Page 59 of Blue Collar Hotties

The breeze is cold and the shadows are dark.

It’s the perfect place to work through my shit before I go back down to her, human again.

“Where are you?” Dread laces her words, and I swallow hard. It’s like she’s waiting for me to run out on her like her last piece of shit roommate. Jenny has no idea how much I need her. It’d be like carving out my heart and leaving it on the nightstand.

“On the roof.”

There’s a pause, and I can just picture her wrinkling her nose. Screwing her face up like I’m the most confusing man in existence.

“The roof? Why are you up there?” Her breath stutters, audible through the phone. “Are you… are you trying to get away from me? I can go in my bedroom for a while if you need space—”

“That’s not it.” Not the way she’s thinking, anyway.

Jenny thinks I’m getting tired of her. But the truth is, the longer I’m around her, the more my restraint wears thin.

“Why don’t you come up here?” I say suddenly, pissed off that I never thought to invite her before. I guess it would defeat the point of getting some silence, but hell, it’s perfect for her courage thing. Operation: Bold Jenny. “Bring a blanket with you, though. The wind is cold.”

“Um.” The moon is waxy and pockmarked overhead. Glowing bright between dark clumps of cloud. “I… okay.”

Good.

I swallow hard, my throat tight. It’s only been a few minutes, and already I miss her.

Jenny clatters through the roof door ten minutes later, grumbling audibly about stairs and blankets and freakingroommates who pick ridiculous places to brood. I grin, lighter already, and call over from my spot against a wall. I’m sitting on the frigid concrete, my back against rough brick.

“Over here.”

Jenny stomps over, then spreads her blanket between my bent legs. She plops down between my thighs, her back to my front, and yanks my arms around her middle before leaning back with a sigh.

“We could do this inside, you know.”

I press my face against her hair, breathing deep. “No stars inside.”

Jenny plucks at my sleeve. “Are you wearing ajacket? Oh my god. Such an occasion. If I knew, I’d have brought you a card.”

Growling, I tug her closer, burying my face in the crook of her neck as she laughs, and already I’m hard in my jeans. Aching for her.

“You got a letter today.”

I grunt. Probably more junk mail. “Lucky me.”

“It looked like work. There was a travel magazine logo on the envelope.”

I go still, heart thumping. We haven’t talked about my work yet. Haven’t talked about the future. I keep wanting to broach the subject, but each time I try, it’s like Jenny shuts down and then I chicken out.

Jesus. Maybe I’m the one who needs to grow some courage.

“I’m not going anywhere.” My voice is gruff. I sound like such a caveman, but I don’t care. We agreed: she’s mine. I won’t be parted from her, not unless she sends me away.

“It was a big magazine.” Her voice is soft. “A super famous one. It could be a great opportunity.”

“I don’t care.”

Jenny huffs, and she’s rigid now. Stiff as a board where she sits between my thighs. “I know you finished that city series,Lincoln. I’m not an idiot. What are you gonna do, take photos of the inside of our apartment forever?”

“No.”

Jenny waits, but I don’t have more of a rebuttal. All I know is I’m not leaving her. “Maybe I’ll take photos of dogs in human clothes.”

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