Page 117 of Kismet

The food and drinks in every place I’ve been to have been nothing short of spectacular. All the authentic food. Not at all processed like back home. The Guinness headquarters are here in Dublin too, which I was able to tour today too. I’m getting back to my hotel now. It’s late—after eleven—but I can hardly wait to FaceTime Stone and see how his day was yesterday. If my math is correct—which these time-zone differences fuck me up—it should only be about five in the morning for him. He’s watching Houston for me while I’m gone. Even though I don’t teach summer classes, the university is still open, so he’s had to work this entire time.He should be getting ready for work now.

After a quick shower, I climb into bed and FaceTime him. It rings twice before his face comes into view.Fuck, I miss him.

“Hey!” he gushes, a wide, genuine grin on his face. “I was wondering when you were gonna call. How are you?”

“Hey, you. I’m good. Got back to the hotel about fifteen minutes ago. Today was insane. I got so much writing done. I think it was the most productive writing day I’ve had so far on the trip.”

“That’s incredible, baby. You’re in Dublin today, right?”

“Yeah. I’m staying here for the next four nights, then I’m going to Galway. I wanna visit the Cliffs of Moher before moving on to Amsterdam.”

“That sounds exciting! I’m glad you’re enjoying yourself. I love all the pictures and videos you’ve been sending. I’ve been showing everyone in the office.”

Right before the school year ended, we finally took our relationship public. We didn’t for a while simply because neither of us knew what the future held, plus while there’s no direct policy against personal relationships between faculty and administration, it’s still pretty frowned upon in some institutions. Thankfully, everyone has been supportive—at least to our faces.

“So, what’s new with you? How’s the house coming along?” Several months back, before we got back together—which I don’t know if it’s even considered “back together” because we were never together in the first place, but whatever—Stone bought a new construction home. About a month and a half before I left, the builders were finally able to start building. He’s shown me a general layout of how the house will look once it’s built, but I don’t know where it’s located. He’s been very hush-hush about it. All I know is that it’s still in Lubbock.

“The house is definitely coming along. I drove out there during my lunch break yesterday and met with Julian. It should be ready to move in within the next few weeks.”

“Do you think you’ll move in before I get home?” I’m in Europe for another five weeks. I wanted to be there when the house was finished to finally see it, but we knew this may happen.

“Probably. Julian is gonna get his club to help me move everything in. You can have a super sexy sleepover at my new house when you get back.” He wiggles his eyebrows at me and bites his bottom lip. The look is beyond fucking sexy. I’m dying for some skin on skin with him. FaceTime sex has become the new norm for us, but it’s not nearly enough.

“I think we could make that work,” I reply. “How’s my baby doing?”

“Oh, I’m good, honey. Thanks for asking.” I can’t help the laugh that comes out, which causes him to laugh.

“I meant my cat, and you know it.”

“Well,” he starts, “about that.” He reaches for something near him, bringing a tiny ball of nude pink and wrinkles into view.

“Who the hell is that, Stone?” I ask with a chuckle. “That isnotHouston, unless he Benjamin Buttoned and got lighter skin.”

Stone bites that damn delicious lip again, looking sheepish, as he glances between me and the kitten. “Houston was lonely, Daddy. He needed a friend.”

Ignoring the way hearing him call me “daddy” causes my dick to swell, I rub my hand over my face, trying to cover the cheesy ass grin I’m wearing. “He waslonely?! Did he tell you this?”

“As a matter of fact, he did.”

“Interesting how I’ve had him for over a year now and he’s never once appeared lonely. He’s got you wrapped around his little hairless webbed finger, doesn’t he?”

“Shut up. Look at her, Cash! She’s so little and wrinkly. You know you love her.”

“Do you have a name, sweet princess?” I ask her, using the same baby talk I use to talk to Houston.

A wicked grin spreads across his face, causing a shiver to roll through me. “Whitney.”

I throw my head back, letting out a deep belly laugh. “Whitney and Houston, huh? Pretty clever of you, Stone.”

“I mean… you said it, not me. But I would have to agree with you.” Whitney curls up on his chest, falling asleep easily, as if she can’t be bothered.

“You bought a kitten?” My voice comes out small.

“I boughtusa kitten,” he replies.

There’s so much love that pours out of him. It makes me weak. Jesus. He bought us a fucking kitten. And not just any kitten—a fucking Whitney to my Houston. I try to play it off like my heart isn’t pounding in my chest, but I doubt it’s believable.

“Houston likes her?” I ask.

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