"There's a reason they say love is blind.""You need to meet him," I said. "I bet you'd fall in love with him.""Sorry, but I've only got room for one in my heart," she replied, then kissed my forehead.I had to hold my breath to keep from crying. "One week. Oh, God, how can you make me choose?"I turned around in her arms and kissed her then. Holding me close, she whispered, "We don't have to do anything."She seemed as scared as I was. "But I want to."We sat kissing on the couch for a long time. There was no sense of urgency, except for our growing arousal. Compared to John's, her skin was so soft. He'd often had a growing beard that I loved to feel against my cheek and thighs, but I found her smooth skin just as thrilling in its own way.She kept her lips soft and relaxed, where John's were firmer. And when I kissed her, her lips reminded me of eating a ripe peach, the flesh so soft and wet it seemed to melt in my mouth.My hands moved slowly, slipping inside the soft robes to fin

Niro's looked a little like a brown house from the outside, but the interior featured a green and white theme with garish accents in yellow and red. We lined up and ordered our dogs, taking seats in the crowded dining room. Mine was fully loaded with tomatoes, pickles, peppers, and onions, and I knew I'd pay for it later, but I hadn't been able to resist my favorite. Jules had hers with everything except the onions."You're going to regret that later," I said.She looked up at me, puzzled. "What?""Not eating onions." I looked at her with a wicked grin. It was still so odd to see her and want to kiss her. I kept thinking of her as my friend, but then my racing heart would correct me every time I looked at her."I don't mind onion breath." Picking up a single fry, she slipped it between her lips seductively, and whispered, "As long as it's yours."I could feel my face grow hot and had to look away for a moment. When her foot slid up my calf, I chuckled. "You'd better eat fast. I'm alre

"Anyway, he started asking more and more questions. I could tell he was worried about me moving too fast. He tried to make you seem like some backwoods gold digger and I nearly popped him in the mouth for it," he said, sounding angry with his words clipped short."He just doesn't know me. Jules is worried you just want someone to hook up with that won't complicate your life on campus.""Fuck 'em both, then." he said with a grim laugh."I need to tell you something," I said, but he didn't seem to hear me."Look, you don't know everything that's happened over the last couple of years. Mike's been a good friend. He's helped me get through some serious shit. Even so, you don't have to worry about him changing my mind. I've never felt like this about anyone before. Let them worry. You still trust me, don't you?""Yes.""Then hang tough, only four more weeks and I'll be there. I may even bring the bastard along to put this shit to rest. Hey, maybe we could set him up with Jules?""We can tr

I hadn't been entirely honest with Jules. She was the only woman I'd ever thought of sexually. There were a few times when my imaginary lover grew softer curves and longer hair. It was usually after I'd woken from a dream and I couldn't sleep again without finding release. In those drowsy moments, as my fingers rubbed, it was her breasts I touched, and her mouth I kissed. And when my release came, it was her name I whispered. I was ashamed I hadn't told her.Admitting it in my journal didn't change the way I felt about John. Being with him was satisfying in ways that being with Jules couldn't replace. I loved his rough skin when he didn't shave. I loved holding onto his strong shoulders as he entered me. I loved the way he called my name when he emptied himself into me. John and I had connected so powerfully that I now feared losing him as much as I did Jules. It was hard to believe I'd only known him two weeks.I'd fallen for someone wonderful, my best friend had become something mor

Riccardo Bianchi scrolledthrough his phone at the head of the dining table with an empty glass of whiskey in front of him. After wiping down the kitchen counter, I refilled the glass, my hand trembling from the nerves zipping through me right now.I had worked for the Bianchi Family for nearly thirty years and had never asked for a night off because I had never quite needed it before now. Riccardo gave me more than enough time during the week to spend my days doing whatever I wanted with his dirty money.But I wanted to go out Friday night with a man I had met at the grocery store. He had worked there for the past five years, but I had never gotten the courage to talk to him besides some desperate little smiles here and there.“What’s wrong?” Riccardo asked.“N-Nothing!” I said too quicklyHe grabbed my shaky hand, stopping me from pouring any more. “Ophelia.”Sucking in a breath, I placed the bottle of alcohol down on the counter and hurried toward the front of the table to distance