Chapter 11 #3
We’d advertised the party as lasting from six to nine p.m., so the majority of the folks left at that point, including Mom and Auntie Judy, who wandered back to their cottage with another bottle of wine.
Roger and Kendall offered to walk them back, but they refused.
Instead, we watched them from the front porch until they got to their door and disappeared inside.
A few of the couples from town who’d joined us seemed to be a little unsure about the same-gender dance partners, but they were respectful. If they would have stayed any longer, they would have gotten an eyeful.
I used my phone to turn the music back on, and the five of us, plus Ezra and Olly, and Finn and Jim, got right back to dancing.
“You looked like you were having fun,” I said to Kendall.
“Yeah, we used to go dancing a lot when I was in the Navy. Lots of sailor bars in Florida. Lots of two-step and swing dancing. My wife liked to go sometimes, if we could get a sitter.”
“Do you still keep in contact with her?” I wasn’t sure why I was asking about his ex-wife, but I wanted to know everything about him, past, present, and future. She was a damn lucky woman, although I could understand that with kids, it would’ve been hard to have him gone all the time.
“Occasionally. She’s been with a guy for a long time, but I think I turned her off the idea of marriage. Funny story, he was a firefighter in my department at one point. I was smart enough to not remind her that she hated a firefighter’s schedule. I wanted to keep the peace.”
“And your daughter lives with her?”
“Some of the time. Shay lives in an apartment with some other kids near her university. She’ll be here in a few days. You ready for that?”
I grinned. “To gang up on you? Absolutely.”
He slapped a hand to his forehead. “I walked right into that.”
“You did. I’d understand, though, if you weren’t ready to tell her about us?”
He raised an eyebrow and then bent to take my mouth with a thorough kissing, which was apparently his answer to my query. His kisses had me ready to climb him once more. When he stopped for air, it was all I could do to hold my head up. My whole body had gone liquid.
“Does that answer your question?”
“That you’re the best kisser ever? Yes. But are you sure?”
“I told you, she’ll have opinions, but my life is my life, and you’re in my life. I loved hearing you tell Finn about us.”
“You heard that? I thought you were too busy seducing my mom.”
He let his head fall back as he laughed. “No way. I meant it. She’d be too much for me.”
“And I’m not?” I was only sort of joking. The last thing I wanted to do was give him more grief.
He held my face in his hands. “Francis, you’re exactly enough. The right amount. You’re all I want. Everything I could possibly want.”
Kendall and I swayed to “Don’t Dream it’s Over,” just as we had at Pride.
Then the vibe switched and it was time to get down.
Derek and I rapped along to Saweetie while our guys moved with us.
We started grinding to Bad Bunny, and shirts came off when Ricky Martin came on.
Ezra and Olly said good night around ten, followed soon after by Jim and Finn, who promised to set up more dance socials because “damn.”
Next thing I knew, Derek, Arnie, and Roger slinked off to the guest room upstairs, and that left Kendall and I alone. Selena’s “Dreaming of You,” was playing, and he held me close, singing in my ear.
I was blissfully happy. Not only had the evening been perfect, but Kendall was here, in my arms, so real, and I wasn’t afraid. He was all mine, and he wanted me. Our negotiations had gotten us to this point, and I had no regrets, no concerns, only desire.
“I don’t mean to be presumptuous,” he murmured. “But shall we take this upstairs like, ahem, the others have?”
“They’re so funny.” I shook off the lusty haze I’d been in and looked down to where Kendall’s thigh disappeared between mine, to where he was supporting my hip rolls with a strong hand on my waist and an arm around my back.
I could feel and see just how turned on Kendall was, and I smiled.
“Actually, want to go back to your place? I know you probably want to be close in case your animals need you.”
He reached up and caressed my jaw. “I appreciate that, baby, but they’re safe under Alberto’s watchful eye.”
“Alberto?”
“Hmm? Oh, yeah. Have I not introduced you two yet? He’s the grad student who stays at the house while I’m on shift. That’s his Honda Ridgeline out front.”
“Oh. Oh. Then yes. Let’s go upstairs.”
I turned off the music and lights downstairs, and turned the speakers on in my room and changing to a mellow playlist. Then I armed the alarm and took Kendall by the hand.
We climbed the stairs together, stealing blissed-out glances and sharing hungry smiles.
I shushed him when we passed Derek’s door, and we had to cover our giggles when we heard an awful lot of moaning.
“Good luck, Derek,” Kendall said, shaking his head.
“‘Three-ways are genetic.’” I snorted. “I’m perfectly happy with us.”
Kendall laughed and grabbed my ass. “Good. I have a feeling I’m going to need the modest amount of swag I’ve got to keep you satisfied.”
“Bet.”