Total pages in book: 84
Estimated words: 78340 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 78340 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 392(@200wpm)___ 313(@250wpm)___ 261(@300wpm)
“Okay, baby. Whatever you want.”
He rubbed my back while I tried to get it together, and when I shivered, he pulled a blanket over both of us. “You’re such a kind person, Elian,” I whispered, “truly one of the kindest I’ve ever met.”
“What makes you say that?”
“The way you took care of me and made sure I was okay. I always assumed my first time bottoming would be miserable, just something to get through, and if I was lucky it’d get better over time. But you made it amazing.”
He kissed my forehead, and after a moment he said softly, “I couldn’t stand the thought of anyone else being your first. I imagined you going back to Thrust and picking up some stranger, someone who was only thinking of himself, and I hated the thought of all the ways he could hurt you.”
I leaned back so I could meet his gaze as I asked, “Is that the only reason you kept inviting me over? To make sure my first time bottoming wasn’t a disaster?”
He caressed my cheek as he told me, “I keep inviting you over because I really enjoy your company.”
“And…is that going to keep happening, now that we’ve slept together?”
“Why would you ask that?”
“I, um, I’ve heard some things. Like how you only sleep with guys once…”
His eyes searched mine as he said, “That has nothing to do with you and me.”
“Is it true, though? Is that what you usually do?” I didn’t know why I was pushing, or why it even mattered, but some part of me really needed to know who he’d been before he met me…and maybe who he’d be again, once this thing between us ran its course.
“Yes, it is. When I’m at the clubs, I’m just looking for quick, meaningless hookups. And I don’t sleep with the same guy twice because I don’t want anyone to get attached to me. I’ve always known my time in San Francisco had an expiration date, so I wasn’t looking to start something I couldn’t finish.”
I had to ask. “So then, what are you doing with me?”
There was a lot of emotion in his dark eyes when he whispered, “I have absolutely no idea. All I know is, I love spending time with you and look forward to it all week. I only have two months left here, and I’d really like to spend them with you, even though I can’t promise anything beyond that.”
“I don’t need or want any promises,” I said. “In fact, I’m all about living in the moment. My life got turned completely upside down when I found out I had a son, and now I don’t have a clue what my future holds. But I like you, Lucky, and the time we spend together means a lot to me. And even if you weren’t leaving, I couldn’t offer you more anyway, besides just taking this day-by-day.”
“So, once again, we’re on the same page.”
I nodded as I curled up in his arms. This seemed like such a logical plan. What could go wrong?
Chapter 7
The month of May passed in a blur. Owen was still cruising around the house by holding onto the furniture, or me, or any available housemate, and I knew his first steps would be happening any day now. He was babbling a lot more, and he also sprouted his two front teeth and looked awfully cute with them.
I felt like he was changing fast, while everything else stayed exactly the same. I went out with the baby for our morning run, spent each day with him, and tried my best to give him everything he needed. Then, on Saturday nights, either Lark and Dylan or JoJo and Yolanda would babysit for me, and I’d rush across town to spend a few wonderful hours with Lucky.
The last week in May, after his friend’s daughter was out of school and he was no longer needed at the diner, Lucky took a trip to Miami. It was part of the process of getting him up to speed before he took over the family business.
While he was gone, everything felt exactly the same from my perspective. I still got random daily texts from him that made me smile—just silly stuff, like pictures of the cat that came around every morning during breakfast and begged for his iced coffee.
He returned home on Saturday afternoon, so our weekly date went on as planned. I arrived around nine, and when he opened the garage door I saw he was dressed in pajama pants and a white T-shirt. Since he was wearing his glasses and his hair was tousled, it was obvious he’d just gotten up from a nap.
As soon as I reached him, he grabbed me in an embrace and buried his face in my hair. Then he whispered, “God, I missed you.”