Selling the Drama by Theresa Smith

finger to her lips. "You don't
have to say it just because I did."
    She shook her head. "I'm not. I was just
going to tell you that I think that's one of the most romantic
declarations I've ever come across."
    "Well, that's kind of impressive given how
many books you've read on the topic. I wasn't too sure if I could
beat the guy shagging his sister in the attic, or the creeper
lusting after his niece, or the newly released sex slave, but I did
try my best."
    Charlotte pressed her face into his chest,
her laughter mixing with his. "Well, those are all very hard to
meet standards," she replied with jest.
    "You know, I have to reject you tonight
because your dad said if he found out I was having sex with you
without a condom he would castrate me. I think he's taken Jenna's
situation to heart. So, since I have no condoms, you and I are just
cuddling. I am in no way convinced he was anything other than
serious. I may love you, but not that much." Toby wrapped his arms
around Charlotte tighter, as if to prove his point.
    "Given what's happened with Jenna, I suppose
we should consider ourselves lucky we didn't get a ban on anything
other than hand holding. Anyway, I have condoms, so it's all
good."
    Toby released her as she squirmed beneath
him. "You do?"
    "Yes." Charlotte was triumphant. "Jenna gave
me heaps ages ago."
    "Perhaps she should have kept them for
herself," Toby pointed out, with no small measure of sarcasm.
    "Toby," Charlotte admonished.
    "Sorry. But seriously."
    "Dermott led her on. He gave her an
impression of their future together that wasn't true." Charlotte
stood and raced to her wardrobe. She ducked her head into the
depths and crawled halfway in, rummaging around noisily and cursing
as something tumbled down on top of her.
    "Where did you put them?"
    "Where no mother shall ever go." Rising to
her feet, she turned to face him, and holding her hand up, she
produced a strip of condoms with glee. As she jumped onto the bed,
Toby reached out and grabbed them from her, reading the packets.
"These are flavoured with Bailey's?"
    Charlotte nodded as Toby looked at her
dubiously. She rolled her eyes at him then and ripped one out of
his hand. "Do I have to teach you everything?" Leaning forward, she
pressed her lips to his. Smiling against his mouth, she pulled back
ever so slightly, a wicked gleam in her eyes. "Check the packet for
alcohol content. I might get drunk sucking you off and then you can
take advantage of me while I'm too wiped out to protest."
    Toby burst out with laughter, grabbing her
by the shoulders and pinning her beneath him. "As if I'd have to
take advantage of you! But don't let me stop you from seeing how
many condoms it takes to get you buzzed." He buried his face into
her hair, nibbling at her neck, his breath tickling her.
    Charlotte melted beneath him, wanting so
much to say the words to him that he had said to her, to tell him
how she felt, but they lodged in her throat and the moment seemed
gone, filled with laughter and dirty jokes about flavoured condoms.
But she felt it; she felt it for him so deeply, that she wondered
if she would even be able to articulate the depth of it into
words.
     
    Toby didn't get as far as pinching Charlotte
on the arse, all it took was turning up at the front of the school
with her hand tucked into his to get the comments flowing. Ellie
shot Charlotte the middle finger, but she was smiling nonetheless
as she strolled up to them.
    "Nice one, Charlotte. You might have just
said something. I never would have gone on about him if I knew he
was with you."
    Charlotte shrugged. "I couldn't. Long story,
I'll talk to you later. How was number seven?"
    "A limp dick. Not such a long story, but
I'll still tell you later." Ellie laughed as Toby looked over at
her with a pained expression.
    "I really don't want to hear things like
that." His anguish was in no way put on.
    Charlotte laughed along with Ellie, standing
on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. He pulled her