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“There was one night when I woke up after a nightmare, and he found me in the kitchen. He didn’t say a word until I was ready to talk. The whole thing was so sweet. I fell apart in front of him. The man has the patience of a saint though. He asked me what I was doing to help with the nightmares and the anxiety attacks, but honestly, I didn’t have a solution at that time.”
“How did that lead you to getting involved with Alvaro then?” she asks.
“We started doing kink scenes together and he started to teach me the ropes, literally.”
Thinking back to those early days with Alvie makes me smile. “It started off with small things, like doing breathing exercises while he practiced rope cuffs on me, and it turned into experimenting with things like body harnesses and suspension and all sorts of different things.”
“Did it help?”
“Yeah.” I smile. “The more we played, the more practice I got in just kind of letting go in the moment. It’s really taught me to focus on my body and my breathing. It’s almost like meditation at this point for me.”
“So have y’all been together since then?” Naomi questions, looking adorable as she listens to me on the other side of the phone.
“No. A few months after I moved in with Alvie, I had saved up enough and I got my own place in the city, but we would still meet up every weekend at the club. I think for him, it was a purely kink relationship at first, but I fell for him quickly. He’s just such a good human, you know?”
She nods and continues to listen to me ramble on about my and Alvie’s relationship history and a lot about our dynamic. All the while, she absorbs everything like a sponge that’s perpetually dry.
We talk through most of the movie about anything and everything. Past relationships, her schooling, my yoga practice, and so much more.
Hearing about how stressful school is for her, I promise to start sending her photos of the horses and other animals on the farm. Especially when she’s having a hard day and needs to see something cute.
Eventually, lights flash through the windows from Alvaro’s truck, and I look at the clock, realizing how late it is.
“Alvie just got home. Do you want to say hi?” I ask her, looking up to find the movie ended long ago.
“Yeah, that would be great,” she says quietly.
Alvie comes in through the back door, takes off his cowboy hat, and comes over to where I sit on the couch to give me a kiss on the forehead.
“How was your date?” he asks. “Are you leaving me for her yet? Should I rent you a trailer and start packing for your move?”
“Still going on.” I chuckle. “Say hi to Naomi, Alvie.”
Alvie’s eyes grow wide, but he dutifully comes around the couch to face Naomi, who sits in my screen.
“Hello, Naomi.”
“Oh, don’t be so formal, Alvie. Silly man.” I laugh under my breath.
“I’m just being polite.” He blushes under his deep tan.
“Hi, Alvaro. How was your meeting?” Naomi asks.
“Brutal. A bunch of rich white men sitting in a circle, stroking their own egos.” He groans. “If I didn’t love the sport so much, I’d leave and never turn back.”
“What is it you do?” Naomi asks curiously.
Alvie settles in beside me, pulling my body so it’s flush with his own. “I’m on the board of directors for the rodeo and one of the judges for the livestock show. We had a board meeting tonight since we’re only a little over two months out.”
“That’s so cool. How did you get involved in that?”
“Oh, Alvie’s a tried-and-true cowboy. He is a champion tie-down roper and has won all sorts of competitions,” I say, gushing over my partner and his accomplishments.
Naomi’s light laughter filters through the phone. “I have no idea what that means, but it sounds like you enjoyed it?”
“I loved it.” A softness takes over Alvie’s face. “Still do. It’s the only reason I put up with those fools.”
An idea forms, and my body vibrates with excitement. “You should come down for the rodeo and see it for yourself! We can show you the livestock show and watch the rodeo events.”
