“I will never hurt you, Presley. I need you to know that. Never. I don’t even know the full extent of what that shithead did, and I already want to kill him. But I can promise you right now, I’d die before hurting you.”
“I know.” She smiled, the light in her eyes enough to quell whatever doubts I might’ve had. “Which is why I want my parents to know and for them to see us together. Because there isn’t a doubt in my mind that you mean every single word.”
There was a buzz on Presley’s desk, her cell blasting an alert of an incoming text. She mouthed an apology, picking it up before flashing me the screen.
Big bro taking a piss and I’m done being social. Get lover boy out here for the handover or I’m telling him you’re pregnant and naming the kid after him. Choice is yours. And P.S. Yes, you could fire me but you’re not going to. Not tonight. B
“Guess you should go out there.” Presley rolled her eyes. “It’s too late to find more security for the night so I will have to keep him on my payroll.”
I kissed her, hating I had to leave her but unable to see the situation as anything but positive. “I’m going to come back and get you in the morning when you’re done here. Then I’ll drive you home and we can make whatever plans you want to, work out when we can go over and tell your parents. And then go tell mine.”
“Okay,” she kissed me quickly, holding my shirt despite telling me I needed to leave. “Have fun tonight and see you in the morning. And Leighton,” she kissed me again. “I still owe you a blowjob.”
“Mmmmmmm,” I groaned, the anticipation of those lips around my cock making my balls ache. “You’re still not playing fair, Presley.” But I didn’t care, loving the fucking torture that woman put me through.
Knowing I was already down to the wire, I stopped myself from kissing her again—because that wouldn’t end well—and walked backward toward the door. I liked that satisfied grin on her face, waving her goodbye as I headed out of her office. “Bye baby, see you in a few hours.”
I’d made it to the bar just before Tibbs got back. Bennett tapped his watch, looking less than impressed. “You boys find your own way out.”
“He’s so weird, Dude.” Tibbs laughed, watching Bennett disappear. “For the longest time I thought for sure he and Presley were together. But nope, they’re just friends. And either she’s telling the truth or she’s the best liar I know. Kind of glad she’s not in a relationship at the moment. I love her, but Jesus Christ, does she have the worst fucking taste in men. Hoping she stays single for a while, if you know what I mean.”
It didn’t give me a warm and fuzzy feeling knowing not only had I’d been lying to Tibbs about mine and Presley’s relationship, but we were also talking about her behind her back. And yes, I understood what he was saying, she had made some questionable choices about who she’d dated. But fuck, so had both of us and we weren’t getting judged for it.
Presley was far from a damsel in distress. And while she didn’t need me defending her honor or telling her big brother to stop being a jackass, I felt the need all the same. “Listen, dude, don’t talk about Presley like that. Yeah, Lewis wasn’t her best choice, but you want to take a look at the long line of airheads and bimbos you’ve slept with? That one girl you went out with three months ago had a criminal record for fuck’s sake.”
Irritation ate at my gut, the idea that anyone could think she was anything but perfect was beyond me. And nothing Tibbs or anyone else said was going to convince me otherwise.
“Yeah, but I only found out later. And notice I’m no longer with her.” He shrugged, like it somehow made it better.
“Because she stole a car and broke parole.” I pointed out, their break up made a lot easier by the fact she ended up back on the inside for a few months.
He waved his hands, dismissing the evidence. “Circumstances don’t matter. We’re not together, end of story. And it wouldn’t have lasted anyway, it wasn’t serious. Presley has a big heart, she deserves better.”
That was one thing we could agree on, she sure as hell did.
And I’d spend every last waking moment making sure she got that. What was between us wasn’t just a passing flirtation.
It wasn’t even just sex.
It was more.
“She’s going to be okay, Tibbs. Trust me.” I made a promise I couldn’t qualify, and I hated it.
Just a few more days, a week tops, and her dad would be back, and we’d come clean. And I couldn’t wait.
“Now let’s get out of here before she tosses us out.”
Presley
CONFESSING I’D BEEN in love with Jared hadn’t been as scary as I’d thought.
It hadn’t been scary at all.
One minute I’d been resigned to hiding it, seeing where things went over the next few weeks and then maybe—if I thought I’d get an I love you too—I’d tell him.
And the next minute, I decided that I’d never lived my life in the safe zone and I wasn’t going to risk losing the most decent, caring guy I’d ever met.
If he didn’t say it back or thought I was too needy, or even if he wanted to stop what we had going on because of it, so be it. I’d rather know.
But he did say it back. And not only did he say it back, but when I looked into his eyes, I believed him. Knew he felt the same things I did, and whatever reasons we’d had for not being together, they were no longer valid. He was the guy for me, the one who I could honestly see something long term with. Someone who’d be my partner and not just someone to pass the time with. And I wanted to do it right.
Jared’s arms were around me, his warm body pressed against mine, and he’d done exactly what he promised. He’d gone out with Tibbs to some other club, then returned to Diablo just before I closed. Then we drove back to my place where we made love before falling asleep.
At first, it was hurried and hard, both of us needing the connection. I’d wanted to touch him since he made me come in his old bedroom, desperate to make him feel as good as he did me. But after the initial edge was taken off, we slowed down, taking our time and drawing it out, telling him I loved him over and over as he looked me in the eyes.
And then we slept, my body and mind completely relaxed as he held me all through the morning.
“What do you want to do today?” Jared kissed the shell of my ear. “I’m back on rotation tomorrow, but today, I’m all yours.”
Usually when I was in a relationship, I was the one with the crazy schedule. The one who was always apologizing for the insane hours. The lack of nights off where we could go be a “regular” couple, my fault. But I hadn’t had to do that once, neither of us had.
“Can I ask you a question about your past girlfriends?” I turned in his arms so I could face him.
His eyes narrowed, frowning a little. “Presley, you can ask me whatever you want. But they’re in the past for a reason. No point to even think about them anymore.”
He was more contemplative than usual, and I assumed it had been because we’d done the whole I love you thing. “I promise this isn’t me trying to bait you or using it as something to get jealous over.” My lips brushed gently against his. “But with the other girls you’ve been with, did they complain about your hours?”