20. Shay
SHAY
“Is he still having fun? I feel like he looks annoyed that we’re still outside.” Matt laughs, talking about Kyle practically pouting on the final stretch of our walk.
I chuckle, glad to hear Matt laugh tonight. “Kyle can be a grumpy boy past his bedtime. He prefers to be tucked in at a sharp nine p.m., tucked beneath a blanket with his head on the pillow.”
“Sounds like a guy with his priorities straight.” Matt holds on to his leash, which is loosely hanging between them.
“Oh, yeah.” I grin, looking at my sweet rescue mutt who has taken over my heart. “He’s the best boy.”
I can feel the shift in the air before Matt says another word, a heaviness that skates over my shoulders as we approach my apartment building.
“I’m so glad I’m here right now, with you.”
This pulls my gaze up to his sorrowful blue eyes, hooded with the weight of the day.
“Me too.”
“Are you hungry?” he asks, as if he’s just now realizing how late it is. “I can order some food in. It’s the least I could do.”
My stomach grumbles, and Matt’s eyes widen, falling to the food monster. “Pizza?”
“Pizza sounds great.” He grins, retrieving his phone. “Mozellos? Best in the city.”
My stomach rumbles again when I hear the name of my favorite pizzeria.
“Yes, absolutely.” I reach over and take the leash from Matt so he can type. “Now, we might have to prepare for our first fight because …” I blow out a playfully intense breath. “What’s your go-to pizza?”
He winces. “I’m scared to tell you.”
I gasp. “Oh God, is it something gross? Don’t ruin this.” I gesture between us. “We have such a good thing going.”
He opens the door for me, and Kyle leads the way inside. “It’s … pepperoni.”
I glare at him. “I hate you. But thank God it’s not something like anchovies.”
“Okay.” He scoffs like he’s offended. “I only have anchovy pizza on Sundays.”
“And I hate you even more.” I giggle as we step into the elevator. “Pepperoni sounds great, by the way.”
“Perfect.” He beams, typing into his phone. “It’ll be here in thirty-ish minutes.”
“Oh, they’re fast tonight,” I say shockingly. “Usually, it takes a good hour.”
“I guess they heard that my girlfriend is starving to death.” He shrugs, and my cheeks burst into flames as I whip my head toward him. “Unless you don’t want to have that title …”
My hand finds his mouth, silencing whatever was about to follow. “No, I’m happy with it.” I grin, feeling his smile tip up beneath my hand. “And I’m keeping it. No takesies-backsies.”
Gently, he guides my hand down and away from his face. “Good.”
“Good,” I quickly reply, spinning to the opening elevator doors. “Good.”
Why am I suddenly nervous, like a teenage girl talking to her crush for the first time?
I have ridden this man’s face, held him while he cried, comforted him through hell.
I should not be as nervous as I am when we walk down the hallway and into the sanctitude of my apartment.
But I am because the hottest guy known to man is walking in behind me, calling me his girlfriend.
“Are you good if I crash here? I promise to behave,” he mutters, shutting the door behind him as I unhook Kyle’s leash from his collar and set him free to torment his poor toys.
Glancing back at him, I kick my tennis shoes off. “Of course. I figured you already were, honestly.”
“I didn’t want to assume or invite myself.” He strides over to me, walking with me to my bedroom. “But thank you.”
“You don’t need to thank me. If anything, I usually get cold at night, and having you beside me is selfish for my own body heat.” I shrug, glancing back to see a shit-eating grin on his face.
He chuckles. “Good to know. Pure selfish motivations—that’s just the way you roll.”
I nod. “Obviously. It’s what I’m known for.” Among other things.
A yawn takes over me, and I stretch my arms above my head. I’m so tired. I need pizza … maybe some cuddles, and then sleep.
Matt walks behind me, circling his arms around my waist and pulling me flush into the front of his firm body. “I’m scared of what will happen. What if—”
“Shh,” I cut him off calmly, wrapping my arms around myself, holding him back. “It doesn’t matter. We’ll navigate it together. No matter what.”
He presses his lips into the back of my head. “What if he doesn’t ever remember me again?”
My heart cracks into two at his question. A horrifying thought that I hate he even had to think of. I can’t imagine being in his shoes tonight.
“He will,” I assure him, knowing it’s not a promise I can make. “Dementia comes in waves. It was getting late in the day; that’s the worst time of day for the disease—you know that. I bet he’ll know your name tomorrow. He loves you—don’t forget that.”
He sniffles, and I’m wondering if that’s why he approached me like this—so I didn’t have to see him cry again. Although he knows I would never judge him for that.
“You’re right. There are good days and bad ones. This one just hit really fucking hard.” His words fall away to a whisper.
“I know.” Leaning back against his chest, I let him hold me, snuggle me, kiss my head as much as he needs to get his fill.
Eventually, he turns his affections to Kyle, who is happy to be bathed in love, as I turn on a movie. We wait for our pizza to arrive, only to devour the whole thing. By the time Matt cleans the box and the small mess, I’m utterly exhausted as we walk into my bedroom.
“I’d give you a pair of my pajamas, but I don’t think they’d fit you well.” I laugh, digging into my sleep clothes drawer and retrieving a pink set of a button-up shirt and frilly shorts.
“Rude. You’re just scared I might rock them.” he teases me as he strips his slacks off, the button-up to follow until he stands there in only his black boxers and chain.
My God, what a view.
We climb into bed, and Kyle profusely protects the new addition to our sleeping arrangement, side-eyeing Matt every chance he gets as he struggles to nest in between our legs.
Matt’s breathing fills my ears as I stare at the ceiling, the only light in the room cast from the exposed window. “I’m really glad you’re here tonight,” I tell him, turning my head to find him already looking my way.
He smiles, rolling on his side to fully face me, his arm snaking beneath my head. “Me too.”
His stare consumes me, admiring me like I’m truly the only thing in the entire world.
I swear my body drifts toward him of its own accord, until I feel his other arm snake around my waist, and my head lies flush against his chest. My body fits perfectly in his, like I was made to lay right here and he was made to hold me.
My eyes drift closed, and his breathing slows, his chin resting at the top of my head.
I slide my arm around his waist, the other tucked up between us.
Nothing in the world can touch us right now.
Not the emotions of today, not the fear of tomorrow.
Right now, it’s just us and Kyle in our own perfect little bubble, and that’s exactly how we stay as Matt’s breathing evens out and he falls asleep, with me only mere seconds behind him.
Music fills the room, and I blink away the remnants of my dream, the light hitting my face damn near blinding as my eyes flutter open. God, I slept so hard.
I stretch my shoulders, feeling heat flutter against my back, and reality slams into me as I remember that the warmth at my back isn’t Kyle. It’s Matt.
His voice is a raspy tease in my ear, and I think I might combust into flames from the sexy hoarseness as he clears his throat and says, “Good morning, Rooney.”
“Good morning,” I murmur, my voice raspy and soft for other reasons than it being early in the morning. “Sleep okay?”
He stretches, groaning into my ear, and I fist the blanket in my hands.
“Honestly? The best I’ve ever slept. I might have to stay here forever.”
“Okay,” I exhale, willing to agree to pretty much anything he says right now. “Sounds good to me.”
His hand shifts from my waist to my hip, and I suck in a breath as he chuckles deeply.
“You seem pretty excited for someone who just woke up. Having good dreams?”
Wiggling my hips, I press back into him, feeling his own excitement grind against me. “Better now actually.”
“Oh, really?” He chuckles breathily. “You are going to drive me insane. Especially if you keep doing that.”
Biting on my bottom lip, I swivel my hips, tipping my head back into his chest. “Oops.”
His fingers dig into my hip. “Fuck, Shay.”
My phone rings, and I jump from the sharp interruption. “Jesus.”
“Who is calling you right now?” he groans. “I’m going to kill them.”
I giggle, reaching over to my nightstand and grabbing my phone. “It’s my mom,” I tell him right before answering. “Hello?”
“Hey, sweetie. We are on our way up to grab Kyle.” My eyes bulge out of my head, and I fly off of my bed, spinning around to face Matt as blood rushes to my brain. “Just wanted to make sure you were up and moving.”
“Shit,” I curse, and my mom chuckles. “Yeah, you’re on your way up. I’ll see—I’ll see you in just a second.”
“Okay. Love you—”
I hang up the phone, panic overtaking me, and once again, I feel like a teenager, but this time getting caught by her parents with a boy in her room.
“Stay in here. My parents are coming up to get Kyle. They watch him every now and then for granddog time.”
Matt is grinning ear to ear as I panic, stripping out of my pajamas and throwing on leggings and a hoodie. He is far too calm right now.
“You’re cute when you’re worried.”
He watches me like I’m his own personal entertainment, and I walk over, grabbing the pillow he’s lying on and pulling it out from under him.
“Get up. Hide in the closet or something,” I order him, feeling far too flustered this early in the morning. A knock sounds on the door. “Oh God, too late. Just … stay in here.”
He clicks his tongue. “So, what, only you get to meet the parents? Hypocrite.”
“You are damn near naked in my apartment right now, in my bed. Much different circumstances, don’t you think!?” I scoff, throwing my hair into a ponytail as I race out of my room to the front door. “Coming!”