Free Love Her Madly by M. Elizabeth Lee Page A

that?”
    â€œI do. I eat almost every day, if you can believe it. And I take a lot of science classes, which is how I met Cyn. But the crappy thing is, I live in the H Quad.”
    I shook my head in sympathy. “The Hubble. That explains it.”
    He furrowed his brow. “The Hubble?”
    I giggled. His warm brown eyes were studying me with intense inquisitiveness, like I was the most interesting person on earth. It was making me feel dizzy, so I looked down at the puddle forming around my feet.
    â€œYou really haven’t heard that yet? H Quad is nicknamed the Hubble because it’s so damn far away. Hubble residents are called astronauts.”
    â€œAh, space humor. Excellent.” He rubbed his palms against his thighs, producing a faint nylon hum. For an instant, I wondered if I might be making him nervous. Had I been gazing overlong at those surreal abs? Had I lost myself and become a total lech? I forced my gaze elsewhere, locking on to his hands. They were thin and attractive but still masculine, like surgeonhands. “It’s way the hell out there. I’m going to have to get a bike or a junker car.”
    â€œA horse?” I suggested.
    â€œIn this heat, that would be inhumane. I’m thinking more along the lines of a jet pack.”
    I laughed. “And that’s why you appreciate the space humor.”
    â€œI do.”
    We locked eyes, neither of us speaking. Time seemed to blur, and in that moment, I felt myself falling, hard.
    He looked away, and I felt a pang of disappointment. I stood up, trying to act casual amid the whirlpool of unexpected emotion that had suddenly seized me.
    â€œYou should show up at the dining hall tonight. That’s where all the cool kids go to eat grilled cheese.”
    â€œI love grilled cheese. I think I will,” he said, smiling up at me. I loved his voice. It was warm and smooth, like a radio announcer’s.
    â€œGood. I’ll see you then. Have a good swim.”
    I darted away, a blush erupting from my neck upward. I hurried into the ladies’ locker room, stripped off my suit, and walked into the empty sauna. More blood rushed to the surface of my skin as I stood there, breathing deeply, unable to even feel the baking heat for the chaotic flurry of desire that was consuming me. I was in love with this guy. In love! I grinned, wrapping my arms tightly around my own humid torso, and felt a strange quiver pass through me like the taut vibration of a plucked bow. Happy as I was, there was also something undeniably frightening about this development; as if in that moment when our eyes met, he had casually reached over and swiped part of my soul, obliging me to chase him forever. It was such a melodramatic thought that I laughed out loud and promptly removed my overheated brain from the sauna. Under the shower, I made a choice. If love required this madness, this exquisite terror ofpotentially unfulfillable desire, I was ready. For him, I thought, I might try anything.

    Back in our room, I found Cyn on all fours, digging around under her bed.
    â€œHey,” she said, not looking up from her search. “I’m missing a sparkle thong. Even if I find it under here, it’s gonna be gross.”
    â€œYou’re working tonight,” I said, answering the question I was about to ask.
    â€œI’m supposed to be there in half an hour. That seems unlikely.” She gave up the hunt and began to toss other stripper paraphernalia into her duffel. The silver platforms were visible inside, as well as some CDs. Cyn had started bringing her own dance mixes. She said it was good for her mental health.
    â€œGuess who I just ran into at the pool.”
    Cyn’s face lit up. “You met him! What do you think?”
    I ratcheted my true enthusiasm back by about 95 percent. “He’s every bit as awesome as you said.”
    Cyn nodded. “My god, those eyes.”
    â€œThose