Read Love, Lust, and Other Mistakes for Free Online Page B
Authors: Eliza Lentzski
through.”
After my outburst, my body relaxes and I return to my reclined position next to her. “Yeah,” I murmur. “I guess we do.” I blink a few times and weigh my next words carefully. “We don’t know about each other’s baggage. It’s-it’s almost like we’re strangers,” I reluctantly admit.
She sighs beside me . “Yeah,” she whispers.
I stick my hand out. It feels awkward. “Hi. I’m Ruth,” I deadpan. “Nice to meet you.”
She stares at my outstretched hand like I’m an alien and raises an eyebrow. “Are you for real?”
“Your turn ,” I grin.
Her eyebrows are crunched together, forming a deep grove, but she takes my hand in her own and gives it a firm shake . “I’m Elizabeth,” she husks, “Nice to meet you, too.”
“Elizabeth?”
Her eyebrows creep back up. “You didn’t know that was my real name? I go by my middle name, but the name on my birth certificate is Elizabeth.”
“You never told me that,” I protest.
“You never asked,” she quickly retorts.
“Yeah…well…” I hesitate , “that’s cause…we just met, remember?”
She smirks knowingly . “Do you normally lie in bed naked with people you’ve just met?”
I feel the blush creep onto my cheeks . “Okay, so maybe starting over wasn’t the best idea I’ve ever had.”
She rewards my silliness by nuzzling her nose against my collarbone. “Not here cause of your brains,” she mumbles against me.
The tip of her nose feels cold, but I don’t mind. I feel those vibrations travel the length of my body, straight down to my core. I breathe in sharply from the sensation. “Then why are you here?” I ask. I’m pleasantly pleased with myself that my voice doesn’t crack.
She props herself up on an elbow. “I thought it was obvious by now,” she smirks. “I’m in love with you.”
“Y-you what?”
She raises a manicured eyebrow. “Did I stutter?”
“But…you…I mean…how…” I sputter.
“Listen, I’ve been running from people all my life,” she cuts me off. “A deadbeat mom, social workers, the cops,” she chuckles darkly, and I have no idea what could be funny about any of that. “And when I was back in New York confronting all the ghosts from my past…” She pauses to give me a warning look. “ Metaphorical ghosts,” she clarifies, “anyway,” she continues, shaking her head, “I realized I was sick of running all the time. Or at least tired of running away . I just kind of wanted to run to something, and uh, I realized that something was you.” She takes a deep breath and looks sideways at me.
I chew on my bottom lip, allowing her anxious ramble to sink in. Erin is in love with me? When did that happen?
“Did I just freak you out?” she worries aloud, when I continue to sit, dumb with silence.
Finally, before she has the opportunity to take back her revealing words, I smile and shift until our bodies are once again molded together. I need more time. But I’ll get there. I know I will. “No. Not freaked out at all,” I admit. I playfully nibble along the edge of her ear. “I was just hoping we could talk about this a little later.”
She envelopes me in her arms. “Well, like I already told you, I’m not planning on running anymore. So I’m pretty sure we can take our time.” She licks along the curve of my shoulder and up to my neck. My heartbeat quickens and my throat becomes tight as she continues her gentle, yet persistent caresses.
I had once warned Erin that I wouldn’t wait for her, but even as the harsh words had spilled out, I knew they were lies. I would have waited as long as it took. Because even though I might not be ready to say the words yet, I love her, too.
+++++
Grocery Shopping
I love grocery shopping. It’s a strange thing to love, I know, but there’s something actually soothing to me about grocery
After my outburst, my body relaxes and I return to my reclined position next to her. “Yeah,” I murmur. “I guess we do.” I blink a few times and weigh my next words carefully. “We don’t know about each other’s baggage. It’s-it’s almost like we’re strangers,” I reluctantly admit.
She sighs beside me . “Yeah,” she whispers.
I stick my hand out. It feels awkward. “Hi. I’m Ruth,” I deadpan. “Nice to meet you.”
She stares at my outstretched hand like I’m an alien and raises an eyebrow. “Are you for real?”
“Your turn ,” I grin.
Her eyebrows are crunched together, forming a deep grove, but she takes my hand in her own and gives it a firm shake . “I’m Elizabeth,” she husks, “Nice to meet you, too.”
“Elizabeth?”
Her eyebrows creep back up. “You didn’t know that was my real name? I go by my middle name, but the name on my birth certificate is Elizabeth.”
“You never told me that,” I protest.
“You never asked,” she quickly retorts.
“Yeah…well…” I hesitate , “that’s cause…we just met, remember?”
She smirks knowingly . “Do you normally lie in bed naked with people you’ve just met?”
I feel the blush creep onto my cheeks . “Okay, so maybe starting over wasn’t the best idea I’ve ever had.”
She rewards my silliness by nuzzling her nose against my collarbone. “Not here cause of your brains,” she mumbles against me.
The tip of her nose feels cold, but I don’t mind. I feel those vibrations travel the length of my body, straight down to my core. I breathe in sharply from the sensation. “Then why are you here?” I ask. I’m pleasantly pleased with myself that my voice doesn’t crack.
She props herself up on an elbow. “I thought it was obvious by now,” she smirks. “I’m in love with you.”
“Y-you what?”
She raises a manicured eyebrow. “Did I stutter?”
“But…you…I mean…how…” I sputter.
“Listen, I’ve been running from people all my life,” she cuts me off. “A deadbeat mom, social workers, the cops,” she chuckles darkly, and I have no idea what could be funny about any of that. “And when I was back in New York confronting all the ghosts from my past…” She pauses to give me a warning look. “ Metaphorical ghosts,” she clarifies, “anyway,” she continues, shaking her head, “I realized I was sick of running all the time. Or at least tired of running away . I just kind of wanted to run to something, and uh, I realized that something was you.” She takes a deep breath and looks sideways at me.
I chew on my bottom lip, allowing her anxious ramble to sink in. Erin is in love with me? When did that happen?
“Did I just freak you out?” she worries aloud, when I continue to sit, dumb with silence.
Finally, before she has the opportunity to take back her revealing words, I smile and shift until our bodies are once again molded together. I need more time. But I’ll get there. I know I will. “No. Not freaked out at all,” I admit. I playfully nibble along the edge of her ear. “I was just hoping we could talk about this a little later.”
She envelopes me in her arms. “Well, like I already told you, I’m not planning on running anymore. So I’m pretty sure we can take our time.” She licks along the curve of my shoulder and up to my neck. My heartbeat quickens and my throat becomes tight as she continues her gentle, yet persistent caresses.
I had once warned Erin that I wouldn’t wait for her, but even as the harsh words had spilled out, I knew they were lies. I would have waited as long as it took. Because even though I might not be ready to say the words yet, I love her, too.
+++++
Grocery Shopping
I love grocery shopping. It’s a strange thing to love, I know, but there’s something actually soothing to me about grocery