37. I Never Took A Boy Home Before
I Never Took A Boy Home Before
Bree
‘O h my gosh, you had long hair.’ I stare wide-eyed and slack-jawed at the photo on Arlo’s phone. We’re on the couch, my back to his chest, him in just sweatpants, me in just his shirt, and Beans content and snoring on the floor next to us.
We cleaned up in the shower together, and I tried to explain what had me so emotional, but the words weren't there because it was just an explosion; relief, comfort, pleasure, the sparks firing as two halves connected as a whole again after so long apart.
Arlo made us lunch, and we spent the afternoon fooling around. Now, we’re relaxing into each other’s company and filling in some of the blanks from the past twenty years.
‘Yeah, I just let it grow when I was in prison and then kept it long for a while once I was out,’ he grumbles, but I can’t take my eyes off the photograph. He told me my grandma took it on his phone. She made him pose out the front of his garage the day he got the keys. He’s dressed no different to every other day, in a black t-shirt and perfectly fitting jeans, but his hair, which I’ve only ever seen short, hangs long and straight around his face.
‘You look hot.’
He laughs behind me. ‘Well, I acted like I was hot shit back then. That guy,’ he reaches out over my shoulder and takes the phone from my hand, ‘was a dick.’
Laughing, I relax back against him and soften as his huge arms wrap around me.
‘Now, will you tell me what it was like for you in there?’
He inhales deeply, and I wait for the exhale. When it comes, the rush of air tickles my ear.
‘It was okay.’ He surprises me with his words, and I wait for more. ‘I was lucky. The club has its fingers in a lot of pies, and they pulled a lot of strings. I got a lesser sentence than I should have. I got a cell to myself, and nobody touched me in there. I had brothers from the club already in there and they treated me like fuckin’ royalty. They made it clear to everyone not to try anything with me.’ I swallow hard and rub my hand along the strong forearm crossing my chest. ‘I was angry though, you know, I was in a bad place. They weren’t trying it with me, but I was trying it with them.’ Turning my head a little, I see him clench his jaw. ‘I was getting into fights at first. I pushed people so hard they ignored my protection just so I could feel something, release some of what I was feeling.’
‘Is that when you broke your nose?’
He huffs out a laugh behind my back. ‘You noticed that.’
‘I know your face, Arlo. I spent a lot of time looking at it.’
‘Yeah, I got pretty busted up.’ He laughs again. ‘By one of the guys protecting me.’ I turn my head to look up at him again, shocked. ‘He got sick of my shit and put me firmly in my place before dragging my ass to the kitchen and telling them to give me a job.’
‘Really? Were you okay?’
‘Yeah, I needed it, and I learned to cook, then I learned to love to cook, then I started studying cooking, and it gave me a focus and a dream to walk out of those doors with.’
‘A dream? You wanted to cook on the outside?’
‘Yeah, pix, but when it came down to it, I shit my pants and fell back on what I’d always known, so I just cook for fun now.’
‘Baby.’ I turn over onto my knees between his legs, my hand reaching out for his cheek, my fingers instinctually stroking against the hair there. ‘It’s not too late. You’re an amazing cook.’
‘I have a great business, Bree, and a lot of guys in my shoes wouldn’t have the opportunities I had, in and out of prison. I’m lucky. I have a great life.’
Leaning in, I press my mouth to his in what I intended as a sweet, comforting kiss, but Arlo’s hands move to my hips, guiding me to straddle his lap and the low rumble in his chest tells me there’s nothing sweet and comforting about what’s about to go down—and I couldn’t be happier.
Unknown : You little bitch!
Unknown : I tried to be nice. I tried to take my time and let you get used to the idea of us, but you’ve pushed me too far, princess.
Unknown : How could you do this to me, Bree?
S taring at the cell phone in my hand, I’m frozen. We’re sitting at the table in the kitchen after two days of bliss, and Nolan is blowing up my phone.
‘That’s what we want, sugar,’ Arlo assures, and I nod.
When we have left the house over the past couple of days, we’ve been like a couple of teenagers who can’t keep their hands, or mouths, off each other. I should be embarrassed but I have loved every second of it. When we’ve been at home, the clothes have come off pretty quickly, and well, if I thought I knew what good sex was before, I had no fucking idea. It’s been wonderful, but I was so wrapped up in bliss that I pushed Nolan out of my mind completely, so his messages brought me crashing down to Earth.
‘I know. I hate not knowing what he’s going to do or when.’
‘Well, we carry on, and we’ll be ready.’ He pushes up from the table and grabs his keys. ‘Come on, we have a lunch date to get to.’
W alking through town hand in hand with Arlo, I steady my nerves. It’s the middle of the day. I know he’ll do everything to protect me, but for once, it’s not Nolan I’m nervous about. I’m about to introduce Arlo to my mom, and that is terrifying.
As we reach the house I grew up in, I groan as I open the gate to the yard, and Arlo laughs behind me.
‘What are you nervous about?’
‘I never took a boy home before.’
Beans runs ahead into the yard, unfazed by the new environment, and Arlo turns me around to face him, lifting my chin with his hand.
‘I’m not a boy, pix.’
‘I know. It’s just a first for me.’
He winks, leans in to kiss me once, then drops his hand to mine, and I lead him up to the house.
‘Mama, we’re here,’ I call out, and she steps out of the kitchen, an apron tied around her waist and a huge smile on her face.
Somehow, she hasn’t met Arlo at all and hasn’t even seen him around town. She works for Nick at the vet clinic, so she’s there a lot, and then she likes to spend a lot of time with her growing brood of grandbabies, so she just hasn’t run into him. That much is clear as she takes him in, her eyes rising comically as she considers his height.
‘Goodness, Arlo,’ she holds out her arms to him—Lynnie is a hugger— ‘you’re huge.’
I laugh awkwardly. ‘Mom!’ I cringe, but Arlo laughs and accepts her hug.
‘Yeah, you let me know if you need anything off the top shelf,’ he banters effortlessly, and I notice Mama look from me to him and then me again. I know, I just know she’s wondering how it all works, me and him, how I survive it, but I also know she won’t ask the question she does not really want an answer to. ‘You need any help in there, Lynnie?’
‘Arlo is an amazing cook, Mama.’ I smile, and she swats her hand at us both.
‘All under control right now. I made lemonade. Let’s sit outside a while.’
‘So, Arlo, what brought you to Forest Falls?’ Mama asks as she strokes Beans’ head. He fell in love with her immediately, as everybody does, and hasn’t moved from her side since we sat down.
‘Um, quieter life, not getting any younger, you know.’
‘I do, honey,’ she smiles, ‘believe me, I do. Speaking of,’ she smiles at me, ‘it’s your birthday soon. Have you spoken to Zoe?’
‘No,’ I shrug, ‘she’s been so busy with Lucas, and she’s tired and…’
‘It’s your birthday, sweetheart. We’re celebrating. Call your sister. We could do something here, or maybe Zoe will want to host.’
‘You could do it at my place.’ Arlo’s words have me turning my head to look at him and he squeezes my hand lightly as he smiles.
‘What?’
‘I’ll host for your and Zoe’s birthday. I want to get to know everybody better, and I want to do something special for your birthday, pix.’
‘You don’t have to,’ I start, but Mama cuts me off.
‘Oh, yes, that would be wonderful, Arlo. Thank you.’
I guess that’s settled, then. A timer goes off inside the house, and Mama stands. Beans looks up at her with concerned eyes at where his new best friend is going, and I pat my thigh to call him to me. Arlo gets up too.
‘Can I use your bathroom, Lynnie?’
‘Sure, honey, come on in.’