A Good Little Girl Like You (A Sample)

someone better? Given her limited experience with men

and her childhood insecurities, she wondered if she had

settled for the easy route.

In high school, Rebecca was a complete loner, dedicated

to her gymnastics and language studies. Anything to get out

of the house; anything to show her sister and her parents

what she could do. After high school, she allowed herself to

form relationships, which taught her about love and trust.

Make that mistrust.

She settled down with Quentin after having been

burned by her professor. Quentin restored her faith in men

-he was decent and devoted. But devotion was no longer

good enough. Now he was holding her back.

"No, Quentin. I don't want to have sex. I want

something else-I want my key back. I'm sorry, but we're

done."

Quentin stared at her. "You're breaking up with me?

You kissed me and now you're dumping me?" He squinted

his eyes. "Who is he?"

Nice to know he's not completely stupid. It was just as

well that he suspected another man, because she was ready

to admit it. "Someone who kisses better than you, that's for

sure."

"You're already making out with someone else! And

now I have to have a kissing contest with him?"

It wasn't all about the kissing. But she'd already tried

unsuccessfully to explain what she really wanted. No point

in starting that discussion again.

She went for direct, something he'd understand. "No,

you already lost the kissing contest. I'd like my key now."

He frowned at her for a few seconds, but she stared him

down. A huge keychain emerged from his pocket and he

fidgeted with one of the keys. After it was free, he slapped it

down on the coffee table. He quickly gathered the smaller

boxes into the large box and hefted it up into his arms. "I'll

be back for the rest of my stuff." He walked out the door.

It was that easy. Rebecca knew he'd give up without a

fight-there was no fight in him. That was the main reason

she needed to break it off. That and the kiss. And what a

kiss! Her heart started to beat faster, just thinking about

O.E. and his lips.

Is that all I care about? Kisses? Was she leaving

someone secure, responsible, and safe because of a kiss?

She couldn't be that much of a fool. Nothing about O.E.

seemed secure, responsible, or safe. In some ways, this was

a really foolish move. Foolish but so right.

The truth was far from simple. Both O.E. and Quentin

were bad choices, neither one of them right for her. But