“Don’t turn away from me when I’m offering comfort, Ever,” he says sternly.
Bobby’s request surprises me. It’s been a long time since someone wanted to comfort me. Gage lectures and Ty throws accusations my direction.
“You weren’t apologizing?”
“Not when our kisses bring you happiness. Happiness is important, and we should get it when and where we can.”
Just like my plushies bring me happiness, so do his kisses.
Bobby cups the side of my face, and I lean into his touch, kissing his palm. He’ll be the death of me with how easily he makes me happy and lights me up with desire.
“Ready for that walk?”
“Yes.”
“First off, let’s keep you warm.” He grabs the leather jacket draped over the space between the driver and passenger seats and holds it out for me.
I turn my back to him and stick my arms through the sleeves. The sleeves hang past my fingers. I’m swimming in his jacket. Bobby turns me to him with his large hands on my shoulders. He untucks my hair from inside the jacket, and taking hold of the edges, he tugs me to him.
My body molds to his, and we’re a perfect fit. I glance up at him. A thick finger swipes across my eyebrow. “You look fucking hot wearing my jacket. Keep it. Someday, I want you to wear it for me with nothing on underneath.”
I blush.
Someday. That word speaks of more than twenty-four hours together. I nod, too turned on to speak. His scent, musky and male, surrounds me. His jacket keeps me warm. Bobby’s thick fingers interlace with mine, making me feel wanted. I belong to someone, with someone, even if it’s for a short time.
We walk to my car. I’m alive with the street noises around us and the blinking lights from the businesses. Bobby leads the way and weaves us around the people out enjoying downtown Alexandria on a Friday night.
They must be on to my happiness. They smile at us. We pass by a bar with people seated outside, and an old couple raises their wine glasses at us. I duck my head and smile. It’s nice to walk around with a guy and have people thinking we’re a couple.
Carlos and I went out, but we didn’t show affection, even something as small as holding hands.
A group walks toward us. The sidewalk is narrow, and they’re taking up all the space on it. Bobby is on the street side. He releases my hand to let the crowd pass and reaches for me when they do. Smiling, I put my hand in his.
“Warm enough?” He looks down at me with a grin.
“Yes, thank you.” His hand is warm. His jacket is all him—musk mixed with leather and a lingering scent of citrus.
He must’ve taken us the long way around to the parking lot, because I don’t remember walking by a café, a small bookstore, a music store with old records and record players in the window, and a children’s consignment shop. There are excited voices, infectious laughter, and loud conversations. I swing our arms and squeeze his hand.
Happy. I. Am. Happy. Laughter bubbles from deep within me, and I resist the urge to shout how happy I am to the world.
When we get to my car, he hands me back my key fob. Thanking him, I unlock my door and get in, leaving the driver’s side door open.
I’m not ready to say goodbye.
Bobby must feel the same. Under the parking lot lights, I see on his face what I’m feeling inside. Loss. Despair. It’s like experiencing grief again after losing Carlos. Or I’m projecting how I’m feeling onto Bobby. I mean, he doesn’t even know me, so how can he feel a deep sense of loss knowing he won’t see me tomorrow or the next day?
When will we see each other again? Will he forget about me? I won’t forget him anytime soon.
He gets on his haunches so we’re at eye level. “Text me when you get home?” He swipes a finger over my bottom lip.
I nod and thank him for taking a chance on me. In my head, I thank him for being Gwen’s fairy godmother. I hope she never finds out what I did. Gwen has a lot of pride.
We kiss again, and I don’t want to end what we started, but we’ve only just begun, haven’t we? Five thousand dollars in exchange for one day and one night with him. He made the offer, and I accepted, fully understanding what I was getting myself into.
Did I really, though, understand the consequences of what I did when I recklessly lived out my fantasy with a stranger who somehow made me feel seen and less alone in a crowd?
I’ll find out soon enough.
