A garbled noise leaves me. “Jesus. You animal.”
“Calm down,” he says with a chuckle. “I’m sure everything will work out.”
No, it won’t.
“I get off on making women come,” I yell, much to Landon’s shock. “It’s kind of my kink.” My hand finds my chest. “But with Preston…it’s not...I don’t…” My throat prickles with impending tears. “What if I never have the urge to reciprocate?”
What if I lose him because of it?
Landon gets off the couch and walks over to me. “Relax. It will happen when it happens.”
Easy for him to say, Mister I-reciprocated-the-next-morning. “What if it doesn’t?”
His expression softens. “I don’t know.” Pulling me in, he drops a kiss to my forehead. “What I do know is that the two of you have a bond that’s unbreakable. Have faith in that, okay? The rest will fall into place.”
He’s right. Preston and I are stronger than superglue when we’re together. There’s nothing we can’t work through.
I wrap my arms around him. I’ll never be able to repay him for saving my life…or for what he did for me today.
“Thank you for making me feel a little less alone and a lot more understood.”
He rests his chin on top of my head. “Mission accomplished then.”
“Not this shit again,” Preston snarls, making me jump.
“Rein in the caveman,” I utter as we separate. “We were just hugging.”
Crossing his arms, he stares Landon down. “This is now the second time I’ve caught you pawing my wife. Suffice it to say my lifelong debt to you is on thin ice.”
Landon holds up his hands. “It’s not like that. I just came over to talk to my friend because I thought I could help.”
“You did help.”
That piques Preston’s interest. “Help with what?”
Shoot. I give Landon a look, silently begging him not to say anything.
“I’m gonna go,” he states at the same time I blurt, “Dancing.”
We were so not on the same page with that one.
Preston glowers at me, and Landon takes the opportunity to escape, but not before he says, “Just so we’re clear. You don’t owe me anything.”
That all too familiar flash of guilt flickers in Preston’s eyes before they turn hard. “You’re a terrible liar, Bishop.”
“I’m an even worse dancer, which is exactly why I enlisted Landon’s help.” A twinge of guilt twists my guts because I never want to lie to him. Especially about the important stuff. “Okay, you got me. Landon came over to talk to me about my sexuality.”
Our silence is heavy, filled with so many unanswered questions and what-ifs.
And then he’s coming toward me.
The second he lifts me into his arms and I wrap my legs around his waist, all is right with the world and I can breathe again.
He drops us onto the couch, but I don’t let go of him.
“I hate that there’s a war waging inside you whenever I’m touching you.”
It used to feel like that, but it’s becoming a lot less complicated.
I used to be ashamed that I liked his touch and unwilling to accept what that might mean.
That’s not the case now.
“Not anymore.” My palm glides along his veiny forearm. “I like the way it feels whenever you look at me.” His gaze traps mine and heat floods my system. “And I like it when your hands are on my body.”
A helpless sound leaves me when his knuckles graze the side of my breast. “Just my hands?” Inclining his head, his lips find my neck. “Or my mouth?”
His teasing has my skin breaking out in goosebumps. “Both.”
His big hand tunnels under my shirt until he’s cupping me. “I want to suck these.” Tiny sparks of pleasure ripple through me when he undoes the button on my jeans with his free hand. “And then I want to work my way down until my tongue is buried in your tight, little cunt.”
He pinches my nipple. “Take off your shirt.”
I’m about to comply, because he’s making me hotter than the Sahara…but a nagging feeling unfurls in my gut.
While I enjoy everything he’s doing, I can’t help but feel like I’m abusing his generosity and being selfish.
However, I know Preston, and if I bring this up to him, he’ll just tell me it’s not a big deal.
But it is a big deal. He deserves someone who can reciprocate sexually.
Therefore, I have no choice but to buy myself some time by telling him an age-old fib that many women before me have told their husbands when they’re not in the mood.
“As great as that sounds, it’s not a good time.” When he raises an eyebrow in question, I add, “It’s shark week.”
He mulls this over in his head for a bit, not looking nearly as disturbed by this information as I hoped.
“I have some killer cramps.” Scrambling off his lap, I head toward the bathroom, mortified by the final nail I’m about to put in the coffin. However, I don’t want to leave any room for him to work his seduction tactics on me because I’ll fold like a cheap lawn chair. “And the period shits.”
Preston makes me happy and leaves me beyond sexually satisfied…
And he deserves the same in return.
Chapter 31
Preston
Nothing will test your patience like a toddler who refuses to eat his dinner.
“Come on, JP,” I urge, pointing to the plate of eggs I made him. “You like eggs.”
Up until now at least.
He shakes his head, making it clear he won’t budge.
Wondering if there’s something wrong with them, I take a bite.
They taste fine. But alas, he’s not interested.
“No eggs. Got it.” I turn to the fridge in Becca’s apartment. “How about I make you some chicken nuggets?”
It’s a solid choice given they’re his favorite.
When I look over to gauge his reaction, I see him scrunch his face and shake his head.
Fuck. Back when he was two, he went through a phase where he would only eat animal crackers for three weeks straight. I really hope we’re not headed for a repeat episode.
I run down the list of his choices.
“Bagel?”
Headshake.
“Pancakes?”
Headshake.
“Pasta?”
Headshake.
“Animal crackers?”
Headshake.
That’s promising at least.
“Oatmeal?”
Headshake.
Christ almighty. This is going nowhere. I’m running out of options here.
Scrubbing a hand down my face, I mutter, “Why don’t you point to what you want to eat, and I’ll make it for you.”
In hindsight, I probably should have started with that.
Climbing off the stool, he walks over to the fridge and points to the freezer.
I open it. There’s not much in it aside from the chicken nuggets and ice cream I bought him.
And the bottle of alcohol Becca bought for herself.
Of course, Jameson indicates he wants the ice cream.