“Damn right, I won’t,” she says, lifting to straddle me and yawning. “Aren’t you tired?”
“Yeah. Want to move into my bedroom and nap with me?”
“Sure.”
“I think I’ll give myself the day off.”
She traces the bruise underneath my eyes. “Does this hurt?”
“No.”
She presses on it, inspecting it closer.
“Does now, oww,” I say, playfully slapping her hand. She giggles and it’s music. It’s relief. It’s a thousand other feelings only she’s made me capable of. Maybe she is the fucking answer. Maybe I got it right all along. “You know buzzed or not, I remember every second, and every word I said.”
“I know.”
“I’ll have to ask you proper,” I brush her sides with my fingers. “I just have to wait for the right time.”
“No kids until after I hang up my flats, okay?”
“Yeah, no rush. I want to kind of earn my way out of poverty first.”
“You know that doesn’t matter to me.”
“I know.”
“Do you feel like everything’s changed?” She asks, brushing the hair at the back of my neck.
I nod. “You?”
“I’m not afraid anymore. But Lance, we are going to have to talk about it at some point.”
“We will. I swear, I just don’t want to think that way. I just don’t want to believe… You,” my heart aches at the thought of them hurting her. “I just don’t understand it.” I brush my lips against hers.
“We don’t have to understand them. That’s part of breaking the cycle.”
“You’re right.” I glance down at her necklace while she studies me.
“What are you thinking?”
“You know how last night you said your instructor’s words changed your life?”
“Yeah.”
“You did the same thing for me.”
“I did?”
“I couldn’t handle another day without seeing you. And it became clear when I heard your voice so clearly before I jumped on that plane.”
“What did I say?”
“What if this moment, right here, is the one that changes your life?”
“You make me seem like a hero,” she says, smoothing my bottom lip with her thumb.
I gaze back down at her and tell her the truth.
“Maybe because as much as I want to believe it’s the other way around, in this story, you are. Let’s go home, baby.”
“Lead the way.”
Minutes later, I silently usher her into the house and into my bedroom. Within seconds, I’m uncovering her, spreading her, worshiping her, replacing tears of last night’s devastation with elation. She cries softly out to me as I hover above her, lifting her hand to my chest so she can feel what she does to me, pressing deep into her while I give her the last piece of my soul. It’s when her brown eyes lift to mine with complete trust that I realize that despite my best efforts, I will be one thing for the rest of my life, hers.
Lance Prescott wins first heavyweight bout taking down Romeo Andreas in the 3rd.
Up-and-comer Lance Prescott, aka The Blanket, a title earned in his formative football years as a cornerback at Texas Grand, won his first bout with veteran Romeo Andreas last night. The fight, which took place in Las Vegas, marked the start of Prescott’s career on the heavyweight circuit. Prescott released a series of devastating blows in the first round, winding the veteran within seconds of the bell. In a press conference held shortly after the fight, Prescott said he was reprimanded for his exertion in the first round by his long-time trainer, Tony Willis. Willis won the title in 2004 and is a two-time Glove Champion. Despite their difference of opinion, the two were clearly pleased with the outcome and Willis claims that he’s certain Prescott will make a name for himself in boxing. All eyes are on Prescott for that verdict.
Laney
“Almost got it,” Theo says, typing out a message as I usher him into the arena.
“Look, man, I love you, and you’re an okay husband and all, but if you don’t stop working so much, I’m going to have to find a replacement for date night.”
Theo glances over at me and grins, he looks sexy as hell with his full beard grown in and trimmed close to his face, at my insistence.
“Don’t smile at me like that. I mean it. I need attention.”
“All yours.”
“Lies. All lies,” I wave my hand in annoyance. “It’s a miracle we made it to the plane on time. You love playing the tortured artist too much.”
“I had to make sure his new anthem was legit.”
“It’s incredible. He’ll love it.”
Theo lifts my hand to his lips and softly kisses each of my knuckles, his brown eyes boring into mine. The plans I see rolling in his head have my lips parting.
“Cut that out, Houseman, I’m horny from weeks of neglect.”
The couple passing us in the aisle bursts into laughter. Theo stiffens and jerks me closer to him, scolding me in a harsh whisper. “I said I’ll make it up to you tonight.”
“Yeah, well, saying and doing are two different things. I just may hold out, give you a taste of your own medicine.”
He stops me mid-aisle and cups my face, placing a slow, full-lipped kiss to my mouth surprising me when he deepens it until I’m breathless.
When he pulls away, he smirks at the effect it has on me.
“You smug bastard.”
“Not being replaced today.”
My legs are Jell-O, and this time it has nothing to do with weed. Though I did give him a pot brownie on our anniversary, just for old times’ sake. We locked ourselves out of the house that night and ended up grabbing the tent he got me on our first Christmas. It was an amazing night. I stare up at him, utterly stupefied for the love I feel for him.
This makes him grin wider, and he takes my lips a second time. When he pulls away, he pulls up his phone.
“Is this a test?” I grumble. “Because I’m about to fail.”
He encases me in his arms and lifts the screen for me to see as a few people brush past us.
“What is this?”
“A preview.”
“Of what?”
“Our vacation.”
He moves the hair away from my shoulder and leans in, whispering to me as the goosebumps pebble my flesh. “Because you’re the pillar of patience, I’m rewarding you.”
“Smartass.”
“Look, baby, it’s where we’re going when we leave here.”
“I don’t understand.”
“What don’t you understand? Allow me to demonstrate.”
He pulls up the picture of the luxury bed in a swanky hotel room and hits the editing tab before drawing an arrow to the middle of the bed and writing MRS. HOUSEMAN next to it.
“I see. And, where are you?”
“My arrow would be inappropriate.”
“And where exactly is this?”
“Paris, and that’s after Fiji.”
“You’re taking me to Fiji and France?”
“And Spain.”