Free The Lucky Kind by Alyssa B. Sheinmel

continues,” I say, taking back her hand. “You’ll notice that the bookshelves are at the foot of another piece of furniture.”
    I can tell Eden’s trying not to laugh. “I hadn’t noticed, as a matter of fact.”
    “Well, good, because I’d like to explain this piece in particular.”
    “Really? Why?”
    I start backing her up toward my bed, and I think that tonight her scent will be on my sheets. “See, up here there are these soft, fluffy objects.”
    “And what are they called?”
    “You’ll find them in most every boy’s bedroom.”
    “Just boys’?”
    “I don’t pretend to be an expert on girls’ rooms,” I say, finally leaning over her so that we’re lying on the bed, her head on my pillows.
    “My bed’s bigger than yours,” she says as I rest my hips on top of hers, enjoying the feeling of her bones pressing against me, my face hovering above hers.
    “Yet another reason your room is better.”
    “My books are organized by subject,” she adds as I begin to kiss her neck, concentrating on the space just above her collarbone. When she sighs, I think I’m going to shiver.
    “Really?”
    “Yup.” She puts her arms around my neck. “And my floor is carpeted.”
    “I did notice that.”
    “I’ll bet,” she says, smiling, and I know she’s thinking of all the times we’ve messed around on her floor. I certainly am.
    This is the first time I’ve made out with a girl in my own bed, and I think with anyone but Eden, it might feel strange. As I kiss her, I say, “I like the way you look in my room.”
    “Me too,” she says, smiling, and she runs her left hand down my torso, and I inhale sharply when her fingers come to rest on my crotch, moving lightly along my fly.
    “Shit,” I say suddenly, almost falling down on top of her.
    “What?” she says, moving her hand away.
    “The front door just opened.”
    “You’ve got good ears,” she says, and swings her legs over the side of my bed, straightening her uniform.
    “They’ve got good timing,” I say, because I’m sure both my parents have just walked in the door. I exhale heavily. I look at our coats twisted together on the back of my chair. I guess I brought them in here so my parents wouldn’t guess someone else was here with me. Fat lot of good that did.
    “You think they’ll like me?” she asks, standing up. She actually sounds nervous. All I can think is that my parents don’t even deserve to meet a girl who is sexy one minute and shy the next; all I can think is that I’m already in love with her.
    “They’ll love you,” I say, taking her hand and leading her toward the door. “Come on.”

Introductions

    “H ey, guys,” I say, coming out into the living room, Eden slightly behind but holding my hand. They’re both bending down over the dog.
    “Hi, sweetie,” my mother says.
    “She may have meant me, she may have meant Pilot. We’ll never know,” I stage-whisper to Eden, who grins.
    “Huh?” my mom says, and they both look up now.
    “This is Eden Reiss,” I say as they stand up; the introduction sounds short without the words “my girlfriend” before her name. Eden drops my hand, which only serves to point out that we were holding hands to begin with, and takes a step toward my parents. When she leaves my side, I can still feel warmth coming from where she stood.
    “Nice to meet you,” she says, and shakes my mother’s hand. “Nina.”
    My mother looks taken aback; I’m not sure if it’s at meeting Eden or because Eden called her by her first name. My mother always corrects people when they call her Mrs. Brandt—first she says, Actually, it’s Ms. Ellerstein, and then she says, Call me Nina. But she’s used to my friends saying Mrs. and Mr. Brandt first.
    “Rob,” Eden continues, shaking my father’s hand. Then she takes three steps backward, almost falling into me.
    “Nice to meet you, Eden,” my parents say practically in unison. I wonder whether Eden thinks the unison speech