Takeaway: He was able to tease out all manner of dynamics from the drums, then quickly silence them; the very same hands could, and did, ensure that I cried out, then hushed, with ecstasy and restraint. It is reprinted with permission from Cleis Press. I smiled, put the hair clip at the base of my curls and sipped the wine, the tartness of strawberries and the burn of alcohol dancing across my palate. With each swallow, I closed my eyes and imagined his hands on me, his warm breath on my neck, his teeth nibbling my earlobe, his body pressed against mine, his hard length digging into my ass despite layers of fabric. My breath became shallow, and before I knew it, my glass was empty. I looked around, making sure that I was, in fact, alone.