Текст книги "Forever a Jett Girl "
Автор книги: Meghan Quinn
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Текущая страница: 16 (всего у книги 22 страниц)
Damn it! Exasperating man!
“You are so wrong,” I shook my head and laughed at him, as I tried to pull off that what he just told me wasn’t spot on. “I was actually thinking about how those shorts were very unflattering on you.”
He looked down at his shorts and then back up at me. “Lying is not the least bit flattering on you,” he called me out while he pinched my chin. “But, you’re still adorable. Now, are you ready for this?”
Trying not to get irritated with how confident he was, I nodded and looked around as people started to enter the tent for the judging. The other judges took their seats as well, lining the long table on stage. The mayor sat as far away from us as possible; I didn’t blame the man, he most likely didn’t want to fall victim to my “irritable bowel.”
Fucking Jett Colby.
“How does this work? And is it really vegan gumbo?”
“It is. The festival wanted to try something new and embrace the new food lifestyle.”
“But what is gumbo without sausage? I don’t understand how that can even be something.”
“Have an open mind; you never know, you might like it.”
“Yeah, okay. You’re so buying me real gumbo after this,” I said, while poking his rock hard chest. Stupid Kace and his workouts that made Jett all strong and man like. It’s like they were working together to take down every woman in New Orleans.
“Anything you want, Little One. Now, there will be five bowls that we will try, and all you have to do is write down your favorites in order. The scores will be tallied at the end, and then they will crown the winner. Simple.”
“Except for the fact that we’re eating vegan gumbo.”
“Would you have still come if I told you it was vegan gumbo?” he asked.
“No,” I lied.
Shaking his head, he replied, “Lying will get you in trouble, Little One.”
“Yeah? What are you going to do about it? It’s not like you can take away my orgasms,” I spoke softly, lighting up the heat in Jett’s eyes. Damn it, that look easily started to tear down the walls I put up around my vagina so she wouldn’t get confused.
Jett was about to answer when the MC for the contest lit up the speakers and started warming up the crowd. The moment between us was lost, as we both turned in our seats to face the crowd. Onlookers gazed at me as I looked down at them from my perch up on the stage. It was interesting to me that so many people cared about a vegan cook off. Maybe there was more to the cuisine than I realized.
As I scanned the crowd for a familiar face, a warm hand gently found its way to my thigh. Not going too high, Jett gently rubbed my skin with the pad of his thumb, turning me into a pile of mush in my seat.
“What are you doing?” I asked from the side of my mouth.
“Touching my girlfriend,” Jett answered without skipping a beat.
“You keep saying girlfriend, but I don’t remember giving you back that title.”
“Deny it all you want, Little One, but you’re mine and you know it, so a little title shouldn’t bother you one bit.”
“Your hand on my thigh is bothering me.”
“No, it’s not,” Jett whispered in my ear, sending chills down my entire body.
I turned to him and smiled brightly as I moved my hand to his crotch and grabbed ahold of his package. Two could play at this game.
Luckily, there was a cloth hanging over the table, so no one could see what we were doing underneath it.
Ready to see the taken aback expression on his face, I looked up and was greeted with a shit-eating grin.
“A little to the left,” he winked at me.
“Gah, you’re annoying,” I replied, while removing my hand and turning away from him.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see his chest rise and fall from the silent chuckling he was doing. Never did I think Jett would have the joking personality of Diego, or the ability to infuriate me like Kace. It was like all the men in my life came together and morphed into one mega man to drive me bat shit crazy and make me horny as hell.
For the rest of the contest, I ignored the piercing hand of Jett Colby, burning through my skin as I tried all different types of vegan gumbo.
Honestly, it wasn’t that bad. They had all the classic flavoring of the dish, it was just the textures that were different, which I tried to ignore, because if I thought about it too much, I started to gag. There was one bowl that said it had faux chicken in it that was a brown square in a pile of rice and gravy. That was the hardest bowl for me to swallow because what kind of “chicken” is a perfect little square? Fuck was it nasty, but like a good girl, I swallowed it down and held back the shiver that wanted to overtake my body from the “chicken” burp that followed. Needless to say, “chicken” gumbo didn’t win.
Once the winner was crowned, a very excited lady wearing a peasant skirt and a tank top with no bra—it was obvious—Jett helped me out of my seat, shook hands with the judges, and then led me out to the festival. Job one, get some real gumbo to help me forget the brown chunk I had to take down.
“Did you have fun?” he asked, as he guided me flawlessly through the crowd.
“I did, but can we just discuss that chicken bowl?”
“I’d rather not. I think I’ll have some indigestion problems from that bowl for a while.”
“Thank you!” I said relieved, glad I wasn’t the only one who had a problem with it. “I don’t care what you say, you can’t pass tofu off as chicken. There is something just so wrong about that. If you’re going vegan, then own up to it.”
“Yeah, bad move on that person’s part. Although, it looked like the mayor rather enjoyed that bowl.”
“The mayor liked every bowl.”
“True,” Jett laughed. “So, what’s your pleasure? You have your pick of any gumbo dish out there. What can I get you?”
“Chicken and sausage, I need the classic stuff right now,” I requested.
“Right this way,” Jett said, as he took me to a small station off to the side where a large black woman stood over a pot of gumbo, stirring it with a giant spoon. Her form reminded me of someone I knew, but I couldn’t quite place her until she turned around.
Miss Mary, the she-devil herself stood in front of me with her wooden spoon in one hand and a towel in the other. Flashbacks of her ruler smacking my arm rest during “reform school” flashed through my mind and I winced as she moved toward us. The lady still scared the ever living fuck out of me.
“Why, if it isn’t it Miss Lo and Mr. Colby. How lovely to see you both.” The smile on her face seemed absolutely genuine, but I didn’t trust it for a minute. I knew what she was capable of, so I kept my distance.
“Miss Mary, so glad we were able to find you in this crowd of people. My girl here is looking for the perfect bowl of gumbo, think you can help us out with that?”
“Always a charmer,” she winked at Jett as she grabbed two bowls and dished us both a heaping scoop of gumbo. Steam rose off of the bowls as she handed them over to us with spoons.
Jett reached into his back pocket to pay for our food, but Miss Mary held up her hand and shook him off.
“Your money is no good here, son. Just enjoy.”
It wasn’t like Jett couldn’t afford the gumbo, the man was dripping in cash, but he knew when to step down. Miss Mary wasn’t one to mess with.
Jett held the bowl up to Miss Mary and gave her that devilish grin of his. “Thank you, Miss Mary. I appreciate it.”
“Anytime,” she winked again and then went back to stirring her pot, leaving us both alone.
The interaction with Miss Mary almost made her seem human, not like a ruler-wielding, crazy eyed, manner police.
As we walked to a bench in the back of the park, I asked, “Do you and Miss Mary have a close relationship?”
“You could say that,” Jett said, as he stared down at his bowl of gumbo.
“Want to tell me about it?”
This was a test; if he was serious about making something happen between us, of having a relationship, then it was time for him to open up. It was time to bring some substance to this uncontrollable force that was bringing us together.
Clearing his throat, Jett leaned back on the bench and said, “Miss Mary was my nanny growing up. She took care of me when my dad was taking care of his businesses; she’s the one who raised me and she was the one who made sure I still saw my mom, despite my father’s demands.”
Right then and there, I felt like my mind was blown. I didn’t know much about Jett’s mom, except for the fact that she died from AIDS, but I never would have thought Miss Mary raised him. They didn’t seem that close; maybe they kept a more distant relationship.
“By your silence, I’m assuming that’s not what you were expecting to hear.”
“It wasn’t,” I admitted. “I just thought she worked with you occasionally. I never thought she could have been your nanny. What was she like back then? Was she mean? Did she threaten you with a ruler too?”
Chuckling, Jett shook his head as he spooned some of the gumbo in his mouth. Once he swallowed, he said, “She was strict, really strict, but she was kind and caring as well. She made sure I did everything that was demanded by my dad, and then made sure I had fun by letting me hang out with Kace and do things my father wouldn’t normally let me do, like visit my mom.”
“Why wouldn’t he let you visit her?” I asked, as I put a spoonful of gumbo in my mouth. “Holy shit, this is good,” I stated with a full mouth.
“I told you it was good.”
“You would never guess by the way she’s so aggressive with that damn ruler; you would think she practices her intimidation skills day in and day out, but that broad can cook.”
“That she can.”
“So, are you going to tell me about your visits to your mom?”
Jett looked up from his bowl and shook his head no. “Let me save that story for a more intimate setting. Is that okay with you?”
Sincerity rang through his voice. It was hard not to agree with him when he spoke straight from his heart.
“Of course,” I agreed, not wanting to make the man open himself up in a public place. “So, tell me, did you get a lot of this kind of cooking growing up?”
“I did. Miss Mary was all about Southern cooking, but only when my dad was away on business trips. When he was home, we had to eat salads and basic meals that were approved by my dad. I looked forward to him going on business trips, not just because of the good food that came my way, but because I couldn’t stand the man, and when he was gone, it was like I could breathe in my own home.”
“Was he really that hard on you?” I asked, as I finished up my bowl.
“He was,” Jett nodded. “I had everything I ever wanted when it came to my dad, except for a childhood. I would spend hours in his office, listening to how he conducted deals. He would show me the ins and outs of his business, educating me constantly into becoming a tycoon. Unfortunately for him, I didn’t turn into the cutthroat man he wanted me to be. Instead, I went in the opposite direction, making him madder than I ever could have expected.”
“That must have been hard,” I said, as I placed my hand on Jett’s.
“Not really, it was the best decision I ever made, freeing myself from his pressing grasp. It took me a little bit of time to get settled, to land on my feet, but once I did, I took off and never looked back.”
“Is that why you’re so…jaded at times?” I asked, wanting to know why he was always so closed off.
“It’s a combination of things, but my dad is a big factor.” Taking my bowl, Jett stood up and said, “It’s getting late, shall we get back to your place? I would like to talk to Diego before we call it a night.”
“You’re not going to lecture him, are you?” I asked, while I followed behind Jett just as he tossed our empty bowls in a nearby garbage can.
“No, on the contrary, I owe the man an apology.”
“An apology?” I asked, as I stopped in my tracks. “For what?”
“Nothing that is of your concern,” Jett replied, while he grabbed my hand and tried to walk me toward his car.
“Oh, no you don’t,” I stopped. “You can’t keep things from me now, Jett. If you want this to happen between us, then you better start opening up.”
I could tell he was counting to ten in his head. This was new for him, divulging every last thing. He was a man who kept to himself and took care of business. He didn’t need to spread his problems around or cause drama. It just wasn’t the kind of man he was, and I appreciated that about him, but I was tired of being kept in the dark about things, so it was time for him to open the flood gates.
Finally, he lowered his head to mine and said softly, “The night you left me,” he took a deep breath and continued, “I was hurting; I was a torn man, and instead of keeping to myself, I took it out on Diego and blamed him for your departure. It’s about time I apologize for my wrongdoing.”
“Oh.”
I will admit I didn’t handle that night with the most finesse. I could have spoken to Jett differently. I could have explained to him what I had in mind, but honestly, I knew he wouldn’t let me go if I actually told him what I was doing, and at that point, I had to go, I had to do something to change the way we were living our lives, even if in the end, it did nothing but mess up the one good thing in my life.
“Nothing you need to worry about, Little One,” Jett said, as he grabbed my hand and walked me toward the car.
“But the reason you were mad was because of me, so I do kind of have to worry about it.”
“No, you don’t. I shouldn’t have reacted the way I did. Now, let it go, okay?” he said sweetly.
The sweet tone in his voice was compensating for the dominant demand he was handing out, and damn it if it didn’t turn me on. Would he always be able to do that to me? Control my emotions with his words?
Most likely, he knew me too well.
We walked hand and hand across the park, toward his car, where the man with the keys stood in front of the Aston Martin, protecting it. The whole scene was absolutely absurd, but Jett protected his cars like he protected his girls, guess I couldn’t blame him for that.
The keys were tossed to Jett, who caught them in the air and then held them out to me. I looked down at his palm in shock and then back up at him. He was smiling brightly at me, as if he was offering me the world.
Oh, fuck my heart, he was slowly killing me, one smile at a time.
“You’re serious?” I asked.
“Of course, I would let you do anything, Goldie.”
“My, my, my, you would do just about anything to get in my pants.”
Wrapping his arms around my waist, he pulled me in tight and said, “No, actually, I would do just about anything to get into that beautiful heart of yours.”
Like second nature, I ran my hand up his chest and gripped the lapels of his shirt. I brought him closer and spoke softly.
“You’re in there already, Jett. You just need to take up a permanent residence now.”
“That’s my goal.”
Lightly, he kissed my forehead and helped me into the driver’s seat. The smooth leather welcomed me as I checked out the polished steering wheel. I really couldn’t believe Jett was going to let me drive his precious car, but hell if I was going to miss out on this opportunity.
Jett got into the passenger side and started giving me instructions, but once I started the car and felt the rumble of the engine underneath me, I blocked out what Jett was saying and took off, letting the wind whip through my hair and the man next to me grip onto the handles for dear life.
26
“I Bet My Life”
Jett
I sat in my car, staring out the windshield, trying to recollect the last ten minutes that just flew by me as Goldie whipped around New Orleans, cutting in and out of one way streets and traffic from the festival. Pretty sure I lost a few years on my life from her “driving.”
“Oh, my God, that was so much fun,” Goldie cooed, as she put the car in park and turned to face me. “I know why you love driving this car so much. You barely have to press down on the gas pedal. Did you see me zip through those streets? It was like we were in some kind of super speed time machine thing. You know what I mean? It seemed like you enjoyed yourself, you weren’t even saying anything, just taking in the sights. Hey, are you okay? You look a little strange,” she asked, as she pressed her hand against my cheek. “You’re all clammy; are you going to be sick?”
I shook my head no and gulped as I looked over at her. “No offense, but you’re an awful driver.”
Insult crossed her face as she took in my words. “I am not! I’m a damn fine driver. If I was a bad driver, I would have hit somebody.”
“We almost took out a street performer, they jumped out of the way before they could be taken out by your absurd driving.”
“Jett Colby!” she practically shouted. “I’m not a bad driver.”
Nodding my head, I got out of the car, but not before I pulled the keys out of the ignition and pocketed them. I didn’t have to turn around to hear her stomping behind me and slamming the driver’s side door shut. I lit the fire and I was about to be burned.
“I’m not a bad driver,” she repeated herself. “I have just as good of driving skills as fucking Jeff Gordon, maybe even better. Hey, I’m talking to you,” she stomped behind me.
Her little finger poked my back as I opened the back door to Diego’s apartment for her. She didn’t proceed inside. Instead, she continued to poke me.
“Say it, say I’m a good driver.”
“Goldie, you’re a terrible driver.”
“How can you say that?” she said in complete outrage.
“You drove on the sidewalk!”
She opened her mouth to retort, but then stopped herself while she thought of what to say. She crossed her arms over her chest and held her chin high as she said, “It was a low sidewalk, and was hard to see. Anyone could have made the same mistake.”
“Okay,” I shook my head and grabbed her hand, pulling her into Diego’s place and leading her up to her room.
I could hear the slight beat of music playing in the main hall, letting me know Diego must be practicing one of his acts, something I very much wanted to watch at some point, not just because it interested me, but because he worked really hard at his club, and I’m sure he’d like to show off his hard work.
Goldie kicked and argued all the way up to her room, and once we were confined in the small area, she turned on her heels in a fit of rage.
“You can’t just manhandle me because you’re bigger than me.”
“Are you done?” I asked, waiting for her to explode even more.
“Am I done? Are you kidding me right now? No, I am not done. I want you to tell me why you think I’m a bad driver.”
“I told you why. You drove on a sidewalk, you almost hit a person, and you, by far, surpassed every speed limit in the French Quarter.”
“So?” she asked, looking adorably frustrated.
“So, you’re a bad driver, but that’s okay, because you still looked fucking hot driving my car.”
Bam, just like that the crease that was forming in her forehead vanished and her eyes lit up from my compliment. It wasn’t a lie; she looked hot as hell in her little green dress with her hair blowing in the breeze as she cornered my car around the narrow streets of New Orleans. It was a shame I was too terrified out of my mind to enjoy it.
“Well, I guess I can accept that,” she smiled.
“Good, now go get ready for bed. I’m going to go talk to Diego.”
“Alright, but don’t be long.”
I raised an eyebrow at her and asked, “Do you have something special planned? Maybe you’re wearing something a little revealing tonight?”
“You wish,” she laughed at me. “I’m going to bed in a turtleneck and corduroys.”
“Have I told you how much a woman in corduroys at night turns me on? Might want to reconsider.”
“I’ll take my chances,” she laughed. “Now, hurry up.”
“Remember, Little One, with great patience, comes great reward.”
“Fuck your patience,” she stated with a chasing smile as she walked toward the bathroom.
“Maneater,” I mumbled to myself, as I pulled away from the gorgeous honey-haired woman who’d stolen my heart.
Needing to make things right with Diego, I left Goldie to herself, hoping she really wouldn’t be sporting a turtleneck when I got back, and found my way around Diego’s club. The man had impeccable design taste, and given the outside appearance of the club, you would never know it was so posh and sophisticated inside. I was quite proud of Diego for coming so far.
As the music grew heavier and vibrated against the narrow hallway I was walking down, light started to peek through, casting a red glow in the club, making it look almost sinister. The lights were set to coincide with the music, so with every pulse of the deep beat, a darker red light would flash, making it almost seem like the walls were bleeding. I was instantly fascinated.
The moment I turned the corner, I was presented with a view of Blane and Diego, bare-chested and wearing tight leather pants with top hats and ropes in their hands as they hovered around a girl who was comfortably hanging from the ceiling.
The scene in front of me was wildly erotic and something I didn’t want Goldie seeing, because I didn’t want her getting any ideas from being near these overly sexual men. Easily, they could steal her away from me, no doubt in my mind they had the potential to swipe my girl, a worry I faced every day.
I watched as Diego’s body moved smoothly with the music, while the red lights beat off his mocha skin. The man was fluid with his movements, gliding around the floor while twisting and turning with each switch of the music. I could see how successful the club could be, given the ringmaster in charge.
Diego spun on his heel and turned in my direction, where he stopped immediately once he saw me standing in the hallway watching him. As if I was an unwanted guest in his club, an intruder, Diego grabbed a remote from his back pocket, turned off the music, and turned on the lights.
“Dude,” Blane complained while covering his eyes. “You have to worn a guy before you blast the lights. My fucking pupils need a second to adjust.”
Without looking at Blane, Diego said, “Take down Marissa and help her lotion her wrists. Practice is over for tonight.”
Blane looked my way and quickly understood the instant tension that filled the room from my presence. Quietly, Blane undid Marissa and escorted her out of the room, leaving me alone with Diego. Not once did Diego’s eyes falter from mine while we waited for Blane to leave, a tactic I taught him when I first took him under my wing. Never back down; never show weakness.
“Why are you here, Jett? Care to blame me for some more of your problems?”
The urge to run my hands through my hair was overpowering, but I held back from showing the nervous tick that I resorted to when I was in a stressful situation. Instead, I held my composure and walked closer to Diego, so we weren’t speaking loudly across the room to each other.
“Would you mind taking a moment to talk to me?”
“I have all the time in the world, talk,” Diego gestured.
Fucker wasn’t going to make it easy, and I didn’t expect him to. I would be disappointed in him if he let me off easily, because that would mean everything I taught him about being a strong confident man was a waste of time.
“May we sit?” I asked, as I gestured to one of the tables that sat around the center stage.
“I would rather stand,” Diego responded stubbornly.
Not trying to exhale in frustration, since this wasn’t going to be easy, I took a deep breath and said, “Diego, I want to apologize for what I said to you about Goldie. I was out of line and in pain. I decided to take my problems out on you when, in fact, you were just being a good friend to Goldie, something I should have been appreciative of.”
Diego tried to hide the shocked look on his face at my apology, but I caught it before he could put on his mask.
Instead of letting him speak, I continued, “I want to thank you for taking Goldie in and being a pillar in her life when I was too much of an idiot to be one. I want to thank you for being respectful enough to not try anything with her, even when Goldie and I haven’t been on the best of terms, and I want to thank you for taking care of her when I couldn’t. I’m very grateful for the friendship you’ve given me, even in times when I didn’t deserve it.”
Silence fell through the room as Diego soaked in everything I said. I wasn’t nervous that he would tell me to fuck off, because from his body language, I could tell he wasn’t mad anymore. I was just anxious to get this conversation over with so I could get back to Goldie.
It felt like minutes ticked by before Diego finally opened his mouth.
“Didn’t ever expect to see Jett Colby thanking me for something in my lifetime, given the amount of generosity you’ve bestowed upon me, but I’m not going to lie, I kind of enjoyed it,” Diego responded, as a smirk crossed his face.
Dickhead.
“I see, so you just wanted to see me grovel.”
“Pretty much,” Diego laughed, while he came toward me and held out his hand, which I shook in relief. “If you want me to pull my pants down so you can kiss my black ass, I would be okay with that too.”
“Don’t push your luck,” I warned.
“Fair enough,” Diego chuckled, but then grew serious for a second. “I won’t lie, I flirted with the girl often, don’t think I was a gentleman while you were apart. You found a good one, a rarity in this city, and if your dumb ass was stupid enough to fuck it up, then I wasn’t going to let the opportunity pass me by.”
My lips twitched with his confession, and I tried to take a deep breath before I reached over and choked him.
A loud laugh escaped Diego as he gripped his stomach with one hand and pointed at me with the other.
“Oh, damn, the look on your face is worth the ass beating I’m most likely about to get.”
“You think it’s funny, flirting with my girl?”
“Yeah, I do, and I wasn’t the only one. Blane found a liking for her as well. And, you know what? Fair game, man. You fuck up and it’s fair game.”
“Well, lay the fuck off now,” I warned, making Diego laugh some more.
“No need to warn us, dude. Goldie wanted nothing to do with us. For some foolish reason, she seems to have some kind of feelings for you. No worries about her loyalty, but fuck is it satisfying goading you. I don’t think it will ever get old.”
Needing to lighten up a bit, I let the knot that was forming in my chest loosen just a little as I realized that even the men who threatened me in my thoughts were turned down by Goldie. There was something to be said for trust, and I owed Goldie all of my trust, something I wasn’t able to give her before, something I’ve been working on trying to hand over now.
“Glad I can amuse you,” I replied, while relaxing the tension in my shoulders.
Slapping me on the shoulder, Diego said, “Always a pleasure with you, Jett Colby. I’m assuming the little hellion is waiting for you in her room?”
“Yes, but not in the way you’re thinking. We’re taking things slow.”
Diego shot me a pointed look that said he didn’t believe me one bit, but I didn’t have to convince him.
“Okay,” Diego replied skeptically.
Not wanting to get into a debate about where I stood with Goldie, I smiled at Diego and asked, “Are we good, man?”
“We’re good,” Diego replied easily.
“Thanks,” I said sincerely before shaking his hand one last time and heading back down the hallway. “Glad I could make up with my honorary Jett Girl.”
Diego flipped me off and called out, “Don’t fuck it up this time, Colby.”
Little did he know, I had no intention of ever letting Goldie out of my life. She would soon be a permanent fixture in my life if I had any say in it.
I quickly walked back down the long hallway and up the short staircase to Goldie’s room. With excitement building up in the pit of my stomach, I lightly tapped on Goldie’s door to let her know I was coming in, and then opened the door.
The soft glow from the light on her nightstand greeted me as I walked in her room and saw her sitting cross-legged on the bed, wearing a pair of shorts and a tank top that clung to her every curve. Her hair was tied up in a high bun on the top of her head and her face was free of all make up. She looked absolutely beautiful.
“Don’t look at me like that,” she said, pointing her finger at me.
I shut the door and walked toward her, reminding myself to keep my hands from getting too frisky with her.
“Like what?”
“You know, like you’re thinking about all the different ways you can bend me over and fuck me till morning.”
“Actually, I was thinking how beautiful you are, but now I’m thinking about what you said,” I said casually, as I started to untuck my shirt from my pants and unbutton it.
“Hey now,” she said, while backing up on her bed. “What do you think you’re doing?”
“You don’t expect me to sleep in my street clothes, do you?”
“You don’t expect to sleep naked, do you?” she countered.
“No, just in my boxer briefs,” I said casually, as I undid the last button of my shirt and let it fly open as I started to undo my belt. As if she hadn’t seen a man’s physique in years, she ate me up with her eyes in a matter of seconds, making this night that much harder on me.
“Can’t you borrow pajamas from Diego or Blane?” she asked while she gulped.
“I’m a grown man, Goldie. I’m not about to ask Blane and Diego if I could borrow pajamas, something they probably don’t possess anyway. You lost the bet, now you have to deal with the consequences, and honestly, I think you’re getting the better end of the deal.”
“Is that right?” she asked, while crossing her arms over her chest. “And how is that?”
I took off my pants and shirt and folded them as I spoke to her. “You’ll see. May I use your bathroom?”
Confused, she nodded her head as I went to the bathroom to quickly brush my teeth with my finger, of course…anything is better than nothing, and then use the toilet. Once I was ready for bed, I turned off the bathroom light and walked toward her. She was leaning against her wall while sitting on her bed waiting for me. I was one lucky son of a bitch who she’d stuck through everything with. I still had a way to go, but she was still here, and that was all that mattered.
I rounded her bed and casually slipped under the sheets. Holding them up for her to crawl in, I said, “Why don’t you join me, Little One?”
“I don’t trust that you’re not going to get all handsy with me.”
“You have my word; I just want to hold you, nothing more.”
“When have you ever wanted to just hold me?” she asked, as she crawled up the bed and under the covers with me. She rested her head next to mine on her pillow and curled up into a ball while staring me in the eyes.
