Free Toxic by Kim Karr

jobs she and her mother had done. Kat and her mother were running Jeremy’s mother’s business for her for the summer.
    We parked across the street from the pizzeria and he held my hand as we crossed. Kat hurried beside him and he put his hand on the small of her back to keep her in step. When he held the door open for us to go inside, she went first. I followed and he brushed his body against mine as we entered the restaurant together.
    “Let’s find a table,” he said, rubbing his stomach. “I’m starving.”
    I looked around. I’d never been to this restaurant. “How’s the food?”
    It was an innocent question.
    “The best pizza in the world. You’ve never been here?” Kat asked.
    “No, but I love pizza.”
    “Really, everyone on a budget comes here.”
    I smacked my lips together. “Never been.”
    Jeremy held his arm out toward a booth in the corner and I slid in first. He sat next to me and Kat sat across from him.
    She smiled as she handed me a menu.
    I felt like she knew who I was. I couldn’t shake the concern.
    Guilt sucked.
    “We got a call to do a job at the St. Claires’ Saturday night,” she said to Jeremy.
    I froze.
    Did she know?
    Jeremy stiffened. “I hope you told them to fuck off.”
    Panic rose in my gut. He seemed to hate my father so much.
    Kat laughed. “Didn’t have to. We were already booked and without your mom, one job a night is all we can manage.”
    My eyes dropped to the menu. I was afraid the fear in them was evident. I had to tell him the truth soon but he hated anyone with money so much. How could I make him understand?
    “Phoebe,” Kat said. “Did you hear me?”
    “No, sorry.”
    “I’m glad you eat.”
    “What do you mean?”
    Jeremy even looked at her sideways.
    “You’re so skinny. Most of the time, girls as skinny as you never eat.”
    Now I knew for certain her niceness was an act.
    “Actually, I’ve struggled with being too skinny my whole life and I’ve hated it.”
    “Come on, no girl hates being too thin.”
    I shrugged. “I do.”
    Jeremy slipped his arm around me. His lips grazed my ears. “I think you’re sexy as hell.”
    I turned to him and kissed him. I wanted to tell Kit-Kat that I’d gained weight in college but decided to take the higher road.
    She seemed to drop it.
    Jeremy played with the hem of my dress and I concentrated on him and his touch.
    We ordered and ate and the rest of the dinner conversation was actually pleasant.
    Nice.
    “I’ll be right back,” Kat said after we’d finished eating.
    Once she’d walked away, Jeremy turned toward me and pressed me against the wall. “I can’t wait to fuck you.”
    It came out of nowhere, but then again it usually did.
    Still, I felt the same.
    His hands slipped under the hem of my dress. “Fuck, you’re so wet.”
    “I already told you, I missed you today.”
    His lips grazed my jaw. “Yeah, but you didn’t tell me how much.”
    Pleasure had immobilized me as he kissed my mouth—lip to lip.
    His mouth tasted faintly like beer and garlic. Delicious. “Tell me what you want me to do to you first.”
    “Whatever you want,” I breathed.
    “Tell me you want me to eat you.”
    My shock at the words he used had long ago dissipated. He spoke only the truth. I’d almost forgotten we were in a public place, I was so fixated on his mouth. What he was saying. How he was describing what he wanted me to say. He did that to me all the time.
    “Tell me.”
    I almost repeated everything out loud. “Yes, that. All of that.”
    He pulled back and took my lip with him. “Soon,” he whispered. I was surprised he gave up trying to get me to talk dirty. He liked it when I told him what I wanted.
    “I’m ready if you are.” Kat had sat back down.
    How long had she been there?
    Jeremy eyed me, and then grabbed the bill. “We’re ready.”
    I tried to pay my share, but he refused to let me. He always refused.
    I hated that he worked so hard for what he had and I’d just come into a