Freudian Slip by Erica Orloff Read Free Book Online Page B

I was just lost without her.” She kissed her dog on the nose.
    Dog germs.
    Kate furrowed her brow.
    â€œWhat?” Zack asked her.
    â€œNothing. I…I just have been out of sorts. Don’t know if you heard—my apartment was broken into.”
    â€œI did. I’m really sorry. You know, if you ever need anything, or you’re just…scared to go into an empty apartment, knock on my door and I’ll check around the place for you, or whatever. Anything you need.”
    He looked down awkwardly, but she touched his arm. “I will. Thank you. I mean it.” She squeezed his arm slightly. He was so handsome, she thought, and it was such a shame about his wife.
    Holding her dog, she turned to enter her apartment. Once she shut the door, she set down Honey, who proceeded to run from one end of the room to the other, yipping and barking.
    Shut up.
    Honey barked insistently, almost like she was trying to tell Kate something.
    â€œWhy are you barking? That’s not like you, Honey. I bet you were so worried and scared when you saw the robber. It’s a good thing you were just lost and he didn’t hurt you.”
    Honey moved toward Kate, but seemed to look past her, focusing upon one spot and yipping incessantly.
    Go away. Tell the dog to be quiet. Tell it.
    â€œHush, Honey. What are you barking at? Was the robber there? Can you smell him?”
    The dog wouldn’t budge from the one spot. Kate reached down to reassure her little dog. Honey quieted, but still stared, fixated on a spot on the ceiling.
    Kate went to the kitchen and set down a bowl of food and one of water. “Come on, Honey,” she coaxed. “Don’t you want to eat?”
    Honey still wouldn’t move. Puzzled, Kate walked over to her dog, scooped her up and carried her to her dog dish. Finally, Honey picked at the kibbles and drank some water, then she went over to her green plaid dog bed, turned around three times and settled in for a nap.
    Kate walked toward the stereo.
    Nothing depressing, Kate. How about the Clash? Or better yet, what about a shower?
    Shrugging, she changed her mind about the music. She stood and shed her T-shirt, walking toward the bathroom.
    Now this is more like it.
    â€œI swear I need Prozac or something. Shut up!” she said to herself.
    Not a chance. We’ve got things to do, Katie Girl. We’ve got things to do.

CHAPTER SIX
    â€œW AKE UP , K ATE . W AKE UP , wake up, wake up, WAKE UP!”
    On night two, even after peeking into other apartments—and not finding any sex, lesbian or otherwise—Julian found himself next to Katie’s bed, longing for her company. Night seemed interminable again. His old life schedule was a collision of work and partying with odd hours here and there for sleep, as long as it didn’t interfere with his Patron consumption. He liked the 1800 Silver 80 Proof version, perfect for drinking neat. If there was a woman around to do a belly shot off of, even better. He loved licking a sexy belly button. He liked a woman’s stomach, that area below the belly button. He also, for some reason, was fascinated by a woman’s clavicle. Liked to lick along the bone, so delicate. Liked the hollow of a woman’s neck.
    Face it, he thought, he loved a woman’s body, period. It was all the emotional shit he couldn’thandle. He stared at the hollow of Kate’s throat, wondering what it would be like to lick it. To kiss her.
    Then he wondered what his own body was doing. His assassination attempt had to be big news. He wondered if Kate got the paper in the morning.
    â€œWake up, little Katie, wake up!” He started singing it, plugging in her name for “Susie” in the old song by Simon and Garfunkel.
    He knelt down close to her and sang it in her ear. He watched as the flickers of a dream crossed her face like a shooting star. He had never been this close to a woman before—not in this way. Sex was