Cujo changed his plan for the evening on the fly.“No.It doesn’t.Pick something.”
“What do you mean?”Drea reached for his hands, sliding her fingers between his and leaned her weight into him.
“Pick something.For you and me.What do you feel like trying?”Please don’t let it be something seriously stupid, like hooping or Zumba.
“What about rock climbing?”she said without missing a beat.
Of all the things he expected her to say, that wasn’t it.He would’ve put money on hot yoga.He loved climbing, and hoped she’d enjoy it, too.
“You said you climbed, right?”Drea slid off his lap and sat down next to him on the sofa.
“Yeah, I did.”The idea of her ass in Lycra and a safety harness was sending all kinds of tingling sensations to his jeans.“Hold on.”
Cujo pulled out his phone and called his favorite climbing center, booking them a two-hour session.He placed the phone down on the coffee table.
“Okay.Our slot starts in ninety minutes.It’s a twenty-minute drive, and we both need to change but fortunately I have my gym bag in the truck, so that kills another ten minutes.
Cujo moved his hand to the waistband of her jeans, sliding the tip of his fingers just under the denim.
Drea gasped and arched her back.The way she responded to him drove her crazy.
“Any ideas how we kill the remaining sixty?”
***
“You don’t have to do this you know.I was more than capable of getting myself to work before we hooked up.”Drea ran her hand along Cujo’s thigh, feeling the thick muscles ripple.She wondered if they were as sore as her own.Two days after climbing, and Drea could barely make the steps into the truck.Cujo’d been insistent about taking her to the hotel, but they needed to make a quick pit stop at the hospital en route.
They’d fallen into a comfortable rhythm.Between spending time with Cujo, two jobs, and reading additional files and reports that Gilliam kept sending her, there was no time to breathe.But it was good to be busy.Less time to sit and dwell.
“Hooking up?Is that what we’re doing?”Cujo turned to her with a grin.
“You know what I mean.”She slapped his thigh and pulled her hand away.
Cujo grabbed it and placed it back on his thigh.“Yeah.I do,” he said with a laugh.“I don’t mind taking you to work.I just need to drop this off with Mom first.”
Silently, Drea admired the change in Cujo’s response to his mother.When he’d first mentioned her as they drove home from Mo’s in his truck, the bitterness in his voice had startled her.Now they were reconciled, and while Drea was sure he wouldn’t admit it, there was a softening.A hairline fracture in his shell.Perhaps because the loss of her own mom was so close to the surface, she hoped he found a way to connect with his.
The bag of magazines and books by her feet may have been bought by Connor, but Cujo agreed to drop them off.
Minutes later, they pulled into the hospital parking lot and hurried to the correct floor.
Cujo stopped as they approached the door.“This might be the dumbest idea I’ve ever had, but come in with me.”
“I’m not sure, Cujo.I think your mom has been through a lot.She needs family right now.”Drea imagined how she would feel in his mom’s shoes.
Cujo took her hand.“I get what you’re saying, but she doesn’t even know us.So it’s not like we are this great source of comfort to her.She’s been surrounded by men.Perhaps she might appreciate a female visitor.For, you know, whatever shit you guys actually talk about.”
Drea let out a laugh.“Whatever shit?”
“Is that a yes, sweet Drea?”
“You’re an idiot,” she said, unable to contain her laughter.
Cujo kissed her palm, making her feel all gooey inside, then guided her into his mom’s room.
“Hey, Evelyn,” he said walking ahead of her.“I brought some stuff from Connor.”
Drea took a moment to quickly straighten her hair and followed him into the sterile white room.“Evelyn, this is my girlfriend, Drea.”
