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Show Motherlunge a novel 182 j I sat up on the bed and put my hand over my heart. "Did I lie?" I think I really didn't know. "Apparently. In the beginning, we discussed it. STDs, birth control-you said you were on the pill. And then later..." he zipped up the bag and shoved it back against the wall by his stereo, leaned back on his hands and looked at me. "From then, you just didn't really mention it. You let me assume we were covered." "You never mentioned it, either." Mi casa es su casa. "I know." His gaze was free of content. "Jack has a girlfriend," I said suddenly. I blinked wetly. "Not surprised," Eli said. "He's just supposed to hang around forever, not knowing whether Pavia will ever allow him back again?" He glanced at his clock radio; the next number fell down with a tiny clapping sound. "Look, I didn't know you were coming over and I told Steig I could shoot some of his paintings tonight for a grant he's applying for. So I've got to go." He stood up, and I scrambled up after him. His camera bag over his shoulder, Eli paused before pulling open the bedroom door. "Don't say anything to Cassie." "I won't," I said to his back, queued up as I was behind him. He had on the soft blue Indiana State sweatshirt I liked; I could have put my head against it. I followed him downstairs and out the front door, and we walked a block without saying anything. At the comer where we would go different directions-me to the subway, him to catch a bus-Eli pulled on my shoulder and gave me a kiss on the cheek. "Let's take a break for a while," he said gently into my ear. " All right?" I pulled back to look at him, and there he still was, beautiful and not unkind, not unfair or mine. |