Page 50 of Tameron

Dayton followed me over the edge a moment later, my name a broken moan on his lips as he shuddered and twitched above me. I felt the hot splash of his release mixing with mine and it drew another full-body shiver from me.

He worked us through the aftershocks, milking every last drop before collapsing on top of me, both of us spent and panting. We lay there for long moments, trying to catch our breath, sweat cooling on our skin.

Dayton nuzzled into the side of my neck, pressing soft kisses to my overheated skin. I ran my hands up and down his back, enjoying the play of his muscles under my palms. We lay there for long minutes as our breathing evened out and our heart rates returned to normal. Finally, Dayton lifted his head to look at me, a soft smile on his face. “You can now check off frotting from your Bingo card.”

Frotting. Such an ordinary word for what had been an extraordinary experience. “I can indeed.”

“So, what’s next on your list?”

I had absolutely no clue.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

DAYTON

Once again, I hadn’t seen Tameron at the gym. But this time, it was different. His texts weren’t the same as before. They were better. He asked me how my day was, how my shift was going, how I was feeling. I felt a little braver earlier that week about asking him where he was, and his answer had been immediate:

Bad vertigo spells lately. My ENT thinks my hearing loss in one ear is getting worse and it’s screwing with my equilibrium. I have an appt for a new audiogram and then to see about getting my hearing aids adjusted to compensate. I’ll be back when I can do downward dog without falling over.

Do you want me to bring you soup?

I think I’m covered for now. Bean’s doing a bit more experimenting in the kitchen. But ask me in a few days? I’m not sure how many more bowls of Italian wedding soup I can stomach.

I sent him a few photos during the week of Knives being a scarf around my neck and a couple of the tiny pinpricks of red she left behind with her tiny knife claws. I got a few heart emoji in return, and I felt better.

No, not just better.

I felt settled. It was a strange sensation. I wasn’t used to it. I was a man of easy contentment, but I hadn’t realized how much I wanted someone in my life. Tameron was probably the last man I should go for.

He was uncertain, fickle, and still dealing with so much baggage that a relationship was the last thing he needed. And yet…

Here I was now. Tripping head over heels.

I wouldn’t pressure him though. I wasn’t going to bring it up. Whatever was going to happen would happen, and I needed to accept that. I would quietly pine away, take whatever he was willing to give me, and make sure my toys got a good workout whenever he wasn’t around.

Stretching my arms above my head, I went down into a forward fold. I was currently on my three days off from the station, and I was going to use that time by being at the gym as often as possible.

I needed to recenter myself as I waited for Tameron to make time for me…and to figure out what he wanted out of all of this.

“Am I early?”

I turned to see Barbara—one of my favorite students. She’d started in my chair yoga class after her hip surgery. Right now, she was in a bright-purple romper with the ends of her gray hair dyed to match.

“Yep, but feel free to set up. I’m trying to get a bit more limber so I don’t have to join you all yet.”

She laughed, patting my back as she walked behind me. “Oh, you have years yet, honey.” As I dropped back into my fold, Iheard the chair scrape across the tiles. “How’s that brother of yours doing, by the way?”

I rolled my eyes since she couldn’t see me. All of my little old ladies loved Dax. And so did a few of my little old men. “He’s good. He’s been working a lot this week. Seems like everyone’s got something going wrong with their cars.”

“Isn’t that the truth? Last week, my dash started lighting up like the damn Rockefeller Christmas Tree.” I heard the gentle slap of her yoga mat against the floor as she flipped it open and dropped it. “I should have gone to him.”

“He wouldn’t say no to the business. He’s been trying to save up for a down payment on a boat,” I told her. The newest wild hair up his ass, but I wasn’t about to get in his way.

“Just give me his card. I wouldn’t mind hanging around that shop all day. If I were forty years younger…”

“Barbara! Don’t make me take you outside.”

She burst into a fit of giggles, but it slowed when the door opened and a few more of my students walked in. I said my quick hellos, then walked to the corner of the room to set up the music.

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