Red and black

She sits on the floor with her long legs stretched out and one foot resting across the checkerboard. Dark polish glints on each toe. Her fingers slip inside her cotton shorts, moving slowly at first, then with a quicker rhythm as her breathing deepens. She glances down at her own legs, lifts the foot higher, and traces the sole with her fingertips before returning to that warm spot between her thighs. The toes flex and curl against the board, arching each time her touch gets firmer. Her hips rock once, twice, pressing into her own hand. Light from the window falls across the smooth skin of her shin and the sharp contrast of red-and-black squares beneath her heel. When the tension peaks she draws a sharp breath, toes splaying wide, and lets the moment ride out in small, steady pulses.