‘No.’ My pretty please pout gets a ‘don’t push it’ look but also a smile that softens your face into the smile I have known since high schoo...l. Trouble then and still trouble, I think. You bend at the waist with hands tucked behind your back, hiding them from me and kiss me quickly on my forehead, as you always have, and quickly escape out of my range. ‘Do you want to go down to the bar and get a drink?’ I ask suddenly. It is my inability to fold and comply rearing its ugly head. I cannot. But the deacons are all solid modern family men."Richard thought for a long while. Perry kept quiet, letting him mull it over.That's evil. Totally, completely manipulatively wrong. And ... I'm getting turned on thinking about it. How could I be even contemplating doing this? They are my friends, my responsibility. I should be willing to do anything to protect them. Instead, I'm busy figuring out how to corrupt them as well. The problem is: the instant I stand up and flat refuse, which looks to. "Yeah," I answered as I dropped it to the floor. After the three hours I had put in, I was famished. Now all I had to do was clean up, get changed, and start working. You left earlier than usual, the text on my phone said as I looked at it. I smiled as I read it. It was just after seven in the morning. Jeff must have just got up. Pizza, I replied. Right, he answered. I knew he would understand. Have a good day. Love you.'Love you too, I replied and put the phone away. "You two make me sick,". You don't have to sit with me if you don't want to."She blushed a little more, "Oh, I wouldn't mind you sitting with me Rod. I hope you aren't upset that I am here, Rod. Your sister said that this was your favorite place. I can leave if you want me to." No, please Beth, I wanted to talk to you and this is the perfect place to do it." What do you want to talk about, Rod?" I wanted to ask if you were dating anyone, Beth?" No, I'm not, Rod." Well, I thought I ought to ask. A pretty girl like you.