He pulled me close. “If something is important to you, I’m there, Ken. Always.”
“I love you, too.”
He smiled that boyish grin. “She said it.”
“Yeah, yeah. You know that’s hard for me. Not because I don’t mean it.” It had been easier and easier for me to let those words fly.
“You show it in so many ways. Just the fact that you wanted me there?—”
“Let’s go inside.”
“Takeout and a movie?”
The Minutemen were traveling tonight, gearing up for a four-game series in New York. A movie sounded like the perfect way to forget about baseball for a night.
“Yes, tacos?”
He groaned. “Fuck yes. I’ll call in the order; you pick the movie. Race you to the couch.”
“What do you want to watch?” I asked.
“Comedy?”
“That’s helpful.” My response dripped with sarcasm. I scrolled through Netflix for the sixth time, not finding anything I wanted to watch.
“Is there something else you’d rather watch?” Jonathan set up a buffet of tacos, nachos, rice, and beans on the coffee table as I cycled through the options once more.
“Baseball?”
He laughed. “Can’t get away from it, can we?”
“Do we even want to?” I switched to a game, the sound of the crowd as the batter connected with the ball immediately calming my soul.
“Yeah, in November.”
After we ate, we picked up the remnants of our dinner and cleaned the kitchen, the baseball game still playing in the background. As I finished wiping down the counter, I felt the warmth of Jonathan’s body as he pressed up against mine. He swept my hair out of the way, his lips brushing against the back of my neck. I squeezed my eyes shut. Hoping against hope that he wasn’t only doing this because of what we’d discussed in therapy.
I spun in his arms. My eyes searched his and found the same solid strength I always saw in him. I wound my hands around his neck, interlacing my fingers at the base of his skull. His head dipped, and he buried his face in my neck, breathing deeply before pulling back and taking my mouth with force.
I gasped. My mouth opened for him on reflex, tongue darting out tentatively, only to be met with fervor. His mouth practically bruising mine, a sharp contrast to the soft touch of his fingertips as they trailed up and down my arms.
My fingers wove through his hair, which had grown slightly longer than his normal cut, and I tugged hard. I reveled in the groan that vibrated through his body. Relief poured through me. Yes, he still wanted me.
“Fuck, Ken, I need you.” His voice shook as he pulled away, seeking reassurance before continuing.
“I. Need. You. Too.”
That was all the permission he needed before tossing me over his shoulder and carrying me towards the bedroom. Instead of throwing me on the bed, one of my favorite moves, he placed me on my feet. His hand shook lightly as he held my jaw before devouring my mouth. His hands roamed my body, but he made no move to remove our clothing. When my hand slipped to his belt buckle, his hand grabbed mine, preventing me from moving any further.
“I’ve fucked you senseless, and you loved it. But I think it’s about time I worshipped you the way you deserve.”
His mouth captured mine once more, and his fingers painstakingly slipped my shirt over my head, pulling it from me only long enough to remove my top. His fingertips grazed the soft mounds of my breasts, staying away from where my peaked nipples begged for attention.
As his fingers grazed the waistband of my pants, my entire body erupted in goosebumps. I felt his smile against my lips.
“God, you’re so fucking responsive.”
“And you’re a fucking tease,” I said, my impatience difficult to hide.
