I honestly don’t know what it’s going to take, but I trust myself to know it when I feel it.
I’ll always want him. That’s a given. My body, heart, soul, all that makes me who I am, will forever ache for him whether he’s near or far. That’s a foregone conclusion my heart made long ago. But it’s that same addict’s heart that I refuse to give in to. For the moment, fuck my heart, I need peace of mind.
Beau finally finishes his meal, doing a half-decent job of cleaning Tobias up before he bounds off the chair to greet me. I bend and run my fingers over his ears as he bobs in front of me enthusiastically, telling me about his day.
When the TV blasts the introduction of a new episode of Storage Wars, Tobias jars awake, his eyes wild and on alert as he jerks into a sitting position. He searches the space, eyes widening in surprise when he sees me standing just inside the doorway. A sleepy, sexy as fuck smile graces his stubbled jaw before he realizes he’s been busted grazing on the foods he’d once forbidden me from eating. He quickly snatches some of the bags into his fist before hanging his head, a sheepish smile gracing his lips. “You’re judging me.”
“Abso-fucking-lutely, yes, I am.” I bob my head for emphasis.
“You’re home early.”
“Only by a half-hour.” Beau whines at my feet. “I guess I should thank you for feeding the dog.”
One side of his mouth lifts at my raised brow. “I’m deeply ashamed.”
“Uh huh.” I cut through the hilarity of the situation and inch closer in an attempt to read him. “Did you have another bad day?”
“No, not really.” He seems to search his thoughts before his face lights up. “Did you know there is a show about treasure hunters who bid on stranger’s storage rooms? Incredible what they find!” He slaps his thigh and widens his eyes with pure delight. “This we can binge-watch together.” He’s truly excited about this prospect, and it’s all I can do to keep from buckling with laughter.
“You truly have been living on an alternate planet, Mr. King.”
Flaming eyes rake over me, and he reaches out a hand, and I take it before he pulls me into him so I’m straddling his lap. “Too fucking far away from you,” he murmurs softly, pulling off my beanie before stretching his fingers through my hair. “You’re cold.” He cups my face in his hands before sliding them up and down my arms, creating friction to warm me. Leaning in, he presses his lips to mine briefly before he nuzzles my neck.
Sinking onto him, I get lost in the feel of his olive skin, the taut and deeply defined muscles along his shoulders. “You’re going to get a relationship gut and blame it on me.”
“I wouldn’t give a shit,” he says, squeezing my hand when I run it over his carb bloated belly.
“You are going to get some greys soon, too.” I lean in with a grin and press my cold nose to his. “You’re getting old.”
“I’ve got plenty of prime years left,” he scoffs, lifting me on his lap so I can feel his growing erection, “and when the grey comes in, I’m going to let myself go. Eat fried chicken and drink whole milk.”
“Ah, well, I have no say in this? I’ll be stuck with a chunky chicken-fried Frenchman?”
“You will love me anyway,” he says in his thick brogue, again nestling into my neck. “Even if I’m fat and grey.”
I tug at his unkept onyx hair for another shot of amber, unable to stop the slight movement of my hips over his thickening cock, my words conflicting with my need for more. “I prefer we wait a bit longer to let ear hair be an issue.”
He jostles me in his lap. “Oh, let’s have fried chicken for dinner.”
Narrowing my eyes, I glance at the end table and lift a brow when I see the little antique box. “You got into my emergency weed stash.”