“In some way or another, probably.” I press another kiss to his temple, this one lingering. “Now, it’s been a long week. Tomorrow night’s movie night at the farm. You gonna be my date?”
“Depends on the movie.”
“You’ll like it. I promise.”
Trevor laughs softly. “Okay.”
“Okay.” When I tug him inside the house for the evening, he comes easily.
Dinner is an easy stir-fry on the stovetop. We cut vegetables side by side as music softly floats from my phone. Trevor set up some playlist where we can both add songs we like to it, so it’s mostly old-school country and songs that sound like they belong in an eighties cyberpunk movie. Oddly, the songs kind of blend together. Much like Trevor and me.
After dinner, Trevor cleans up the kitchen, while I start a load of our laundry. The easy domesticity of our life together reaffirms that Trevor belongs here with me. Never has someone's presence been such a blessing, so easy, so comforting. In the middle of dropping our mixed laundry into the washer, I realize that for the first time loneliness isn’t eating away at the edges of my life.
I’m not lonely when I’m with Trevor.
“Okay?” Trevor asks from the laundry room doorway.
I drop the rest of the clothes into the machine and press start before turning to face him. His eyes flick over my face, searching for signs of what's on my mind.
“I was so lonely before you,” I admit before I can stop myself.
Trevor smiles, soft and slow. “Not anymore though.”
“Not anymore.”
“We should do a double date with Colby and Eli,” Trevor announces, apropos of nothing.
He follows me down the hall towards my bedroom. “Works for me.”
“Eli knows I was a fake boyfriend for you.”
Turning around, Trevor stops just short of running into me with a surprised sound. My hands land on his hips, holding him still so that he can feel the lack of tension in my body. So he can know there’s no danger here, not with me.
“Colby knows already,” I tell him.
Trevor releases a relieved sigh, shoulders relaxing. “Good.”
“I wasn’t planning on telling anyone else. Is that okay?”
He waves his hand dismissively. “Totally. I just didn’t want you to be taken by surprise if Eli blurted it out. Sometimes his mouth-to-brain filter doesn’t work.”
“Are you fine with Colby knowing?”
“Sure.” Trevor presses a little closer. “As long as you’re fine.”
“I’m fine,” I murmur just before giving Trevor a slow, sweet kiss. When I pull away, Trevor’s eyes are closed, and a blissful smile tilts his lips up.
“Are you always going to kiss me when I’m riled up?”
With a chuckle, I twirl a piece of his hair around my finger, tugging gently. “Only when you need it most. Did it work?”
“Surprisingly.”
“Good.”
“Can I sleep with you yet? No funny stuff, just sleeping.”
I run my fingers through his hair, detangling the knots, then cup the nape of his neck in my palms. His skin is searing hot against mine, seeping into me to warm me from the outside in. Pressing a kiss to his cheek, his stubble rough against my lips, I nod slowly.
