Page 88 of Fitch

He grinned. “Very much. I mean...” He cringed. “If you wanted to continue doing street work, as you called it, then I would have to...” His words trailed off. “No, actually, not even then. I’d have to insist you move in here with me and be my full-time live-in boy.” He put his hand to his forehead. “I’d probably have to get a second job to afford that, but if then it’s only me who touches you...”

I pulled his hand down from his forehead and kissed his knuckles. “You don’t need to get a second job. As tempting as being your live-in boy sounds...” Because holy fuck, it sounded so good. “But I want to make enough money on my own. I need to be independent, financially. I can’t feel like I owe you. If we’regoing to be together, you can’t keep paying me. That doesn’t feel right. And then, maybe, down the track, if I do move in to be your live-in boy full-time, then I’ll have my own money. That’s my goal.” I nodded. “You wanted to know what my two-year plan or my five-year plan was. I want to be financially okay so I can be your boy without you having to pay me. Because honestly, Dominic, I want to be with you for free. So you know I’m with you because I want to be with you. Not because you’re paying me or because I need the money.” I swallowed hard. “I mean, I do need the money. But I won’t for long. That’s my plan.”

“Oh, Fitch,” he whispered, lifting my chin so he could kiss me. Then he hugged me. “I’m proud of you.”

Wait. What?Proud?

“You are?”

He chuckled. “Of course I am. And after tonight, seeing that guy on the street assume he was entitled to you, then hell yes. If you want to set up an online fan account, if that’s what it will take for the three of you to be more financially secure, then I will be your first subscriber.”

I pulled back and looked at him, teary-eyed and so overcome with emotion. There was no judgement, no conditions, just love. “For real?”

He nodded, smiling. “Absolutely.”

More tears came as I nodded, and he enveloped me in his arms again. “I love you, Fitch. All of you, all of the time. That’s what love is.” He sighed. “We have no way of knowing what the future holds. None of us do. But you and me? We’ll work it out together.”

All I could do was nod.

I believed him. I believed in him.

“How about we order some dinner, then spend the night on the couch?”

I just wanted to cry. He had no idea how perfect that was. A ‘normal’ night I never dreamed possible. “Sounds perfect.”

He kissed my forehead. “Japanese food okay?”

I nodded. “Can I call Benji and Ky?”

Dominic laughed. “Of course you can.”

While he ordered some takeout on a delivery app, I dialled Benji’s number. I knew he’d answer because I was calling and not texting.

“Fitch, what’s wrong?”

And apparently those words opened a floodgate. I burst into tears, sobbing, and barely able to speak. “Nothing’s wrong,” I tried to say, though it was just mumbled sobbing.

“Fitch? Fitch!” Benji yelled through the phone.

Then Dominic was there, his strong arm around me, and he took my phone. “Hi, Benji, it’s Dominic. Fitch is okay. I think these are happy tears?”

I nodded and cried harder.

“Oh, baby,” Dominic soothed.

“Dominic, what the hell is going on?” Benji demanded. “What did you do to him?”

I sob-laughed and took my phone. “He told me he loved me,” I wailed.

There was a beat of silence, then Benji sighed. “Oh, Fitch.”

I scrubbed at my face and looked up at Dominic. “I know, right?Me. He lovesme.”

Dominic’s face softened and he kissed my forehead.

“Of course he does, Fitch,” Benji said. “But don’t be too hard on him. He’s only human.”

I laughed despite my stupid tears. Dominic wiped them away with his thumb.

---