Page 53 of Employing Patience

“Stop putting so much pressure on yourself.” The way his voice drops, almost to a whisper, makes it seem like he’s talking about more than my sexuality.

“Sometimes we don’t have a choice.”

His eyebrows knot, but he doesn’t say anything else.

I try to lighten the mood. “So … a year?”

“Well, that was to give you a performance review. If you’re not going to be practicing this year, it might be even poorer than your first one, given you won’t have the first-timer handicap.”

“I’ll take my chances.”

“One night, Joey.”

“But you fucked up and just offered me a second.”

“In a year.”

“I’ll take it.”

He eyes me. “And if you have a girlfriend at that point?”

“I’ll dump her.”

“Wow. Ruthless with this imaginary girlfriend.”

“I’m going to regret telling you this since your ego is already out of control, but I would stay single to get to see your cock again. But you have to do the same. If you get a boyfriend, I’m not above cutting a bitch.”

Art’s laugh fills the room. “That’s one thing neither of us will ever have to worry about.”

“Good.” I hold up my pinky finger between us. “Next year?” And yeah, I’d prefer we hooked up way sooner than that—I’ll be working on it—but I just need to get Art to agree to a repeat. That’s it for now. As soon as I know he’s open to one, I can put in the work to make it happen.

Because last night, excuse the dramatics, was life changing.

Art eyes me. “Joey …”

“One year. Our fuckiversary.”

“Ooh, that’s better than hookup-i-versary. How am I supposed to say no to that now?”

“You don’t.” I shrug the shoulder I’m not lying on. “You give in.”

And I have no clue of the thoughts running through his mind as he watches my pinky hovering between us, but whatever his doubts are, they lose.

He hooks his pinky with mine. “I’m too old for this.”

“You also said you were too old to come for a third time last night, and I proved you wrong.”

“Sure. That was all your doing.”

I tackle him. “You really don’t want to give me any kudos, do you?”

He rolls on top of me. “You were great. For a bi-ginner.”

I shove him, and he shoves back, and we play fight to pin the other person. This is … a completely different side to Art, and I think I’m obsessed. No flirting or teasing or ridiculous comments, just him letting his walls down and enjoying himself. A small part of me tries to shrivel up at the thought that he’s like this with all the men he hooks up with, but I push it away and remind myself that now, in this moment, it’s me who gets this version of him.

Somehow, I wriggle out from under him and slam him back into the mattress, throwing all my weight against him. Then I duck my head and sink my teeth into his shoulder before making a split-second decision. I suck a quick mark onto his skin.

Art freezes, and I glance up at him, feeling smug.

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