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After another pause, I said, “You didn’t ask, but I want you to know I’m quitting prostitution.” He met my gaze, and I explained, “It’s different now that I’m part of a couple. For one thing, I wouldn’t ask you to look the other way while I broke the law. Also, that sting operation was a reminder that I really could go to jail, and I don’t want to take that risk. But most of all, I just don’t want to sleep with anyone but you. So, I’m officially retired.”
“I wasn’t expecting that.”
“You weren’t?”
He shook his head. “You said you liked that job.”
“It was always meant to be temporary though, a means to an end. I actually started doing it so I could save up enough money to get an apartment of my own, but I don’t want that anymore.”
“I didn’t know you’d wanted to move out. Aren’t you happy at George’s house?”
“I love it there, but it was so hard being that close to you, day in and day out, and believing you’d never be mine,” I explained. “I was dying to touch you, and kiss you, and hold you, but I couldn’t do any of that and it was tearing me apart.”
“Yeah, I know exactly what that’s like.” Eden kissed my forehead, and after a few moments he said, “I was just thinking—now that we’re officially a couple, and since we’ve both been tested, we don’t really need to use condoms, do we?”
“Technically no, but don’t you want to for your own peace of mind? You know I’ve slept with a lot of people.”
“I’m fine without them,” he said. “It’s up to you, though. If you’re more comfortable using them—”
“No, you’re right. We don’t need them.” I grinned at him and added, “That’s some next-level commitment stuff right there.”
“I’m yours, Seth. I don’t want to be with anyone else.”
My grin widened. “That’s literally the best thing I’ve ever heard. And in case I haven’t made this clear—same.”
Eden and I spent the rest of the day lounging around and talking about anything and everything that came to mind. Late that night, with the rain still coming down steadily outside, he wrapped himself around me like a shell and whispered, “Today was perfect.”
I kissed his shoulder and murmured, “It really was.”
Chapter 9
The next day, we woke up to blue skies. It was definitely cold out, but the sun streaming through the windows made us happy.
Eden and I were in the habit of working out six days a week, so we got dressed in shorts, tank tops, and sneakers, then rearranged the living room furniture so we’d have enough room to exercise. I didn’t think we’d end up getting much of a workout, but I was wrong, because I’d forgotten we were both ridiculously competitive.
Everything turned into a contest, from who could do the most sit-ups, pushups, squats, and lunges to who could skip rope the longest. Afterwards, as I sprawled out on the wood floor, sweaty and gasping for breath, I muttered, “My heart’s going to explode. I regret telling you I had a jump rope.”
Eden stood over me with his hands on his hips and grinned. The fucker was barely winded. “You should start running with me. It’s great cardio.”
“We’ve been over this. I wasn’t built to run.” I sat up and started my cooldown routine with some stretches.
“What are you basing that on? I’m taller and heavier than you are, and I run just fine.”
“But you’re a different kind of big. You’re basically a tiger, and I’m a bear. Where you’re quick and graceful, I’m slow and lumbering.”
“I’ve seen you dance, so I totally disagree with that assessment. Anybody who can move like you do on the dancefloor is far from lumbering.”
“Flattery still won’t get me to run,” I said. He held out his hand and helped me up, and we both spent the next few minutes stretching and cooling down.
I took off my tank top and used it to wipe the sweat from my face. When I glanced at Eden, he was staring at my body. “Sorry,” he mumbled. “My brain shuts off every time you get undressed.”
I flashed him a flirtatious smile. “No need to apologize. I like it when you stare.” I took off my shoes and socks, dropped my shorts to the floor, and stepped out of them. Then I turned and sauntered to the bedroom, giving him a view of my ass in my sexy, red jockstrap. A sound that was close to a growl slipped from him, and he rushed after me.
He caught me just as I reached the bed and took me down in a tackle, which made me laugh. As he pinned me face-down to the mattress and caressed my ass, he asked, “Do you have any idea what you do to me?”
