34. Dylan
Chapter thirty-four
Dylan
“You’re amazing. That was amazing,” I pant, falling onto Dee’s mattress. She starts to stand before I stop her. “Wait a second. I want to see you on your knees for me one more time.”
She digs her nails into my thighs, using them to help her stand. “There’s smug and then there’s you.”
“Can’t a guy bask in the glory of a fucking fantastic blow job?” She drops onto the mattress next to me, dragging a hand over her forehead.
“Only because you ate me out within an inch of my life beforehand.”
“Oh good. The satisfactory comment I got afterward was just you warming up for a better compliment later.”
It’s only been three weeks since Dee and I slept together, but I can’t keep my hands off her. She seems to be having the same issue, nearly jumping me when she got home from lunch with the girls earlier today.
“You didn’t need my help inflating your ego. I knew you could do it.” She reaches over, snuggling into my side, her thigh draping over mine, before she pats my stomach a few times. “All on your own.”
“It helps me when you say it.” I pout and she laughs, burying her head into my shoulder.
“You did great,” she adds reluctantly, but I catch the smile pulling at her mouth.
“Thanks, so did you.” I drop a kiss to her full lips then pull her closer. “What are you doing tomorrow, and the day after, for Christmas and Christmas Eve?” I ask.
“I drive home Christmas morning—less traffic that way. My family always celebrates with a big dinner on Christmas Day. You?”
“My parents love Christmas Eve. They host every year.”
She sits up on her elbow, her brows drawn together. “Why don’t you sound excited?”
I drape my arm over my face, but Dee refuses to let me hide.
“No way. You’ve already seen my family in all their glory. Spill.”
I sigh. “I told my family this was the year I’d be making an offer on the Bridge.
That was before I knew Ed had plans to screw me over.
They were so excited. They told my entire family.
Even mentioned how maybe we’d be celebrating the big news at the holidays this year.
” I shrug. “It feels like I’ve let them down. ”
“I doubt your family cares. From what you’ve said over the years, they’re incredibly supportive. What about this situation could possibly change that?”
“Nothing.” I rub the bridge of my nose. “You’re right.”
She lies down, still tucked into my side. She waits a moment, softly rubbing her thumb along my stomach before asking, “Do you think you’re worried about how they’ll react, or are you dreading having to talk about it at all? Is it the saying-it-out-loud part that sucks?”
I clear my throat, trying to ignore the burn behind my eyes.
“It’s been my dream for a long time. I’ve been saving…planning ever since I started working there during my sophomore year of college. If it doesn’t work out, I don’t know what’s next.”
“Did you ever think that maybe being a little lost at sea might lead you somewhere exciting?” she asks.
Goddammit, she’s quoting me. Throwing my advice back in my face. I can’t even be mad.
“That was different,” I say.
“How exactly?”
“We were talking about you.”
She laughs, and I feel her body shaking next to mine. Even when things feel heavy, it’s impossible not to smile around this woman.
“Ah. I see. You’re right. That is very different. I’m the only one who’s allowed to have a career crisis. You get to be all doom and gloom and I have to maintain my prim and proper disposition.”
I throw a look her way. She stares back, feigning innocence.
“You doom and gloomed for six straight hours on the couch. Need I remind you how much popcorn was in your hair after your Survivor marathon?”
“Need I remind you I was loading up on fiber for my health?”
We burst out laughing, and it’s a few minutes before we calm down again.
“You look good with popcorn in your hair.”
“You look good naked.” I must look surprised, because she gets defensive. “What? You do!”
“I knew you just wanted me for my body. Not my breakdowns. It’s my turn. Don’t you think I’ll look good with popcorn in my hair?”
“Haven’t seen it yet. I’m still waiting for you to flip on Antiques Roadshow so I can call in the cavalry. But I’m sure the sight is divine,” she muses, playing with the long strands around my shoulders.
“It’s been a long time since I’ve had a beautiful woman naked next to me.”
Her fingers still, and the look she gives me feels as weighted as we both know it is.
What the fuck are we doing?
Ending up in bed together once could be considered an accident.
Sexual tension between two people sharing living space.
Weddings. Booze. It all adds up to a perfectly understandable slipup.
But this…sex in the light of day, choosing to be with each other, talking and laughing in bed together, naked, but comfortable. It means more.
I know it means more.
I have no idea if she’s willing to admit it too. If she’s even willing to see it.
“Happy to break the streak for you,” she whispers, but there’s no levity to her words. It’s not funny, because it’s real.
“Do you want to come with me?” I ask, unable to stop the question, asking her the moment it pops into my head.
That snaps her out of whatever thought had her looking at me like that. “To your family’s Christmas party?”
“Yeah. I went to Nana’s birthday party.”
“That was a great time, and you know it,” she says.
“It was. Looking forward to next year. She made me promise to be there for her ninety-first.”
“I made her promise me first,” Dee says. I remember. Nana laughed so long she threatened to call it a life well lived right then and there. “Yeah, I’ll go with you. If you come with me to Cleveland on Christmas.”
“I’ll go with you under one condition…”
“Which is?”
“You have to help me find a Christmas gift for your family today.”
“Ditto.” She burrows deeper into my side and we lie like that for so long we nearly fall asleep. Her voice startles me when she asks. “Should we tell people that we…”
“Made sweet, sweet love?”
She flicks my nipple and I chuckle, threading my fingers through her hair before letting my fingertips trail lazily up and down her spine.
“You made an embarrassing question feel worse somehow,” she mumbles.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.” I kiss her forehead. “I’m okay telling people or keeping it to ourselves for now. Whatever you want.”
She lifts her head to look at me, resting her chin on my chest.
“I don’t think we should tell anyone until after the trip. This is still about Bec and Aiden.”
I consider her for a moment. First, she saves the news of her layoff until after Ellie and Dom renewed their vows, and now this.
“You’re a really good friend, Dee.”
“Woooooow, just friends? Are you breaking off our situationship while I’m still naked? I didn’t think I was that rusty…”
I laugh and she bites the skin on my side.
“Ow, you little gerbil.”
“A gerbil?” She gasps, affronted.
“Yeah, have you ever been bitten by one? Hurts like shit.” She goes to bite me again, but I place my hand over her mouth. She bites my palm instead. “Jesus, Dee.” I laugh. “What I meant was you’re being really selfless. Always thinking of the girls first.”
“Oh.” She stops fucking biting me for a second, looking uncomfortable at the compliment. “Well, I’d do anything for them. I want them to have the best.”
“I love that about you,” I whisper against her temple, placing a gentle kiss there before pulling her head to rest against my chest again.
She settles along my side, but she’s still tense.
“What is it?” I ask, unsure I want to hear the answer.
“I’m just disappointed,” she says with a sigh.
“What? Why?”
She gets up and grins, turning toward the bathroom. I watch her ass as she walks away, my dick hardening again at the sight.
“I’ll have to wait to tell them I was right about your huge dick. And you know I love to be right.”
“Maybe you should tell them,” I call after her. “I could use the ego boost.”
“Maybe I would if you started pulling your weight and helped me clean the litter box every once in a while.”
This cat must be the most skittish creature alive, or it hates my guts. It still won’t show its face around me. Even when I leave out food. Even when I’m home alone. “I’ll help when you introduce us.”
“You’ll have to earn her trust first,” Dee yells from the bathroom.
Wouldn’t be the first time I’ve had to do that with someone in this apartment.
I join Dee in the bathroom, backing her into the shower before turning the water on.
Ice cold water rains down on us, making her scream and laugh uncontrollably in my arms as I kiss her neck, lining our bodies up against the tiled walls.
Damn, it’s going to be a good Christmas.