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“I’mjust telling you thatI’mnot pressuring you into anything.I’mhere, andIwant you.Wheneveryou tell me you want me,I’llbe right here, baby.”
“I’mnot begging you for sex.”
“Youdon’t have to beg me.Justtell me you want it.AndIwon’t stop making you come until you tell me to.Doyou want to tell me you want it?”
“No.”
“Okay.Goodnight, baby,” he whispers in my ear before pressing his lips to my temple.
Idon’t know what to say or what to think.Ionly know how good it feels to be in his arms again.
* * *
Thenext morning,my alarm wakes us up bright and early.Afterall these years,Istill haven’t quite adjusted to waking up around four o’clock in the morning.
WhileJacksonpulls on his jeans and takesOatsout to pee,Igrab some clothes, sneak into the bathroom to shower, and lock the door behind me.Bythe timeIemerge from the bathroom with wet hair and enough makeup for the bakery,Jackson’salready retrieved his clothes from my room, so at least wherever he is, he should be dressed.
Neitherof us says much for most of the drive to the bakery kitchen.
“Ibought it for you.”
“Boughtwhat for me?”
“Thebakery we saw yesterday.Thefirst one.”
“What?Ididn’t want you to buy it for me.”
“Youneeded a bakery space.Isaw how terrible the places you were looking at are.AndIdon’t want you in a place like that.Yougetting to the bakery at five in the morning in a neighborhood like that?Nothappening.”
“Jackson, what are you not getting about this?Youdon’t get a say.Actually, you can have a say.I’mnot going to tell you that you can’t have an opinion.Youjust can’t have it around me.BecauseIdon’t care.Thisismydecision aboutmybusiness.Youneed to cancel the sale.Orreturn it, or something.”
“Ialready bought it.Itcloses next month, but the lease to rent it until we close starts today.It’spaid for.Insured.It’sall yours.”
“Howis it even possible to do anything that quickly?Doesn’tit have to go through escrow?Whateverthat is…”
“Imay have greased the wheels a bit.Ididn’t want you to worry about your next step.Ladycakeshas a new home.”
“Idon’t want it, andIdon’t accept it.”
“That’syour decision.Ican’t make you do anything you don’t want to do.Butit’s a hell of a waste, if you ask me.Justhaving the place sitting there empty.Whenit could be a place for the community to come together.Getsome baked goods.Getsome coffee.”
“Ifit’s so bad for the community, then you should probably sell it to someone who can use it.”
“Can’tsell it.”
“Whynot?You’rejust being a stubborn… jackass!”
“Can’tsell it becauseIdon’t own it.”
“Youjust told me that you bought it.”
“Idid.Butit’s your name on the title.”
“I…Idon’t want it.”
“Toobad.”
Ican’t wrap my head around a gift this big.Whywould he do this?Whateverhe paid for the bakery, it was way, way more than the two-hundred-and-fifty-thousand dollars he’s supposed to pay me when the contract is up.
