Again, this was where sign language did not want to be my subtle friend. I could’ve just said “that” out loud. But since this was sign language, I had to opt for the extremely graphic signs for “your erection.”

“I’m not going to be able to sleep if I know…” This time I resorted to just straight up pointing at the tented sheet, “…is lurking in the dark.”

Victor went still.

Then he very slowly began to reach underneath the covers.

Oh, wow. He was actually going to do it!

I’d hooked up with a few boys in college. But I’ve never watched one of them handle his dick. Usually, it’d been a lot of fumbling with condoms underneath covers and a push in followed by some less than exciting fireworks. More like fire sparklers.

A weird, sick excitement rippled through me at the prospect of him doing so right beside me.

But then I got a hold of myself and whispered out loud, “Turn off the light first, please!”

I flipped over, giving Victor my back. Then I waited. But nothing happened.

And when I turned to look in his direction, I found Victor staring at me, his eyes like two pieces of burning coal.

“What are you doing?” I whispered. “Why didn’t you turn off the light?”

His hand came back up from underneath the blanket. “If you want me to take care of my problem, I want you to take care of your problem too.”

“What problem?”

Victor looked at me, his gaze knowing and frank. “You are aroused too. I can smell it.”

“Stop it,” I answered. “Deaf people can’t smell better than hearing people. That’s a myth. And besides, you’re not deaf.”

He regarded me for a long beat. Then he slowly signed, “I can smell you. And this keeps me awake.”

I swallowed. Hard. Then switched back to signing to ask, “So you want me to what? Finger myself?”

Again, the sign for female masturbation was crazy graphic in sign language.

Victor smirked. “You can use your fingers or rub yourself against the pillow. Like you rub yourself with the electric sex toy I found in your drawer.”

Okay, well, just in case anyone was wondering….

The only thing more embarrassing than being told by someone you hate that he can smell how much you want him? Yep, that’s right. Being invited by that same person to rub yourself against a pillow the way he was sure you rubbed yourself with the sex toy you thought was a big secret.

I considered telling him to go to hell. I really did. But at the end of the day, the even bigger hell would be not being able to get to sleep. The problem was he was right. I was totally turned on.