not when she’s been pickin’ bones.

Hungry baby bird mouth,

greedy cluck and crow,

don’t mean she’s ready.

Easy does it baby morsels,

tender bitty nibbles,

a slow and sticky suck.

Girl thinks she knows-

she wants it now.

You know better.

Catch her up and give her

one mouthful at a time,

until her dog-hungry belly

and rattle-boned body

can meet that appetite-

then, you can feed her craving,

and let that laid-away

trickling of your love

now flood her eager mouth.”

Sarah’s voice faded to a full round of applause. I curled my thumb and finger between my lips and whistled, earning a flush and a wink from Sarah as she folded her notebook, took a brief bow, and slipped off the stage. David stood as she approached our table, holding out a chair next to him for her.

“That was amazing.” He leaned over the table to give her the compliment as she ignored the chair he’d pulled out for her and slid into the one next to me. “I’m sorry I was late-I would have liked to hear more.”

I looked quizzically at Sarah, and her hand squeezing my thigh reassured me. “I could have killed Don for making that announcement at the office. Like I want all of my employees to know I write poetry?”

“Erotic poetry at that,” I offered with an evil grin. Sarah shot me a withering look and I stuck my tongue out at her.

David shrugged, leaning back in his chair. “Are you ashamed of it?” Sarah raised an eyebrow in his direction before her eyes wandered toward the counter. “No, I’m not ashamed. But we’re talking about a power differential I didn’t particularly want to…exploit.”

“Expoit?” David cleared his throat and I could tell he was trying not to smile. “And so because I work for you, I’m…what…? Inferior to you?”