“Probably the library. It’s cooler and quieter there. Why?”
“You could work at my house. I’ll feed you and know you’re safe.”
God, he was so sweet. “Again, I’m not sure I’d get much work done with you there. I need to concentrate on something other than you.” Maybe we could compromise. “But I can ease your protective side. Take out your phone.”
As Axel dug it out of his pocket, I opened the locator app and shared my location with him. His phone pinged, and he accepted my invitation to share my location. “I know it seems creepy, but if it makes you feel better, I’m all in.” There was something about knowing he could find me that gave me some peace of mind.
“It’ll do for now.”
With another kiss, I breathed him in once more before reaching for the handle. “I gotta go.”
“I’ll walk you to the door.”
When we got out, Axel grabbed my bag from the concrete as I headed for the door. I dreaded each step, and when I stopped on the step leading inside, I turned to gaze at him. “Thank you. For everything.”
His eyes smoldered. “It was wonderful. We’ll do it again and again and again very soon.”
“I was talking about the trip, but okay. I like that too. I’ll see you Friday after work.” With another kiss, I turned and headed up the four flights of stairs.
“Don’t forget to text me tomorrow,” he called.
I laughed. Like that was possible. “I will. Promise.”
As I entered my apartment, I could see what Axel saw when he looked at it. The walls were a dingy white that needed painting, and a million more upgrades to bring it up to code. But no matter how undesirable it might be, it was still mine.My name was on the lease, and simply having it, even though I’d rather be with Axel, soothed the once homeless man in me. I wasn’t sure that would ever go away.
“How was your trip?” John asked. He was in the kitchen making a sandwich.
I set my bag down and closed the door. “It was great. It’s hard to come back to reality after being in paradise.”
“I bet,” he said.
We talked for a while, catching up on the part he’d scored in an off-Broadway production. “We start rehearsals in two weeks. The director is still filling a few spots.”
“That’s great, man. I’m happy for you.”
He grinned. “Yeah, seems like things might be going okay. Any leads on a job?”
“Uh, not yet. But we’re getting a new landlord.”
John froze. “What? How do you know?”
I rubbed my neck. “Axel bought the building. He plans to make some upgrades and to lower the rent.”
His concern quickly turned to delight. “Damn. I guess it pays to have a rich boyfriend.”
“He’s not doing it for me. It’s part of a bigger project he has planned.”
His brow furrowed. “I thought he played hockey for the Nighthawks. Did he retire or something?”
I smiled. “He does. It’s something else he wants to do. He can’t play forever.”
John went back to making his sandwich. “You’re crazy if you don’t think it has something to do with you. Wish I could find me a sugar daddy to take care of me.”
“He’s not my sugar daddy. He’s my… boyfriend.” It sounded strange to describe him that way when he was so much more.
“Either way, you found a good one. You smile a lot more,” he said. “If you find any more, let me know.”
He had it wrong. Axel had found me in the most unlikely of places. As I unpacked my bag, I found a box tucked into my bag. Pulling it out, I opened it to find a keepsake container of pink sand he must have purchased.
