Page 27 of Screw Christmas
“That’s not why I wanted to talk though.” I gave her hand a reassuring squeeze as we made our way into the subway station heading home.
“Okay then, why?” I couldn’t remember being this nervous, even when I showed up on her doorstep, but I had nothing to lose then. I had a shit ton to lose now.
I was a little hesitant to say what was on my mind. I didn’t want to come off as some sort of freeloader or disingenuous, but if we were going to be open and honest then why couldn’t I say what I was thinking? What’s the worst that she could do, say no thanks? That would sting, but it would be understandable. I could play it off as just a crazy idea and we’d move on. No harm, no foul.
“What would you say if I said I thought we should live together?”
Her brows knit as she tilted her head to the side, eyeing me. “We do live together crazy guy. Pretty sure you’ve been in bed next to me for the past week.”
“But that is just a temporary thing. What if it was more permanent?”
Stepping up to the subway car, I pressed the door open button and we moved inside. The car was surprisingly baren of people considering how many people were out and about. “What do you mean? Like live together, live together? For good? As in you never find your own place?”
“I think that every relationship aims to be for good. Unless you’re more interested in a no-strings-attached type of deal. I understand that us taking a step like this would be extremely fast and crazy and perhaps not the best option.”
She laughed. “Are you trying to talk me out of this before I even make up my mind?”
Damn, I gripped the back of my neck and gave it a squeeze. This shit was extremely stressful. Normally, I knew where I stood with women for the most part. In this case, I had no idea.
“Well, no. I just don’t want you to feel pressured into anything. That’s all.”
She remained silent for the duration of the subway ride. By the time we were entering the building, I’d convinced myself she was just mulling around in her head how she could let me down gently. When I became so insecure was beyond me, but it sure as shit didn’t feel good.
“Just out with it. You don’t need to sugarcoat the fact you think it’s an insane idea.” Opening her building front door, I let her enter before following behind.
“I never said that.” Keith was at the security station tonight and barely looked up when we strode past him.
“Then what are you thinking?” Pressing the elevator call button, I waited.
“I think it would be extremely fast.”
The doors slid open, and we stepped inside.
“It would.” The doors slid back closed and we were whisked up to our floor.
It wasn’t until we were inside her apartment, door closed and stripped from our outerwear that she finally let me out of my misery. “I think that it could work.” She put a finger up stopping me from speaking. “How about this? We do this as a trial, no expectations. Just try it out. If things don’t seem to be working out, we cut our losses with no hard feelings.” She extended her hand formally. “So, we have a deal?”
Hesitating a moment I took her hand, but instead of shaking it, I pulled her into me, wrapping my arms around her waist as I brushed my lips across hers. “You’ve got yourself a deal.”
“Good.” There was a glimmer in her eyes. I’d seen that gleam in the past. It was happiness and it reflected how I was feeling inside. This was a long time coming, decades even, but it was right.
I was about to sweep her up off her feet and into my arms when a loud, heavy knock came at the door breaking the moment.
~*~ TT ~*~
Maya
My eyes opened as I frowned looking towards the front door. It was past midnight, nearly one in fact, who in the hell could that be? Maybe a drunk neighbor forgetting which apartment was theirs?
Dylan’s brow creased as his gaze shot over to the door. “You expecting someone?” Releasing me from his embrace, he was striding across the room and opening the door before I could reply.
It was most likely Kevin, not realizing I had company and wanting to try again to get me to stop by and have some Christmas leftovers. Maybe his wife baked me a pie; she made the most mouth-watering apple pies you could ever dream of. No bakery in Manhattan could compare with her baking. It was late but maybe Keith told him I’d just gotten home.
My heart rate slowed as I made my way into the living room and flopped onto the sofa. Dylan could handle it.
At least I thought he could handle it until I heard an all too familiar male voice in the other room demanding to know who in the fuck Dylan was and wanting to know where I was. The voice was slurred, the result of one too many beers, but easily recognizable.
Ahh hell. Why did that man insist on ruining my life? I knew the answer. The same man who felt that I should fall to his feet and thank him for wanting to claw his way back into my life. The very man who didn’t really want me but didn’t feel I should have anyone else in my life. He’d stoop to any level to get what he wanted. For the millionth time, I asked myself why I fell for such a man to begin with.
