Queenie
“You’re the first woman to let me do that more than once.”
“Yeah. Others always think it’s fucked up.”
“It’s hot,” she admitted. “Really hot.”
Boyd gripped her chin, tugging her in for a kiss. “I’d like to hold you before I leave.”
“That’d be great.”
Still naked, they tucked themselves beneath the covers, with Boyd sliding in close to her from behind.
His nose nuzzling behind her ear, Boyd traced his hand over her arm and elbow.
“Would you feel comfortable telling me what happened?” he softly asked, his thumb tracing the spot where a wrist should be.
“Amniotic bands. They wrapped around my hand in the womb. Doctors offered to do surgery while mom was still pregnant, but it was risky back then. My parents were scared to lose me all together.”
“Do you wish they would have taken that risk?” Then his beard scratched her shoulder as he shook his head. “I’m sorry; you don’t have to answer if you don’t want to.”
“It’s okay—no, I don’t. I’ve never known anything different. My parents raised me like any other child. I was never told I couldn’t do anything because of it.”
“They didn’t coddle you.”
“God, no—the total opposite. They hated it when people thought of me as less capable because of it.”
“That may have been the best thing they could have done.”
She relaxed into Boyd’s arms, loving the way he didn’t hesitate to touch every bit of her.
She’d noticed it when he’d made her hold on to him too.
It was refreshing, different from the hesitance other men had showed in the past. She let him spoil her for a little longer before he kissed her cheek and got out of bed.
As he collected his clothes, she dressed in hers again.
Leaning against the door frame, she watched as Boyd’s gorgeous body disappeared behind denim and cotton.
He stepped up to her, blocking her against the doorframe. “Don’t look so sad. You can call on me any time you like.”
“So, you’re good with more adventure dates?”
“You had me at ’more.’” Cupping her jaw, Boyd’s thumb caressed her cheek. “I know this—us—is unconventional. I’ll follow your lead. If you want to take this further, we will.”
“I’m a little rusty.”
Boyd threw his head back and laughed. “ You’re rusty? I’m the old man here.” And without another word, he kissed her forehead. “Call me, okay?”
“I will.”
Boyd swept her into his arms, capturing her mouth in a kiss that left her dizzy and breathless, needing to wrap her legs tight around his waist. They began to move, and she was only placed on her feet again by the front door.
“Be safe; message me when you’re home.”
“I will,” he promised and stepped out.
Once Queenie shut the door and latched the chain, she collapsed against the wood, hand over her pounding heart. This was going in a direction she hadn’t seen coming, and she was all for it.
“You did what?” Allison gasped, recovering her mug from where she’d just spilled her tea all over the counter.
“You heard me just fine,” Queenie chastised, having waited over an hour for Maggie to go to bed to share the news. Still, she repeated herself—if for no other reason than to solidify the idea to herself. “I spent the weekend in bed with my high school bully’s father.”
“Badass bitch,” Allison mumbled, mopping up her mess. “Are you going to see him again?”
“He said he would like that very much.”
“And how are you feeling about it?”
“Good. Though weird at the same time.” She reached for the Goldfish crackers Maggie had abandoned after dinner and helped herself. “Luka made my life hell and if I keep seeing Boyd, I’ll have to face him eventually.”
Allison slowly nodded, refilling her drink. “Well, he is the man’s son. How do you feel about the age gap? ”
“That doesn’t bother me. It could be worse than fifteen years, right?”
The garage door opened, pausing their conversation. Seeing his wife, Mikey went to set his work bags aside and pulled her into a kiss. “Don’t tell me you started gossiping with out me!”
Allison was quick to fill him in. “Our sweet innocent Queenie is contemplating dating her high school bully’s dad.”
Surprised, Mikey slowly turned his attention to Queenie. “You are?”
“Ah, the big, bad brother side is coming out,” Allison said, giving her husband a dreamy-eyed stare. Queenie knew that look far too well. “She already had a very adventurous weekend with him.”
“You have?”
Unable to hold his gaze, Queenie studied the silly crackers in her hand like she’d never seen them before. “Yeah.”
“Was he anything less than a perfect gentleman?”
Heat flooded Queenie’s face. “You mean when he wasn’t asking me to spread my legs? Yes. Yes, he was. We went to the zoo.”
Mikey was unfazed by Queenie’s lack of modesty. He crossed his arms, pinning her with a serious look. “But he didn’t do anything you didn’t want?”
If Allison was Queenie’s closest thing to a sister, Mikey was the big brother she’d never had. He always had her back, and was always filled in on the latest gossip. “He is very much into consent.”
Mikey nodded, bending down to kiss his wife again. “I need a shower. Don’t you dare continue that conversation without me.”
“I like when he gets all protective,” Allison swooned. “But he’s right: you don’t need to do anything you don’t feel okay with.”
“I know. Boyd was very adamant about that too.”
“If this is getting serious, I want to meet him. I know Mikey might feel better if he knew him too.”
“I’d like that. I don’t see any sense in continuing if he can’t get along with my friends.”
“I’m sure we can plan a barbeque or something whenever you feel ready.”
Allison and Mikey were like her second family. If they didn’t get along with Boyd, he was as good as gone. And God, she didn’t even want to think about him meeting her family. That was a problem for future Queenie.
The next evening, she scanned over her list of date ideas before settling on taking Boyd to Kemah. Boyd picked up the phone after only two rings.
“Queenie,” he hummed, rather out of breath. “What a pleasant surprise.”
“Are you busy? You sound breathless.”
“Just working out. Nothing more important than hearing your voice.”
Her heart fluttered, and she had to remind herself what she’d called about. “I was wondering if you were still free on Sunday?”
“I am.”
“I was hoping we could see the Kemah boardwalk.”
“Not NASA? ”
“I thought Kemah sounded like more fun.”
“I’m happy with either, as long as you’re by my side. What time would you like me to pick you up?”
“Kemah opens at noon, so maybe we can have brunch together first?”
“Don’t be so shy, Queenie. Of course I’ll have brunch with you.”
“Well when you put it like that, can’t I just skip the stuffy restaurant and eat at your place?”
He let out one of his gorgeous laughs. “Yes, you can.”
“I’ll drive to you and we can leave from there.”
“I’ll be looking forward to it all week.”
“What do you need me to bring?”
“Nothing but your beautiful self.”
She grinned and bit her lip. “Will you let me know if that changes?”
“I will.”
“I’ll see you Sunday.”
“I can’t wait.”
Queenie ended the call, holding her phone to her chest and willing her heart to slow before it spontaneously combusted.