“You boys were always so close,” she says, and I remember something.
“Why didn’t you like Eliza?” I ask abruptly.
Allyson’s forehead wrinkles the same way Ran’s does when he’s perplexed. “I’m sorry?”
“When Ran was on the phone with you and said he was coming down here with someone. You asked if that person was Eliza and you didn’t sound happy about it.”
“Oh.” She looks a little surprised before turning a shrewd gaze on me. “I didn’t think she was a good match for my son.”
“Why’s that?”
Allyson studies me for a moment before answering. “You’ve known Ran for a long time. You know that mind of his —he’s always thinking.” I nod and she huffs out a laugh devoid of humor. “I said to him once when he was just a boy, ‘You need to just switch your brain off sometimes, kiddo.’ And he said to me, ‘Mom, I tried, but I just can’t find the off button.’ I was half-joking, but his face was so serious.”
I can imagine the exchange perfectly, the strained tone of Ran’s voice, the pinch of worry between his brows. Something sharp-edged wraps itself around my chest and squeezes. “Yeah.” My voice comes out husky. “I know.”
“He’s so driven and detail-oriented, but sometimes he gets stressed-out about things that he doesn’t need to worry about to the extent that he does.”
I nod. “Eliza wasn’t good about helping him get out of his own head during those times?”
Allyson gives a shake of her head. “More like fanned the flames. I’m not saying she did it onpurpose, mind you —she struck me as being rather high-strung, so I don’t know that she was doing anything maliciously. But she wasn’t good for him at all.”
When I don’t say anything back right away, Allyson grimaces. “I know I can’t control what you do with this information, but I’d appreciate it if it doesn’t get back to Ran.”
“Mm-hmm.” I nod, preoccupied with a thought. “What type of person do you think he does need, then?”
Allyson looks at me without replying for long enough that worries start to creep into my head, but then her face cracks into a slight smile. “Someone who understands him.”
I hear some movement down the hall, running water and a couple of doors closing. A moment later, Ran comes into the kitchen. He’s on the phone, glasses on top of his head and annoyance in his voice as he scrubs a hand over his eyes. I can’t glean from his side of the conversation who’s on the other end of the line. When he ends the call and exhales a harsh sigh, I let out a low whistle.
“That sounds like it was a terrible wake-up call. What’s up?”
“Oh, Marcus needs me in California,” he says with an exaggerated nonchalance. Allyson and I exchange a glance as our eyebrows go up.
“Now?” I ask.
“More or less,” he says with a groan.
“At least stay for breakfast, honey,” Allyson says, but Ran waves her off. “Nah, I need to be out of here soon. I just threw my clothes in the laundry so I have something to wear. I wasn’t planning on back-to-back trips.” He looks down at his T-shirtand sweatpants and snorts out a laugh. “Might have to buy a sport coat.”
“It’s Silicon Valley. Aren’t you supposed to be able to get away with wearing hoodies and stuff?” I tease.
Ran’s grin emerges at that, and something flutters in my chest. “Would serve them right if I showed up in slept-in sweats,” he mutters.
“So why do you have to go out there? And how long is it for?” I ask. “Oh! Your coffee is there on the counter for you.”
His expression brightens at that. “You’re a lifesaver, baby. And it should only be a couple of days.” He knocks back half his coffee in one slug and barks out a laugh. “Kind of ironic that I can’t close the sale of an app that makes managing a remote workforce easier without flying thousands of miles to sign a bunch of stupid forms in person.”
“That’s ridiculous!” Allyson says.
“You’re telling me,” Ran answers with a groan, plunking down at the breakfast bar. He books a flight that will get him out there by this afternoon, and one to bring me back home.
Twenty minutes later, I’ve just stripped the bed in the spare room like Allyson asked one of us to do before we left when I hear a click. I turn to see Ran, his hand on the doorknob and a gleam in his eye. He puts a finger to his lips and brings his mouth to my ear.
“I told my mom I had to send a couple of emails before we head out,” he murmurs as he starts to unbuckle my belt. “I need to taste you — tide me over until I’m back.” When he catches a glimpse of blue satin, a low growl vibrates in his throat and he practically drags me over to the bare mattress.
I think Ran is going to want me on my back, so he surprises me when he pulls me to a seated position. “Take that big dick out for me,” he commands in a whisper as he sinks to his knees between my legs.
“Oh fuck, Stud,” I breathe as I shove down my underwear. I don’t even get a chance to ask him what he wants before he takes it, grabbing my cock by the root and sucking the head into his mouth like he’s ravenous for it. My breathing gets quicker as he runs his tongue around my crown and probes my slit. I feel rather than hear him moan when he slides his lips down my shaft.
