Maybe it was a sign from fate that my mom called because seeing Paige interact with mom convinced the small part of me that believed I was delusional in this whole love thing. They laughed and even though some of it was at my expense, my heart opened wide in that restaurant this afternoon at watching two women that I love enjoy each other.
Paige stirs in my arms, interrupting my thinking.
“Hey,” she utters softly, stretching her body like a cat in my arms. “Sorry, I haven’t gotten much sleep lately.”
“You’re beautiful when you sleep.”
“Only when I sleep?” She smiles and a devilish smirk crosses her lips.
“More beautiful during the day since I don’t have to worry about drool.”
She narrows her eyes and smacks my chest.
When she rises up to escape my hold, I sit up and close my arms around her slim figure. “Don’t get carried away now.” I laugh into her hair and drag her back down.
Flipping in my arms, her bare nipples scrap against my chest. “How do I get out?”
Her fingers mindlessly make patterns across my skin. “Do you want out?”
“Well, I do need to shower at some point. Maybe eat. I don’t think strawberries and caramel sauce are going keep my energy up.”
I laugh and she inches up, and grants me a quick peck of her lips. “We can’t have that.”
“Not with what I have planned.”
“Shouldn’t that be my line?” I guide her in, unable to be close enough. “I had no idea you were such a nympho.”
She slaps my chest again. “I’m not,” she whines and I laugh.
“That’s alright, baby, I like it.” I kiss the top of her head and she moves to sit up. I groan, wishing she’d stay, but understanding that I can’t keep her holed up in my room all night.
She glances at her phone. “Do you have somewhere to be?”
She shakes her head. “No, just checking the time. No plans tonight.” She lays back and her head nuzzles into my neck.
I’m surprised how easy this is being with her. My incessant need to come up with an excuse to keep her by me when I used to run girls out. Sometimes I’d let them stay the night, but that was only usually when I wanted them again. Not like Paige; my own arousal peaks watching her get off instead of the other way around.
“Yes, you do.”
Her eyebrows scrunch up in confusion.
“I’m taking you to dinner.” I grab my phone from the nightstand and check to see it’s five o’clock now. “Be ready at seven.”
“Seven?” she questions, and a light glows in her eyes. I nod. “Okay.”
“Nothing fancy. Jeans will do.”
The fact I’m not taking her to some five-star restaurant doesn’t appear to bother her. She abruptly leaves my arms and begins throwing her clothes on again.
“Where are you going?” I sit up and swing my legs over the side of the bed.
“I have to get ready.” She rushes back over to me and I stand up, backing her up to the wall. “No seducing. It’s time consuming to look good.”
“Nah, I could eat you right now.” Her body shivers and I inch closer, encasing her body with mine. “You’re beautiful, every minute of every day.”
I brush my lips to hers and suck her bottom lip into my mouth, nibbling on it slightly and she moans. Breaking the kiss fast before I shove her down on the bed again, I step back. “Now, you can go.”
Her shoulders fall to the wall and her eyes are hooded with arousal. “Seriously?” She kicks off the wall, her shoes hanging from her fingers. “Tease,” she tosses over her shoulder. I smack her ass and she jumps.
“Takes one to know one.” Her head shakes in a slow motion.
“See you later.” Her eyes flow down my body and then swiftly come back, stopping right at my dick that’s about to tent my boxers. Her tongue snakes out and swipes her lips. I watch her inhale a deep breath, arching her back to stick out her tits at me.
“Get out, Paige.” I point to the door and she giggles and shoots me a cheesy grin. She got me back and we both know it.
Her hand lands on the doorknob and she creaks the door open, peering down the wall. She shakes her ass before, slipping through and leaving me.
Damn, I’m screwed.
IT’S UNUSUAL SHARING a bathroom with your date for the night. Although, after Paige showered, she’s been locked up in her room. After she snuck out, I went downstairs to find Chrissy propped up on the couch with a book between her legs. Dex was nowhere around, which hasn’t been out of the realm lately. He mentioned the other day about having to start sending resumes out and making sure after he graduates he’s set to take care of him and Chrissy. Which only makes my own mind linger about my future and what I want.
The garage is nice, but I don’t want to work on cars the rest of my life. As it is, it’s not as exciting working on my own now after working on other people’s all day. That excited flutter doesn’t fester in my stomach when I clock in anymore. Going to the auto part store is more of a task than a fun trip. Back in the day, I would stroll down each aisle, talk to the other guys about new gadgets or add-ons. Now I go in, grab my shit and leave.
Even though my dad ruined fixing cars up for me by sleeping with my Godmother, that love is still rooted inside of me and I want to carry that on someday if I’m ever blessed with a kid. Just because my dad destroyed the memories he made with me all those years growing up by refuting the man I thought he was, doesn’t mean I’ll do the same.
“What’s up?” I sink down in the chair opposite her and she glances my way.
“Hey.” She highlights a line and concentrates on her book.
“Listen.” I prop my feet on the coffee table and cross my ankles. “We have a good friendship, right?”
She inspects me from the corner of her eyes and then back down to her book.
“Yeah.”
“You would never murder me, right?” She gives me that glance from the corner of her eye again.
“No.”
“Ever?”
“No. What’s this about?” The highlighter rolls into the bind of her book and she shuts it, giving me her full attention.
“Can you leave at seven? Go over to Sadie’s.”
I’ve seen Chrissy mad, I’ve seen Chrissy sad, but I’ve never seen this side of Chrissy. Her jaw cocks to the side, her teeth grinding against each other.
“Why?” The word comes out slow.
“No murder, right?” I clarify again, but no laugh escapes her mouth.
“Rob.” She’s losing patience with me.
“I may have a date.”
“With?” She knows the answer before I expose the name. Chrissy and I have a friendship and I don’t want to ruin it by keeping Paige a secret.
“A girl.” I chuckle, she doesn’t.
“Does the girl live here?” Her eyes bore far into me; I fear lasers are about to zero in on me and fire.
“Yes.” Simple and it’s out there. Done.
“Rob, is this your sly way of asking me out?” She brings humor in, but then her face straightens. “I asked you not to touch her.”
“Chrissy.” I break the distance, moving over to the couch. I pick up the book and place it on the coffee table so I can be closer. “It’s a date, not a suck me off in my room.”
I’m honest with her because last year we bonded over her own troubles. I know she’s someone I can trust.
“You actually like her?” She’s not as angry as I feared she might be.
“Yeah.” The word is straight and low, but hopefully it reveals the conviction.
“Where are you taking her?” I want to jump up, yank her up to her feet, and wrap her in a big bear hug for not being bitchy about this.