Page 96 of Midlife Crisis

“Let’s not step ahead of ourselves,” I say, descending the final steps into the kitchen. There is one thing I’m confident Hank will celebrate, although I’m nervous to tell him.

“Life is one step at a time.” Hank winks at me. “I’m ready to climb.”

I smile and he bites his lip. We try to keep the PDA on the downlow in front of the boys but sometimes I just want to tackle him despite them. Lately, I seem out of control with sexual need but I now know the reason in addition to my insatiable attraction to him.

“What are we having for dinner to celebrate?” Liam asks.

“Hot dogs,” Hank says, completely serious. “In a hallway.”

I sputter my orange juice, choking a bit as I glare at Hank. Memories of the night before flip through my mind. Elston’s eyes narrow before he groans, adding an ew with an eye roll. He gets the joke. He’s seen We’re the Millers.

“I like hot dogs,” Liam says and Hank chuckles.

“I don’t know what we’re having yet, but time for school young men.” Hank’s taken to calling my boys this and Liam loves it. Elston likes to pretend he doesn’t, but I think he secretly does. The boys shuffle out the door with wishes for a good school year.

“What time is the call again?” Hank asks.

“Ten.”

He glances at the clock on the stove. He goes to Restored Dreams around nine. It’s only seven. Suddenly, he looks over at me. I recognize the expression in those silvery eyes.

“How you feeling about the call?”

“Good,” I lie. I’m nervous, but it’s a good nervous—exciting even. He rounds the island slowly and my stomach flutters. I like how he looks at me, like he could devour me. He had his way with me last night, but I seem to be ready to be his again. He reaches out to brush my hair behind my ear.

“You got this.” He’s been saying this for weeks. I have to admit, he’s a confidence booster. My eyes drift to the array of items littering the island for lunchmaking. He let me sleep in. I’ve been extra tired lately.

“You’re kind of good to me,” I tease, slipping my arms around his waist.

“You’re good for me,” he retorts before his mouth finds mine. I love his kisses, long and languid, and within moments, he’s passed the seam of my lips for tongue. Without missing a beat, I’m lifted to the counter and hear the clank of jars and crinkle of a bread package shoved aside to make way for me. I’m all for making love on this counter but there’s something I need to tell him, and today seems like the perfect day.

I pull back slowly, lingering on his mouth before he travels to my jaw.

“Hank, honey,” I begin, telling myself not to get lost in his lips on my skin. “I need to tell you something.”

“Sure, little lady.” His mouth continues a trail to my chest and my robe is drawn aside to reveal swollen globes longing for his attention. He mutters against my breast. “I love your tits.”

“They love you,” I giggle, but gently wrap my hands on the sides of his head and force him to look up at me. “Hank, I have to be serious a second.”

With this his head shoots up. Sitting on the counter, I’m more equal with his height and his eyes level with mine.

“Talk to me.” I love the intensity in his tone. He wants to listen to me although I’m hoping what I say isn’t really an issue of concern.

“Remember how I said I wanted to be somebody’s someone?”

Hank’s head twists and his eyes narrow. The silver dulls to gray. “Yeah.”

I cup his cheeks to comfort the concern I see in those eyes.

“How would you feel about being somebody important to someone else?”

Hank gasps. His brows shooting up to his hairline. “I don’t want to be with anybody else.”

I chuckle though his fear is not funny. “No, honey. I mean a different kind of someone. Maybe a little someone.” I’m willing him to understand although I can see he doesn’t. “Maybe a little girl someone.”

His forehead furrows. A deep crease forming between his brows.

“A little girl someone?” He continues to question me with troubled eyes.