Free The Wives of Beverly Row 2: Lust Has a New Address by Abby Weeks Page B

years.”
    “Well,” Ariel said, “maybe this thing with Matt is your chance to get some of that passion.”
    Veronica looked at Ariel. She said nothing.

XII
    A S SOON AS HER MOTHER left the house, Becky grabbed her phone and texted Kyle.
    —We need to talk.
    She waited by her phone for what seemed like an eternity. She stared at the screen. The TV was on but she couldn’t have even said what was playing. All she was doing was waiting for Kyle’s response. Her phone beeped and she grabbed it.
    —When?
    —Right now, she typed in a flash.
    —My dad’s here, he wrote.
    —I’m home alone. Come over.
    She waited again. Fifteen seconds passed, thirty, sixty. Please come over , she thought as she stared at the screen. The phone beeped.
    —Be there in ten.
    Becky almost burst into tears of relief. She’d been so worried Kyle was going to turn her down. He wasn’t even her boyfriend, why should he care what she thought? He probably didn’t even know that she was upset about the whole Trudy thing. He probably didn’t even know Trudy had been flirting with him. Boy’s were so stupid sometimes.
    She ran upstairs and into her mother’s room. She didn’t usually wear much make up but she put on her mother’s foundation and a little powder on her cheeks. She lined her eyes and put on mascara. She was probably overdoing it but she didn’t care. She’d heard some good advice in a movie recently and she intended to follow it: never bring a knife to a gunfight. She put on lipstick, her mother’s Chanel perfume, and one of her mother’s fancy, black lace bras and matching panties. She put her shirt and shorts back on over everything and was ready just in time to hear Kyle at the front door.
    She ran down and opened it.
    “Come on in,” she said. She felt a little shy. She’d overdone it with the makeup. He’d notice. He’d think she was stupid.
    “You look great,” he said.
    That gave her a little more confidence. “Thanks.”
    She led him into the living room and turned off the TV.
    “So what’s going on?” Kyle said.
    Becky wasn’t sure what to say. She didn’t know how she was supposed to broach the subject. She’d never had a boyfriend before. She wasn’t sure how this worked. She wanted Kyle to be hers, she didn’t want women like Trudy Luxton or anyone else flirting with him, but she didn’t want to appear controlling or paranoid.
    “I wanted to say thanks for showing me around the school and introducing me to everyone.”
    “Of course,” Kyle said. “I’m thrilled that you’re at our school.”
    “I really appreciate it.”
    “Well, you’re a really nice girl.”
    Becky looked up at him. She was delighted he’d said that. She knew he was fond of her, she just didn’t know how she was supposed to take the relationship to the next level. They’d made out. They’d more than made out, they’d made each other orgasm. He’d fingered her. She’d sucked him off and swallowed his semen. Didn’t that count for anything anymore? What did a girl have to do to get a boy to commit?
    “Well, basically,” she said, but she felt so shy that she didn’t finish the sentence.
    “Basically what?” Kyle said. He was sitting next to her on the sofa and she could feel the weight of his presence. She didn’t know what he weighed but it was a lot more than her. He was a hulk of muscle and flesh and bone. She wanted to feel that weight on top of her. She wanted him to be hers.
    “Basically I was wondering if you wanted to go steady?” she said.
    He looked at her. He seemed surprised, conflicted maybe. Thoughts were rushing through his head. Becky didn’t know what those thoughts were, she wished she could read his mind but she couldn’t. Why was he hesitating ? What was he thinking about ? He should have said yes by now .
    Without thinking she pulled her T-shirt up over her head and looked into his eyes. That seemed to snap him out of it. He was looking at her with so much intensity now. But he