Page 54 of Employing Patience

“What was that?” he asks, looking sweetly perplexed.

“Your reminder. So next time you see me at work, you’ll remember the time you had your tongue up my ass.”

He smirks. “And how desperately you begged for it again.”

I want to scoff and play it off, but … the man knows how to give a rim job. “It was a brand-new game. Can you blame me?”

“You were with the master. You didn’t stand a chance.”

I’m beginning to think I never did.

Saturday’s my day off, so I leave Art’s early—before anyone can arrive for work—and drive home drained, sore, covered in love bites, and happier than I’ve been in a really, really long time.

I almost wish I’d given in to him a year ago, but there’s no way it would have been anywhere near the level last night was. You can call Art one hundred and one things and probably be right, but the one insult you can’t hurl his way is that he’s selfish in bed. Because he was right. He likes to give. And give. And give.

I’m pretty sure he drained me of cum for the next year at least.

I stumble inside at asscrack o’clock, noting Hannah’s open bedroom door and very fucking obviously empty bed.

The happy vibes disappear, and I grab my phone to call her. The battery’s low, and I cross my fingers that it holds out for long enough.

Her phone goes to voicemail, and then a message comes through a second later.

Hannah:

Finally home, huh? I’m fine. Sleeping. Maybe you should do the same.

Smart-ass. My phone dies before I can reply, so I stalk into my bedroom, plug it in, and sit on my bed, waiting for it to charge enough that I can angry-dial her again. She thinks she can stay out all night and reject my call like that? I mean, yeah, she’s seventeen, and I was doing way worse at her age, but it’s because I know what I was doing at her age that I’m mad. I’m already supporting both of my sisters; it would be just my luck to have to support an unplanned niece or nephew too.

My phone’s taking forever, and after a night of sex and talking and more sex and some teasing, I’m beat. I lie back against my pillows, just for a second, just until my phone is back …

THE SORRY SUCKAS GROUP CHAT

Art: Who’s having dinner with me?

Orson: Can’t tonight, I have plans with Ford.

Griff: Felix is in town, so we’ve got a family night planned.

Art: Payne?

Payne: But you didn’t say “please.”

Art: You’re really going to abandon me in my time of need?

Payne: …

Orson: Need?

Art: I’m being dramatic. Obviously. I don’t need you guys. But I know how you need me, so I’m just trying to make you feel wanted.

Payne: How generous of you.

Orson: National hero.

Art: When you make my memorial statue, I’d prefer to be honored naked.

Payne: Do the rest of us get a say?

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