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“Yeah,” he said. “But it was worth it. I won, didn't I?”
“Just a race,” she said. Their bodies moved closer in the water.
“Just a race,” he agreed. He reached his free hand out for her and she let herself float toward him. For a moment, they stayed like that, his hand against the small of her back, their legs moving in the water, hitting each other softly. It was so quiet, they could hear the sound of the tiny waves they were making just from treading water.
His hand moved higher up her back and slid under the string of the bikini top, then stayed there, growing warm against her skin. Kathleen let the water carry her against him. She tilted her face up and he put his mouth against hers. The taste of chlorine disappeared into the sweeter wetness of their mouths.
A few minutes later, Kevin lifted his head from hers. His eyes caught the light and glinted.
“Come on,” he said, his voice thick. “It's time to get out and dry off.”
VI
James called Lucy on her cell around nine that evening. “Di
“I ate already.” Actually, she had eaten a carrot and nine cashews, which, she realized, was only a di
Besides, it was kind of late for James to call about di
“Okay,” James said cheerfully enough. “But can I come see your?”
“Yeah, okay.” She was definitely up for some sex.
“And can I bring a pizza?”
“If you want.” She wished he wouldn't though-she liked pizza and wasn't sure she'd be able to resist it completely.
Maybe she'd just chew on his crusts.
As soon as she'd hung up, she threw herself into the shower, scrubbed herself down, shaved her legs, underarms, and bikini area, shampooed and conditioned her hair, dried herself off, moisturized her skin, plucked her eyebrows, dried her hair, put on a little makeup, and do
Men, she thought, regarding herself critically in the mirror, were a lot of work.
James, of course, blew in wearing a pair of old jeans and a T-shirt-clearly the same clothes he'd had on since that morning-and sporting some five o'clock shadow. It wasn't fair, Lucy thought and not for the first time.
Still, he looked all right. The stubble suited him. He had the scruffy urchin thing going for him.
“Where's the pizza?” she said as she let him in.
He hit himself in the forehead with the palm of his hand. “Oh, shit, I forgot it. I’m starving, too. Anything here I could eat?”
“Let me see.” She went into the kitchen and opened the fridge. There wasn't room for both of them in there, so James leaned against the door frame and watched her. “Eggs. Oh, and leftovers from the Chinese food we had last week.”
“Do you think it's still good?”
“I don't know.” She opened a container and sniffed. “Smells okay.”
“You know how to make an omelet?”
“Of course.”
“Heat up the stir-fry, toss it into the omelet, and we'll call it a di
Lucy put the carton of eggs on the counter. “Couldn't? Or wouldn't?”
He smiled, unashamed. “Let's just say didn't.”
“It was fun. Free food, too.”
“Did they make a lot of money?”
“I don't know,” she said. “Do you care?”
“If it's money that would otherwise have gone to research, possibly.”
She got a bowl out, cracked four eggs into it, tossed the shells into the sink. “David came, you know.”
“To the walk?” He shrugged. “I’m not surprised. Probably didn't have anything better to do.”
“Don't be so sure. He's got a girlfriend now.”
“Really?”
She nodded, whisking the eggs. “He said he was going out with a girl tonight.”
James laughed. “That's a date, not a girlfriend. And after she spends an evening enduring the famous David Lee sense of humor, she'll be ru
Bored already, Lucy guessed. “You want to watch TV while I finish this up?” she asked, as she turned back to the refrigerator for the margarine.
“Sure.” He was gone.
By the time the eggs were done, he had already moved on from watching TV to checking his e-mail on her computer.
“Anything interesting?” she asked, putting the plate down at his elbow and resting her hand on his shoulder.
“Just the usual hate mail about how I’m some kind of crazy serial killer.”
“I think it's sweet your mother keeps in touch.”
“Seriously, look at this.” He gestured at the screen. “Apparently I’m going to hell because I don't know that animals have souls.”
“That's only one of the reasons you're going to hell,” Lucy said.
“Do you think they'd feel differently if I told them I don't think humans have souls, either?”
“Probably not.”
He signed off and turned toward her. “I keep changing my screen name, but they find me every time. It's got to be someone with university access. I’m sending this to the police, see if they can trace it.”
“Is it really worth all that?” she said. “It's just a stupid e-mail.”
“It's a hate crime. Punishable by law.”
“Poor baby,” she said, ruffling his hair. “The object of hatred wherever he goes. What is it about you that makes people hate you so much?”
He trapped her hand in his, and pressed it against his cheek. “I don't know. I think I’m pretty lovable. How about you? Do you think I’m lovable?” He pulled her down onto his lap. “Give me a kiss, Luce. I need someone to be nice to me.”
She struggled to sit up. “Eat your eggs before they get cold.”
“Yeah, all right, I’ll eat the eggs. But after that…”
She slid off his lap. “After that, what?”
And there was that grin again, the grin that made her face turn hot and her hands cold.
Fortunately, he was a fast eater.
VII
What, no wedding band?” Lucy said when Kathleen finally swept in the next morning, over an hour late, to Sari's apartment. “When you didn't show up, I figured you were off in Vegas sealing the deal.”
“I sealed the deal,” Kathleen said. “It just depends on how you define the deal.”
“There was sealing?” Sari said, looking up from her knitting.
“Lots of sealing,” Kathleen said. “We had a blissful night of nonstop sealing.”
“You guys are too cute for words,” Lucy said.
“Clearly, someone here needs a good sealing,” Kathleen said to Sari, who laughed.
“If you're referring to sex,” Lucy said, “I’ve been there, done that. Very recently, in fact.”
“Just rub it in, why don't you both?” Sari said.
“Sorry, Sar,” Kathleen said. “So what is there to eat? I’m starved.” She pounced on the dining room table. “Oh, good- muffins. Are these banana? I love banana.” She bit directly into the top of the muffin without even peeling off the paper. “Yum. Sealing makes me hungry. So how is everyone? What'd I miss?”
“Do you talk with your mouth full when you're with your millionaire?” Lucy asked.
“Sure,” Kathleen said. “But not when it's full of food.”
It took a moment and then Sari dropped her knitting so she could throw a sofa cushion at Kathleen. “You're disgusting.”
Kathleen blocked the pillow with her right arm. “She asked.”
“There's something seriously wrong with her,” Lucy said. “Hey, Sari, can you help here? I’m finally starting on the front of the sweater, but the pattern's not coming out right.”