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“I don’t. Especially men. We blow it all the time because we have no idea what to get so we end up getting you flowers from the gas station. We’re completely clueless. We have no idea what to get you and when we think about disappointing you, we become paralyzed. It’s a problem. A male problem.”
“Just because you aren’t a good gift giver, doesn’t mean that half the human population isn’t either. Or that people would pay for my help.” I gently push him away from the closet, closing the bi-fold doors behind us. I don’t want to stand here all day talking about my gift-giving… habit. Maybe it’s more like a compulsion. “I have a dresser you can use. I’ll throw all of my out-of-season stuff into a box and take it to my parents’ for a while, just to clear up some space for you. Besides, if I don’t take a shower before we have to leave for work, I certainly won’t get tipped very well.”
I try to shove his words out of my head while I get ready for my shift, focusing instead on how good it should feel to have gotten him some things to wear and a place to stay. I’m going to be a pharmacist. Everyone has already decided—it’s not something I can turn my back on now. Thinking about anything else would be setting myself up for disappointment.
But try as I might, I can’t stop wondering if Weston might be right. If other people would value my skills enough for me to make a living. And if that would be the thing that makes me happy.
Chapter Twelve
Weston
I could get used to this. Maybe not staying in such a cramped space, sleeping on a too-small fold-out couch from IKEA with another full-sized adult human being. It feels like I’m staying at one of those efficiency hotels for Japanese businessmen that you see on travel shows. But I could get used to the company. It’s been a nice change, having someone around who cares and who doesn’t need anything from me. It’s not like we don’t do things for each other—the occasional glass of water or snack from the kitchen when someone is up, putting each other’s clothes in the hamper, or starting the shower so it has time to warm up. But they all feel equal. Like we’re working together and operating as a whole. Instead of relying on someone.
Which is why I feel bad asking Elowyn for a real favor.
“Am I able to borrow your laptop?” I ask, awkwardly. “I have to sign a bunch of electronic forms for my insurance guy, and it’s not letting me do it on my phone. I’d use my own, but the sprinklers fried it completely. Just bricked the thing.”
“No, sorry,” Elowyn mumbles around her toothbrush. She was at work far later than me last night. They’re treating the bar for termites today, so the waitstaff had to stay behind and wrap everything in plastic before they left. It took her an extra two hours, and the sleep she got this morning was barely enough. She kept nodding off while eating dinner, and I can tell by the look on her face that she’s going to crash out any second now.
“I get it, I’m a pretty private guy. I can just go to the library or something in the morning—”
“Oh, no. I didn’t mean like that,” she clarifies, walking from the bathroom to the living area. There’s a splotch of toothpaste on the side of her lip, and without thinking, I lean over and wipe it away for her. “I would totally let you use mine if it worked. That thing is busted, and I haven’t gotten around to replacing it.”
“Do you still have it? I wouldn’t mind taking a look at it.”
She reaches into the shelves underneath the TV and hands me a recent model laptop. It doesn’t look too beat up. “Suit yourself, hackerman. I’m not long for this world. If I stay awake any longer, I’m going to start seeing things.”
When I see her scrunched-up nose and her hands tucked under her neck, my body tightens and I want to slide into bed beside her, but I don’t. Shit, we both just survived a fire. Maybe I can bury my head between her legs when she wakes up. Instead of what I want to do, I make sure to lower the lights and close the blackout curtains so she can get some rest. Then I go sit with her computer on one of the kitchen stools, so the screen doesn’t bother her. She’s a light sleeper, and I don’t want to do anything to disturb her.
Before I get to work, I stare at Elowyn. The faintest ray of light struggles through the drapes and falls across the planes of her face. She looks like an angel. I’m not sure why the Universe dropped a girl like her into my lap, but I’m not going to question it right now. I am, however, dreading the day when she finds out who and what I really am. But until then, I’m going to enjoy her even though I know she’ll eventually run screaming from me like the monster I am. And that thought puts a damper on my contentment of just being with her and fantasizing about what I’ll do to her when she wakes up.
Because as far as the future goes, I just can’t see a way toward it. Elowyn is everything sweet and innocent and she deserves far better than someone like me—a man tainted with the stain of circumstance.
Blowing out a breath, I stare at the laptop like it’s a puzzle I can solve. I haven’t done much serious work with computers lately, but as with most things, I like being handy and knowing how to repair and operate the things I buy. When I used to be holed up in my room hoping my stepfather didn’t come after me or mom, I learned how to do things for myself. Now, I’m glad I did because I’m the only one I can rely on. With living here and allowing Elowyn to take care of me a bit, I’d do well to remember it before I soften too much and become weak. Being weak is never good for a man like me. I can recognize the issue almost immediately. She left it plugged in all the time and the battery swelled, which burned out the hard drive.
There’s a pawn shop a few streets over, and they don’t close for another hour. I know one of the guys who works over there. We used to work at the same burger joint way back when. All I have to do is give them a call. Not only does he have a used one I can buy for parts, he’ll hold on to it for me until I get over there. I double-check that Elowyn is totally out before I slide on my shoes, and I close the door as quietly as I can.
She’s still asleep when I come back. It’s a quick repair, less than an hour, and a few minutes of diagnostics to make sure it works for good. I even give it a good wipe down and blow some compressed air between the keys to clean out all the gunk before leaving it on the counter where I’m sure she’ll see it in the morning. When I climb into bed next to her, I do so feeling good about myself. As if she knew I was coming, she grinds her ass into my groin.
My heart races as I take in her scent and the warmth radiating from her body. She pushes back harder, looking for more of me, and I can feel my pulse quickening. With a little moan, she rolls over and I can’t stop myself. I haven’t really thought about much else since the first time I tasted her. But the kitchen fire... well, it put a damper on any further activities for a few days. My cock twitches beneath my boxer briefs as I shimmy down the bed, then come back up by trailing kisses up the curves of her thighs.
I hover there, right where I want to be, just enjoying the sight of my girl with her legs falling open in invitation. After sliding her lacy panties to the side, I slip one finger inside her slick heat and drag it through her folds until she twitches. I don’t know what she’s dreaming about, but it’s got her all hot and bothered. I hope it’s me. Elowyn murmurs in her sleep before finally waking with a gasp when I dip my head and my tongue slides against her.
“Weston... oh, my God!” She reaches down to run her fingers through my hair, guiding me closer as deep moans escape and make my dick thicken. I switch between teasing licks and long strokes, pressing deeper and faster each time. Her hips buck up against my mouth, and she whimpers out an incoherent plea for more.
I could do this all night. I could do this forever.
I’m more than a little worried about how quickly I’m becoming addicted to her.
The way she smells. The way she looks at me when she thinks I can’t see her. The way her nipples pebble when I stare at her for a heartbeat too long.
Before Elowyn, I never went back for seconds. I never wanted to. Now I want to eat her sweet pussy like it’s my fucking favorite food until I explode.
“You taste amazing,” I say against her swollen flesh. “I’ve been thinking about doing this all day. I couldn’t wait until the morning.”
Keeping both hands on her hips to steady them, I continue devouring every inch of her until she screams out in pleasure as she comes apart on my tongue. I soothe her through the peak and then the little tremors, mumbling how much I love licking her and what a good girl she is when she comes so hard for me. Heat radiates off her skin and her dreamy, satisfied smile makes me smile too.
After climbing up the mattress, I tuck her in the crook of my arm. She reaches back to find my hand and hold it.
