’s faking it too.”

We shared a look and burst out laughing.

Astrid shook her head. “Yeah, okay, Ash is definitely not faking it.” She angled toward me in the seat with an accusatory look on her face. “So Lily had an interesting story to tell me today.”

I shifted in my seat, knowing exactly what she was going to say and playing dumb anyway. “What’d she say?”

“Oh, just that you banged Maggie in the bathroom at Habits last night.”

I propped my elbow on the door. “Don’t look at me like that. Do you have any idea how … intense it is to be around her when no one knows we’re together?”

“No, how about you tell me about it.”

“I wish I could. There aren’t words.”

“Lily also said Maggie told her about you and me. I had to explain Sam and everything just to calm her down.”

“I’m sorry, Astrid.”

She sighed and adjusted her bag in her lap. “It’s fine. It actually felt really good to tell her what was going on, even though she was pissed at me for not telling her about him. I think she gets it though. And plus, now she believes all of us.”