We stumbled up the staircase together, him with his back to it, me the aggressor threatening to put him off balance. A couple times we tipped over and he found himself sitting on the step, with me leaning into the kiss. Finally he flung his door open, scooped me up, carried me over to the couch and laid me down on it.

But an interloper had appeared.

“Aww, Missy, no.”

“Missy, YES. What an adorable baby!”

Adam’s little 10 pound miniature pinscher, Missy, had come over to see what the ruckus was about. She barked twice, leapt onto the couch and licked my face.

“...And she likes you already. Wanna come with us while we walk the block?”

“Hm. I think I’ll flop down and drink some water, if that’s cool.”

He nodded, fast walked over to the kitchen and came back a moment later with pitcher and glass in hand. “Here ya go. By the way, I’m not much for coffee, but there’s an electric kettle and various teas on the counter, so help yourself to whatever.” The dog grumbled and whimpered as he leashed her. “Hey hey, it’s okay girl. You can kiss the nice lady more later.”

I smirked. “You, sir, are a gentleman who knows what a lady likes.”

While he was out, I put on some hot water to make oolong, and looked around to get my bearings. The place was cluttered, yes, but tastefully appointed. Nice carpeting, comfy furniture, little busts of Oscar Wilde and Albert Einstein, and two thoughtfully arranged walls of music and art and political posters:

Goya’s Saturn Devouring His Son

Black Flag

Pansy Division

Between the Buried and Me

“Freedom for Angela Davis”

A pink triangle, “Silence is Death”

A circle with three downward facing arrows, “Blue Ridge Anti-racists”

Michael Hussar’s Morphine

Moving on, I scoped out the hallway, the little home gym and office, the bathroom and bedroom. No prominently displayed guns or katanas, no porn mags left sitting around, and no prescription anti-psychotics in the med cabinet. Yes, I was being that girl, but we had a weird history. Now I felt that much more sure about tonight.

Best of all: he had a bidet! I grew up with one (see: mean girl O’Connor) and missed it now, as an adult whose salary didn’t quite rate places with bidets. This one seemed to be a bolt-on attachment, the likes of which I’d never seen before, and while it was cold water only, it got the job done. I made a mental note to ask about it later.

I was back on the couch, waiting for my tea to finish steeping, when the door opened. There was a click as Missy was unleashed. She came running right back to me.

“Hey girl, you’re back! Hope you don’t mind, I took the liberty of making us both some oolong tea.”

So Adam took a mug and plopped down next to me, with Missy going back and forth between us and basking in the attention. We talked about apartment living, about punk and politics, on which I knew relatively little, and about fashion and politics, on which he knew relatively little. Before I knew it, our teas and our waters were drained.

Seemed like it was my turn to say it this time. I took a deep breath. “Hey,” I said, and I leaned over and kissed him. Closed mouth, but lingering. “I’m still down if you are.”

He kissed back enthusiastically, and came away with a big goofy grin. “I am, but first a few questions. You okay with hickies on the neck? On the tits?“ I nodded yes to both. “How do you feel about hair pulling?”

“In moderation.”

“Making you beg for things?”

“Also in moderation.”

“Face fucking?”

I grinned back and waggled my brows. “I said I’d suck your soul out, and I meant it.”

He put his hands up. “When you’re queer and kinky and on the autism spectrum, it always, always pays to ask specifics.”

“I appreciate that. You know, looking back, I might have guessed you were—huh. I’m sorry, do you mind if I take this? It’s Alex.”

“That’s totally fine.” Adam swung himself up and onto his feet and started down the hall. “Meet me in the bedroom, kay? And tell her I said hi!”

I put the phone to my ear. “What’s up, bitch?”

“I should ask you the same, bitch. You was supposed to check in.”

“Oops. I was having such a nice evening I forgot.”

“Good, that’s what I hoped.”

“How’s yours going?”

“Ridonculous. This guy, Tod, is a firefighter. Not very creative, but he’s big, strong and takes directions well. I’m calling in between rounds. Fixing to be thrown around all night by this guy. How bout you?”

“We drove around sobering up, so I only just made it to Adam’s place. He is such a good kisser. And he has the cutest little dog! I’m texting you a pic of her. Oh, and Adam says hi.”

“Hi, sexy pirate Adam! So girl. You gonna give him that ass?”

I glanced down the hall; it was empty.

“I don’t know. You know how I am with butt stuff. Been having a good time not thinking about it. And yet… now that I am, my heart just did a little backflip. Should I?”

“If he’s as good at sex as he is at kissing, then hell yeah. Give that boy something he’ll remember for a longass time. Just be sure you get yours too.”

“Okay. I better go before I chicken out. Love you bitch!” I clicked off the call, and wandered down to the bedroom with Missy trailing behind. “Alex says, and I quote, ‘hi sexy pirate Adam.’”

He smirked. “From her, I’ll take that compliment. So y’all are still tight, huh? No offense, but you always seemed so... straightlaced, next to her.”

“Yeah, I’ve been blessed to have her for a corrupting influence all these years. She’s the best. So. You ready to pick up where we left off?”

He smiled and nodded. “Missy? I’m sorry, darlin, but you’re getting sexiled. You’ll get face time with the nice woman later, alright?” The dog let out a whine, but trod off to the living room when he pointed that direction. He closed the door after her.

Not wanting to waste another moment, I caught Adam at unawares and shoved him back onto the bed, then climbed on top of him and kissed him hard. He got a hold of my hair, gently but firmly tipped back my head, and began trailing kisses down my chin and neck and cleavage. Every few kisses, he’d give a nibble or suck out a little hickie. I shuddered despite myself.

His moves were raw, aggressive, and highly effective. Perfect for us, here, tonight.

I leaned back and let the straps of my dress and my bra slip from my shoulders. The bra opened in the front, and I couldn’t resist the temptation to give him just a moment’s tease, hiding what lay behind it before tossing it aside with a big smile.

“Give me some of that.” Adam wrapped one thick arm around my back and pulled me close to his face, cupping my left breast with the other. I shivered at the grazing touch of his nose in a wide circle, then as he planted lips and tongue at the edge of my areola, I let out a delirious moan.

Adam hadn’t just glowed up. He had leveled up. This wasn’t just a realization of a boy’s dream; it was years of a man’s experience and experimentation, now brought to bear with single-minded desire.

I had to wonder. Was he truthful when he said he never thought about it? Was he this good because he’d lived life so fully in my absence, or was he putting in extra because somewhere in the recesses of his adult mind, he’d carried a torch for Millie O’Connor?

I didn’t get much time to wonder, though. Adam was copping a solid feel on my ass and cunt, panties pulled to the side to chart the contours of my bits, and it was getting pretty wet down there. My moaning became a gutteral growl from deep in the throat.

He looked up at me with admiration. “Nice death growl you got there.”

“Death what?”

“That sound, you hear it a lot in metal and hardcore. Comes from a set of false vocal cords just above the real ones. Supposedly ancient humans used it in war and hunting.”

“Once a nerd, always a nerd, huh?”

“Guilty as charged.”