Page 98 of The Guy in the Alley

I chuckled, out of breath. “How about a shower first? I feel like I’m covered in sweat and come.”

He rumbled a warm chuckle and cupped my cock. “Mm, perfectly sticky.”

I grinned to myself and inspected the wall.

What a way to christen the hallway.

* * *

One sacred Monday in the beginning of June, Sarah nearly ruined my date night by asking if I could watch Chip for a couple hours. She had a work event at some hospital association on North Wacker or thereabouts, and her man was at home with his flued-up kid.

Luckily for Sarah, Ben and I could switch from one beef joint to another, because a new place had opened up across the Franklin-Orleans bridge, and it was possible we’d already been there twice.

While we waited for Sarah and Chip, we walked along the bridge, surrounded by skyscrapers and city lights, and I did my best to cheer up my man.

He was a little down because it was Ziggy’s last week with us. He’d made the decision that Zig would be better off with my folks in Florida, though it still stung. More so for Ben than me. But yeah. We’d gotten attached; there was no denying that.

“On the flipside, it won’t be a permanent goodbye,” I said. “We’ll see him every time we head down there and whenever they visit us. Ma won’t be able to leave him with a dog sitter, I know that much.”

Ma was over the fucking moon.

Ben smiled faintly and threaded our fingers together. “Do you see us visiting a lot?”

I blew out a breath, thinking about it. And I came to a stop at the center of the bridge, where I leaned back against the railing.

“I usually drive down there every August,” I replied. “It’s the only time I can take a couple weeks off—and then I’m home again before football season starts.”

This year was out. In no way was I ready to leave Ben behind for two weeks, and it was way too early for Alvin to consider that journey.

He nodded with a dip of his chin and planted his hands on each side of me, caging me in. “What car do you use?”

“Dad’s old truck,” I said. “He left it at Sarah’s. He won’t set foot on a train.”

He chuckled.

I pressed a kiss to his jaw. “Maybe our visits will be shorter for a few years. I don’t know. But once Alvin gets used to the traveling, I think I’ll have him on my team. We’ll vote for a two-week vacation there every summer, and you’ll have no choice but to tag along.”

He smirked. “I thought you hated Florida.”

I widened my eyes. “I do. Don’t get it twisted, man. It’s stupid hot. But it’s nice when you have someone to share that beach with. It’s a nice beach. And you’ll look sexy as fuck in trunks.”

He dipped down and kissed me, and I slipped my fingers underneath his suspenders. It’d become my thing. When he was in his work clothes, I held him close. Literally.

“I don’t dislike the idea of two weeks in the sun one bit,” he murmured in between pecks.

It was settled, then.

“Good.”

He brushed a finger along my jawline. “Will you wear somethin’ skimpy on the beach?”

I laughed, and he grinned.

“Sorry, you won’t catch me alive in a fucking Speedo,” I said.

“Pity.” The amusement lingered in his gaze, and we just watched each other for a while.

It was insane how happy he made me. Even all the changes. Maybe especially them. Or some of them. Like Sundays and Mondays, when I was off now. That was right. I had two days off. And Ben had most weekends off, and when I worked late on Saturdays, he hung out with me downstairs anyway. Unless he was filling in for Armas at the door. Turned out, Ben made one sexy security guard.

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