Free Scary Package by Mara Ismine Page B

sympathy?
    “Of course she would!” Tan groaned. “It’s sort of a logical progression, when you think about it.”
    “I really, really don’t want to think about it!” I snapped at him and shuddered at the images trying to crowd into my mind.
    “Me either.” Tan agreed readily.
    “I’ve got to go, there’s someone at the desk.” I glared at the student sloping up to the counter, but he didn’t seem to notice.
    “Okay. I think I might go out for a bit, say five hours? Hurry home, I need you.”
    “Hn. I’ll try not to be late.”
    “I love you.”
    “Love you, too.” I could almost say the words without stuttering now. Almost.
    I ended the call and went to deal with the student at the desk. He didn’t even argue about the late fines I imposed. I thought he was going to. He did open his mouth as though he was going to, but then he looked at my face and just got his wallet out.
    Sometimes five hours can seem like a lifetime. Sometimes it passes in the blink of an eye. Sometimes it lasts for five hours. I completed my shift hand over and headed home. I was tempted to stop for groceries; there must be something we needed. My phone vibrated.
    “What?” I stopped walking to talk to Tan. The safety of the grocery store was in sight.
    “I already got groceries. I really, really need you to come home.” Tan didn’t sound nervous, he sounded horny.
    “You’ve been looking at the books, haven’t you?” I didn’t sigh out loud, but I did start walking toward home once more.
    “Yes. I’m weak. I couldn’t resist.”
    “You can tell her all about it.” I smirked to myself. Mom always wanted to know what we thought of her suggestions. I thought it was unnatural to discuss my sex life with my mother beyond the broadest terms. I like men not women, was about the limit of information exchange I felt necessary. Even that wouldn’t have been necessary if she hadn’t kept trying to set me up with blind dates. It hadn’t stopped her, but at least she’d tried to set me up with men rather than women after that. Moving four hours away had almost cured the bad habit. Tan had cured it completely. I really should be more grateful to him.
    “I’ll let her proofread the article,” Tan said quickly. “It doesn’t seem quite as bad that way.”
    “Until she starts asking questions!” I’d given up trying to stop Tan writing articles about our sex life on the understanding that nothing got published without my approval. Mom had a copy of every publication that Tan’s articles appeared in, and that included the online ones. It was on his own head if he let her read them before publication.
    “You are evil, you know that?”
    “It’s your own fault! If you hadn’t taken her advice…”
    “I’d still be occasionally sleeping on your couch and you’d still be pushing me away!”
    “Probably.” I knew he was right, but it was embarrassing that we really had needed Mom’s interference to get together.
    “We should be grateful, I suppose.” Tan didn’t sound too grateful right now.
    “We are grateful. We just wish she’d back off and stay out of the details of our sex life.” I rolled my eyes and juggled the phone to get my key out.
    “Maybe she’d stop if we took an equal interest in hers…”
    “Bite your tongue and wash your brain with bleach! It would only take one hint of a question and she’d have you writing sex articles for the over-fifties based on her and Dad’s experience.” I tried very hard not to listen to what I was saying.
    “Eww! Did you have to say that?”
    “That is only the tip of the iceberg. Don’t go there! Ever!”
    “Right! Where are you now? You’re echoing.”
    “Coming up the stairs.”
    “I’ll open the door then.”
    “Thanks. Love you.”
    “Love you, too.” Tan grinned at me as I emerged from the stair well.
    I slipped the phone back into my pocket and walked a bit faster to my front door. I waited to shut the door behind me before I kissed Tan. I