Page 61 of Bound by Affliction
22
Leah
“Where are we?”I ask Green as we pull up to a tall apartment building, and I swing off his bike staring up. It has five floors, and I hope it has an elevator. A resident there who went and got groceries would have a hell of a time making those flights with their armsfull.
“When I came to Florida, I had a place here. Now”—he dangles out some keys—“we have a placehere.”
“No way!” Excitement bubbles through. The clubhouse is great and all, but I’m more than ready to get out. Mostly, I stay tucked away in his room except when I work with Princess or when Bristyl is around. But two weeks in a clubhouse with people always coming in and out is a bit much for me. I’m comfortable for the most part, but after having my own space for so long, I’mready.
We haven’t talked about a place though, but it proves once again how Green watches me, knows what I need, and takes care of me. Loves me unconditionally. It’s what I’ve always dreamed of having in a man. Strange how people meet and the situations that bring them together. If I wouldn’t have gone to the rally, I never would have met Green. Yes, the situation is fucked up, and I’m not saying I’d ever want to go through it again. It’s about finding the light and shining the positive onit.
His grin is so damn sexy. “Yep. Had the brothers bring some of my old stuff out of storage, and we’reset.”
I wrap my arms around him, hugging him tight. His heartbeat thumps in my ear, and the rhythm is music to my ears. “Thankyou.”
“Baby, know the clubhouse wasn’t ideal for the past coupla weeks, but this place had someone in it. It’s not the same one I had, but similar. It’s now ours until you figure out what kind of house you want. Then we’ll movethere.”
I feel like an ice cream cone on a hot day. “I love you, Green. So damnmuch.”
“Love you too. Let’s go check out our newplace.”
Nothing ever sounded better. Another new start. The slate wiped clean and only the future to love eachother.
* * *
“Hey!”I greet Green as he walks in the door covered with grease and smelling like an engine. The smell is like home. Him.Perfect.
He dips down placing a kiss on my lips. “Gotta clean up.” Green takes off down the hallway of our place while I stare at the computerscreen.
I’m easing back into life. Online classes. Even being out around people, I’ll fully admit I’m skittish. Grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants… all of them are normal everyday things. Except when you’re not so ordinary and in a new world, but I’mtrying.
Anne, who Green still doesn’t like and I can’t blame him, gave me the names of some therapists here in Sumner. Two were men, and they were out. I just feel more comfortable with women and luckily there was one. She had a waiting list, but with Anne’s help, I got in about three weeks after moving into our newapartment.
Margot Shaver and I have only had a few meetings, and we’re still feeling each other out. It’s hard to relive the story of what happened to me, but luckily Margot read all of Anne’s notes and didn’t put me through too much ofit.
One thing we did discuss was school. Going back to classes every day and sitting in the classroom overwhelmed me. The thought of having my back to people in class and watching everyone’s movements didn’t appeal to me. She suggested online classes, and right now I’m enrolled in three. Everything I do is over the Internet, and it’s a great alternative until I can get my head screwed on straight with having lots of peoplearound.
Even the clubhouse and being around all the people is too much. I meet Princess, do my thing, and then come back here. She always invites me to stay for lunch or something to keep me there, but it’s become a small joke that Idecline.
Green comes into the living room, no shirt, sweats hanging off his hips, and a towel that he is rubbing all over his head. He’s utterly delectable. “Is it bad that I want to come over there and biteyou?”
He removes the towel on a smile. “Long as you’re not biting my cock, we’re good.” The towel goes around his shoulders. Never thought that small movement would be hot, but hell it is. Who am I kidding? Anything this man does is hot, sexy, and beautiful at the sametime.
Placing my finger on my chin and tapping it a couple of times, I say, “Hmmm. I was thinking about thatactually.”
Green scoops me off the couch and sets my computer on the coffee table, then sits back down with me on hislap.
“What’d ya do today?” he asks, brushing my hair behind my ear. I fully admit to being self-conscious about my hair, but when he does sweet things like that, it warms me everywhere and the feardisappears.
“Studied for a test coming up next week and started my paper on Aphrodite, even though she was a bit devious bartering to be named the most beautiful woman. Who knows if she really was, but it’s been interesting reading about her.” I rest my head on his shoulder, my face in his neck, smelling his clean scent from theshower.
“Greek Gods, huh?” he starts. “Who needs an old god when you have me?” His fingertips find my stomach, and he starts to tickle me. I cry out with a smile as he doesn’t stop. We wrestle just a bit before he easesoff.
“Didn’t say I wanted one of them. Just that I’m studyingthem.”
He grips my neck and pulls me in for a kiss. “Just makin’ sure you know who’s in yourbed.”
“Like I’d ever forget.” We kiss like teenagers on their parents’ couch in the basement. Just feeling each other, loving each other. It’s one of my favorite parts of the day. And Green does this every day since we moved in here and he had to go back to work. I love it. I lovehim.
