Free Love Scars by Lark Lane

books, keeping them safe, repelling all outsiders. But I didn’t mind J.D. touching them. His mom named him for a character in these stories. Jaxom, a dragonrider. And they were my mom’s favorites too. I liked sharing something special with him.
    I ran my hand over the spines. I had to go to Foresthill. I’d face my demons and get well—well enough to stop using sex as an escape mechanism. I’d lost my chance with J.D., but the next time life offered me the possibility of a real relationship, I’d be ready to ride the dragon.
    At that moment I felt a lingering wound inside me heal, and one small emotional scar dissolved.

Chapter 11
    J.D.’s house in Princeton Reach.
    “Dammit!” Brad drove his empty beer bottle into the tub of ice on the coffee table. He muted the TV as the basketball game went to commercial. “Fucking refs.”
    “What do you care?” I said. “You hate the Kings.”
    “Not when they’re playing the Mavs, dude.”
    I hadn’t heard from the guy since he drove away from the party on Friday, then just before the game he showed up at my place with a six-pack of Pale Ale. 
    Sacramento was losing to Dallas in a crappy game perfect for my crappy mood. My resolution to put Nora Deven out of my mind was not going well.
    I rode away from her house yesterday morning, but I never really left. I kept picturing her sitting at the end of her bed with her legs crossed, wearing those green piranha pajamas. I kept thinking about crawling over to her and burying my face in the rosemary and mint perfume of her hair, running my tongue over the skin on her neck. I wanted to slide those pajama bottoms off over her smooth hips and plunge inside her.
    I wanted to feel her swallow me whole.
    Friday night I could have sworn she was into me. On the other hand, Friday night she was whacked out. Yesterday morning, when she was herself again, she pulled back. She was polite, cheerful, and distant. A wall had gone up between us. Hell, maybe I put it there.
    All yesterday and today I wondered what she was doing. I had the bike out three times to go for a ride in the direction of Carolinda Estates. Three times I talked myself out of it. The fourth time I was strapping on my helmet when Brad showed up and saved me from myself.
    I unmuted the game. They were still in the timeout after the ref’s call. The Kings’ announcers were discussing the latest rumors about the team moving to Seattle.
    “A pox on them,” Brad said. “If they were going anywhere else I’d say hasta la good riddance, but the Kings can’t go fucking up my home town.”
    “We liked them when we were kids and they had Jason Williams and Chris Webber,” I reminded him. “They could never replace the Sonics though.”
    I wondered if Nora liked NBA basketball. I had a feeling the crowds would annoy her, but we could watch a home game from BlueMagick’s skybox. I could tell her I won some random contest at work to get access to the box.
    “You had to bring up the Sonics.” Brad pushed his glasses up and took his phone from the pocket of his fresh pressed cotton shirt. The dude dressed like an accountant even on weekends. “Siri, remind me never to give my heart to anything. It only ends up getting stomped on.” He put the phone down on the coffee table and grabbed another beer.
    “Sorry about Lisa, dude,” I said. “That sucks.”
    “Yeah, well,” he said. “Apparently my Brad-fu has picked up a virus. I was sure she’d choose me over Fabulous Frank.” He pointed his beer at me. “And I’m still positive you and her friend Nora are undiscovered soul mates. You’re both so broody.”
    “I’m the opposite of broody,” I said. “I’m stoic.” I ignored his look of skepticism. “Actually, I ended up spending the night.” I couldn’t tell him what I’d learned about MolyMo without admitting I’d stayed at Nora’s place Friday.
    “Alrighty then, the plot thickens.” He muted the TV again as it went to the Mavs’ halftime show.