Page 140 of Promise Me Sunshine

I pace past him with a scowl. “Hey! I love looking at you. Looking at you is one of my favorite things to do in the world.”

“Well, that’s a relief.”

“Is this how you pictured this going?”

“Well, I definitely didn’t anticipate a naked soliloquy but—” He pauses and considers. “I probably should have. Yeah, that’s on me. Hey, Lenny. Come sit on my lap. Right now.”

As soon as he’s offered an instruction, I immediately comply. I walk over and flop onto his lap. That was easy.

I’m treated to a warm, firm hug, complete with wiry chest and leg hair. I try to stiffen up and say more stuff, but his arms tighten and my forehead is pressed into his neck.

His hands are on a lot of places. He gives my back a vigorous rub. Not the kind you halfheartedly do to suggest some boning, the really good kind. When he’s finished with that he lifts one of my hands and laces our fingers. I hide my thumb between our palms and he kisses my haircut.

“Here’s an idea,” he says.

“What’s that?”

“Let’s not have sex.” He lifts me off his lap and plunks me onto the floor. He’s already back into his underwear and tossing mine to me before I can catch up.

“Hey! No! Terrible idea!” I’m chasing him back out to the living room.

He waves a hand toward me. “It was too much at once.The bedroom reveal. My dick. You need a slow rollout, I think.”

He drops onto the couch and turns to see that I’ve put my underwear back on but not my bra. This is met with obvious approval but no comment.

He reaches for the remote. “Let’s watch TV and try again later.”

He thinks he’s the boss of me? No. I’m the boss of him. And I’m going to take charge and do the sex!

He must read it in my eyes because he raises an eyebrow when he sees me coming and then defensively rolls onto his stomach. He pillows his hands under his cheek, stretched out completely.

“Hey.” I put my hands on my hips and loom over him. “I’m wearing nothing but underwear and a frown and this couch is getting more action than I am.”

“Look,Speedis on.”

I begrudgingly give up the sex fight and condescend to lie atop Miles the way he’s lying atop the couch. I’m fully stretched out along his body, boobs pressed to his back and my toes tucked between his calves.

At first I think he’s unaffected and impervious, but then I realize that I can hear his heartbeat where my ear is against his back and every time I wiggle it starts to beat like wild.

I prop up a little and start to fiddle with his hair. His ears are big and cute and I can’t help but lean down and kiss his earlobe. He clears his throat. I walk my fingers from shoulder to bicep, poking at each muscle as I go. He resituates himself under me and I think I might be creating a problem for him down there. Yay.

I’m certain that any moment now he’s going to flip over and ravage me but after I return from an adventure with the inside of his elbow I realize his eyes are closed.

“Hey,” I say.

He grunts.

“No sleeping.”

His lips kick up into a smile. “I’m not sleeping.”

“You always say that when I catch you sleeping.”

“I’m never sleeping when I close my eyes like this with you.”

“Then what are you doing?”

He pauses and I think he might not answer. But then he says, “I’m committing the moment to memory.”

---