Apollo leans into my ear and growls like a lion. “You minx. That was incredibly sexy. Thanks for showing up.”
Leaning back against the side of the pool table, he pulls me onto his lap, my back to his chest. His fingers dig into my hips, holding me like I’m his favorite possession. One he’s not letting go of. Even as he attempts to finish whatever conversation he was having with hisDeltabrothers.
He seems to only be half paying attention. They scatter as he presses his chin against my shoulder.
“Soglad you came. Did I say that already?”
I flip around and straddle him, arms latched around his neck. “Did you leave a lollipop in our freezer?”
One dark eyebrow quirks, but before he answers, he fist-bumps a guy walking behind me. “Sup, bro. Everything good?”
“Yeah. Thanks for that advice, Mr. President. Appreciate you.”
“Anytime.” Lower, he smirks at me. “Told him what was wrong with his car.”
I get a whiff of alcohol on his breath.
“Did you?”
“Tell him what was wrong? Yeah.”
“No. Did you leave a lollipop?—”
“What? Sorry. I’m alittleintoxicated. Repeat what you asked me?”
My heart races… He’s not admitting anything. “Did you leave?—”
“Oh. No… Never saw alollipop. That’s such a weird word.Lolly? Lolly pop?” He practices it several times, slow and sluggish. But when I freeze in his hold, he drops the fun look on his face. “Do you like candy?” His throat bobs, and I take in the stubble he’s left along his jaw. There’s a long pause until I find his eyes.
“Should I say I left it there so you’ll fall in love with me?”
At his drunken confession, my breath catches in my chest. “No… I just… My ex used to leave them for me.”
His thick brow furrows. “Oh. Well, what’s it doing in our freezer?”
“That’s what I don’t understand,” I mutter.
He gathers my head in his large palm and presses me against his body, rocking us slowly. “Shh, don’t worry, my baby. I’ll take care of the big, bad lollipop.”
But I’m more worried now that maybe no one will take this seriously.
Or maybe I’ve truly lost it.
twenty-seven
My wife.
Mywife…
Somehow, drunk off my ass and blitzed with happiness, she wrangled me back to our place. Put me in the shower. Handed me water and anti-inflammatories. Dressed me in my shorts. Put me to bed.
And then she cuddled me.
When I wake up, dry-mouthed and still a bit dizzy, I stumble quietly out of the bedroom. Carefully closing the door so I don’t disturb her sleep.
I got too drunk because I thought she wouldn’t come. Thought I could ward off feelings of loneliness, of disconnect, with whatever warmth I could pour into myself.
But when she showed up…it meant everything. Our first night out showing off as husband and wife. I’m still on a high today.
