He had decent blackout curtains, but the morning light still found a way through, thin slivers that heralded the dawn of a new day.
A beautiful new day.
One with Ani by his side, as his girlfriend.
She was here now, her warm, naked body tucked tight against him. He kept his boxers on in an attempt at modesty. A vain attempt, because he was already hard as a rock, pressing into her gorgeous ass.
He wanted to get up to shower, rub one out so he had a chance of making it through the day without being ceaselessly entrenched in sexual fantasies. Eh, who was he kidding? One orgasm wasn’t going to relieve that.
Ani began to stir, and when he kissed the inside of her neck, she gave a soft “Mmm” and a little smile appeared across her lips. God, she was an angel. An actual angel.
“How’d you sleep?” he said into her ear.
She moaned. “Like I was buried in a cloud. Best sleep I’ve gotten in ages.”
Raffi realized then that he had, too. Deep, heavy sleep with vaguely pleasant dreams he could no longer remember. Just contentment.
“Good,” he said, running his fingers along her hair, her neck, down her back. Her skin tightened and she shivered once, and he loved that he had that effect on her, that he could give her that feeling.
“Mmm, what time is it?” she murmured.
Ani reached over and grabbed her phone from the nightstand. She studied her phone while he buried his face into her back and nuzzled it.
But then her body stiffened. Something was wrong. “What is it?” he asked.
“I think—” Ani scrolled, read, concentrated fully on her phone.
“Did you miss something important?” Raffi worried. He didn’t want to be the reason she forgot a meeting or whatever other engagements she might have. His heart started beating fast. She was not answering him. Raffi sat up.
“Get your phone,” Ani said. “See if this is showing up on your news app, too.”
Now Raffi was actually concerned. “Ani, what is—?”
But he’d grabbed hold of his phone and saw someone familiar on his news homepage. Grace. Front and center. Worry about Ani transformed into curiosity. Far preferable.
Rising Star Grace Zhang Charms in Viral Video with De Niro
Even though he already knew the answer, Raffi asked, “Is that Grace Grace? Kami’s Grace?”
“Sure seems like it. Cloaked in newfound fame. Might be afifteen-minute cycle, though. I guess we’ll find out. Should we see what it’s all about?”
“I’m going to make us some sourj; you pull up that video.”
“You, Raffi Garabedian, make sourj?”
“My medzmama taught me well,” he said. “And I prefer it. The American stuff is so weak, giant watery cups of thin coffee.”
“Well, well. Let’s see what you have.”
“Prepare to have your mind blown.”
“Okay, Mr. Cocky,” she smiled.
He shook himself and climbed out of bed. “Can’t have you saying that word. Not now. Not yet.”
“Which word?” She put on a mock coquette voice and positioned herself seductively. “Cocky?”
“I’m running away to the kitchen now,” he said, leaving a flood of her giggles in his wake.
