“Agreed. But it’s just for now. Once you’re comfortable enough things will change.”
“What if I’m never brave enough?”
I tipped his chin up so that I could look into those sad, dark eyes. “Then we continue as we are.”
“I would hate that future. I have to think there’s a brighter one.”
“There is, I promise. Come on, let’s go to bed. The world will look better in the morning.”
It did.Incredibly so.
The snow had slowed to just a few feathery flakes gliding past my bedroom windows. The sun was out, bright and cold, and Jari was splayed out alongside me. Long legs taking up three-quarters of the bed, hair tangled, face soft in sleep. I lay beside him, awake for some time now as my bladder had poked me into wakefulness an hour ago. I’d snuck into the master bath then back to bed, my lover never twitching. Now he was coming around, his long thick lashes flickering open then closed a few times before his eyes latched onto me.
“Creeper,” he mumbled.
“Creeper in a good way or a bad way?”
He rolled to his back, his cheek showing the pillow marks. “Is there a good way to be a creeper?”
“Sure.” He cocked an expressive brow. “Those things that roll under cars are good.”
“Wow, you areso weird.” I stole a kiss, then another, and then one more.
“You areso beautiful.”
“Pfft. I have sleepy gunk in my eyes and my breath reeks of the fish pâté on those little crackers that they served last night.”
“I love salmon breath.”
“Such a freak.”
“You love me though,” I teased, placing my hand to his bare chest to feel the warmth of his skin. “How do you feel about turkey and stuffing?”
“Uhm… okay, I guess. Is that what we’re having for breakfast?”
“No, no, I’m just… okay, hear me out.” I bolstered my head in my hand as he moved to lie on his side to better see me. “I’d like to take you to Thanksgiving dinner at Kirby’s.” His eyes went wide with fear. “No, don’t worry. We don’t have to make it into something. We can just be there as friends. He knows you’re renting the pool house and that we’re buddies. Shared jock mentality and proximity and all that. I go to his place in Baltimore every year. He’s pretty much all the family that I have so if I could share that day with you it would be extra special. But if it makes you feel too uncomfortable then don’t give it another thought.”
He took a long time to mull it over. Which was good. Leaping into something could be?—
“Okay.”
“Oh. Are you sure? You can take today to think about it. Thanksgiving isn’t until next Thursday, so we have plenty of time to let Joy know to set another plate.”
He shook his head. “No, I’m sure. I want to get to know the people in your life better. I need to push on the boundaries a little. To test the water. If Kirby and Joy were to guess about us would they be cool?”
“Oh, hell yeah, totally cool. They’re both huge allies and know that I’m bisexual. Never had any issue with any guys that I dated so if they guessed they’d be totally okay.” I gave his left pectoral a squeeze. Firm. Yummy.
“Then sure, yeah, let’s eat that stuffing with them. Should we bring anything? I don’t know much about your Thanksgiving. We do a smaller gathering on December sixth for celebrating Finland’s independence day but other than that…”
“I usually just bring some cold duck for the adults and a bottle of bubbly grape juice for the twins. You’re going to love their boys!” I kissed him loudly. “Thank you for being so… perfectly you. I’ll text Kirby as soon as I make love to you.”
“I have morning skate at nine,” he softly reminded me then flung the covers aside to expose all that firm, pale skin. Double yummy.
“What happens if you’re late?” I slithered over top of him, rubbing our now stiffening cocks together.
“Bag skates.” He grabbed my ass to keep me pinned to him, his hips rolling.
“Sounds terrible. I’ll be quick.”
