“I could take you.”
“I’m good.”
He began to laugh. “The look on your face is priceless. Katy told me I had to ask and make sure you were protecting Becca.” He clapped my shoulder. “You’re good, Reid.”
I was grateful to see Katy and Becca return to the table.
“I never want to discuss this with you again.”
He winked. “Noted.”
Becca sat beside me. “Are you okay, Reid? You look a little flushed.”
“Yep. I’m fine.”
Richard chuckled, pressing a kiss to Katy’s cheek.
“My work is done,” he stated.
He deserved the sharp kick to his ankle I gave him.
Becca and I had lunch daily. When I saw her in the evenings, I often stopped for coffee and to pick up whatever flowers caught my eye that day. Eleanor, the old woman at the corner store, always had a bright smile and a small, perfect bunch or stem ready to hand me. I loved seeing the look of delight when I would hand Becca the flowers. She insisted her apartment was looking like a flower shop, but she never asked me to stop. I was happy knowing she had fresh flowers all the time and that she thought of me when she saw them.
Every time we were together, I grew more comfortable. With myself. With her. With us. I felt as if I were right where I belonged. Something I had never experienced in my life.
I arranged with Becca to take her out on Saturday. We spent the afternoon exploring St. Lawrence Market and walking around Chinatown. I took her to my favorite dim sum place for lunch, and we stuffed ourselves on dumplings and sipped fragrant tea in the busy, boisterous restaurant. After taking all our purchases to her apartment, we went to an early movie and had a casual dinner at a local tapas bistro.
We walked to her place, stopping to get ice cream. We paused every few feet and traded cones, and I’d brush a kiss to her lips. Then we continued, our fingers entwined, enjoying the night.
I had never known the contentment I felt spending time with Becca. Everything in me eased, and the world around me seemed brighter. I realized it was the first time in my life I wasn’t lonely. The power of those words made me tuck her closer and press a kiss to her head in silent gratitude. She responded by squeezing my hip, knowing that sometimes we didn’t need words. She always understood.
We reached her apartment building, and I hesitated. Becca wasn’t a night owl like me. She preferred to be in bed early, and it was already ten and we’d been together almost all day. I knew she had to be tired. Maybe she wanted me to get the bags I had left earlier and leave. I stopped on the steps, peering down at her.
She grinned at me, tugging on my hand. “It’s early, Reid. Come upstairs.”
“Are you sure?”
She tugged again. “Come on. I baked cookies this morning. I was saving them for tonight.”
I raced ahead of her. She made the best cookies.
In her apartment, I sat on the sofa. She sat beside me, grinning as I munched on the peanut butter cookies.
“Best ever,” I mumbled around a mouthful.
“I tried a new recipe.”
“It’s a keeper.”
“You want to watch another movie?”
“Are you sure you’re not too tired?”
“I’m a bit sleepy, but I want you to stay.”
That was all I needed to hear. “Okay.”
She had purchased a TV, and I had set everything up for her. Smiling, she handed me the remote.
“You pick.”
I scanned Netflix, choosing a film I knew she would like. I didn’t really care what we watched. As long as I was there with her, I wasn’t alone in my apartment. I settled back on the sofa and put a cushion on my lap, patting it in invitation.
She eyed me skeptically. “I’ll fall asleep for sure.”
“I don’t mind.”
She curled up, resting her head on my knee. Awkwardly, I tried to pull her hair loose, but I gave up before I hurt her. With a laugh, she pulled out the clip, letting the long, dark waves fall around her shoulders. I ran my fingers through her hair, loving how silky it felt.
Becca sighed, contented. “That feels so good.”
I kept stroking her head, and I knew when she fell asleep; her body relaxed and her breathing became deep and even. I let her rest, changing the channel to the news and watching the TV for a while. She shifted, stretched, and curled back up, rolling onto her back. The action caused her shirt to pull tightly over her breasts. The material was thin, almost translucent in the light. The top few buttons had come undone and the lace trim of her camisole peeked out. Fascinated, I stared at the rounded flesh of her breasts—creamy and inviting. My fingers itched to touch them, but I knew I couldn’t. She shifted, her brow furrowed, and she huffed out a long breath, then murmured my name.
“Reid.”
The sound was plaintive, almost pleading.
Was she dreaming of me?
I leaned down, running my fingers along her collarbone. “I’m here, Becca.”
She grasped my fingers, pulled my arm across her chest, and laid her hand on top of mine, resting them on her breast.
Her warm, full breast fit into my hand as if it were made to be there. I tried to remain still, not to flex my fingers, and to tell my cock to stop getting hard.
I failed.
Her breast felt fantastic in my hand. I wondered what it would feel like in my mouth. Becca made a noise low in her throat, making my cock twitch and my fingers flex. It was all I could do not to whimper when I realized her nipple was now a hard bud under my palm.
God, I wanted her.
I shifted, hunching over her. She was so pretty with her dark hair and creamy skin. When she slept, her mouth opened, the edge of her pink tongue resting on her bottom lip. The urge to kiss her was driving me crazy. I didn’t know how I had existed before Becca. Kissing her was a drug to me. I wanted it. I craved it.
Her eyes fluttered open and met mine. She glanced down to where my hand rested. I waited for her to get angry and tell me off. Instead, she lifted her eyebrow.
“Did I do that?”
“Yes.”
She bit her lip, her voice becoming lower, breathy. “Did you like it?”
“Jesus, yes.”
I didn’t know who moved first. One minute she was lying down, the next, I was on top of her on the sofa. Our mouths fused together in messy, passionate kisses. Our teeth clashed, tongues dueled, and we moaned and clung to each other. I was desperate to feel her, needing her as close as possible. I pulled her tight, shouting as the sofa disappeared and I thudded to the floor, Becca on top of me.
She stared, her eyes wide.
“We fell off.”
Chuckling, I moved her hair off her face and cupped her cheeks. “Yes, we did.”
She pushed up on her arms, her chest molded to me. The action brought her hips flush with mine, making me hiss as my erection became trapped between us.
Her face lifted, and she met my eyes.
“Is that for me?”
“Always.”
She shifted, rubbing against me. “Are you often this way?”
“Only every time I see you.”
She sat up, straddling me.
Without thinking, I gripped her hips. “Becca,” I warned, the sensation overwhelming.
She rolled her hips. “You like how that feels, Reid?”
All I could do was moan.