Page 39 of This or That
“Not really. He’s been so excited about Matteo’s party for days. So, when he growled that he wouldn’t go, I knew something was up. He’s so… angry.” I catch my breath as her voice cracks. “I woke up this morning because he made such a ruckus working out. He punished his body for hours, like a man possessed. I know that Michael needsyou,” she declares. “I let you in because you wouldn’t be here, soaked, if it weren’t important to you. So, I’m going to run errands and give you guys some space, okay.” She envelops me in the sweetest hug. I sigh when she releases me. “I would have preferred to meet you under better circumstances, but it’s so nice to meet you. I hope I’ll see you again soon, Troy.”
Sucking in a breath, I take the stairs two at a time. I hear him groan from the landing. “I said I needed alone time, Mom.” He must be under the comforter because he sounds muffled. I quiver, steeling myself for what lies ahead.
Tiptoeing into the room, I silently sidle up to him and stifle a laugh when I witness his body wrapped in blankets like a spring roll. The only visible part of him is the top of his hair.
“Leave me alone, Mom.”
I bite the inside of my cheeks to stay incognito for a bit longer. Ignoring my damp clothes, I swiftly straddle his big body, rip the comforter from the bed, and grab his wrists. He doesn’t have time to register who’s on top today. I place them over his head and make a mental note to recreate this scene later. My dripping hair tickles his breathtaking but blank face.
“Get out of my sight, fucker!” His spite doesn’t ruffle me. It’s cute that he believes he can fight me, oblivious to the fact that I was once a real cowboy. He may be stronger, but I’ve wrangled bigger bulls than him. Yeah, size doesn’t always matter!
Bending over his upper body, I whisper into his ear, “That’s Mister Fucker to you, baby.” Despite the limited space, he shakes his head at the term of endearment. “I brought back the glove you left behind.”
There!
His green eyes widen and he opens his plump mouth to speak. Once again, I’m faster; my tongue fills his mouth to remind him how good we are together. He’s forced to open up for me, but resists anyway.
My entire body goes lax at his intoxicating taste. I’m home again. Our hearts beat so erratically, I’m afraid that they’ll explode before he surrenders. My chest constricts with every hungry stroke. Reluctantly, I pry my mouth from his. “Thanks for fixing coffee this morning, baby.”
“Get off of me, fucker!” His eyes are shooting daggers. I don’t care. “We’re done.”
“Far from it.” The tip of my tongue teases the side of his face. His head lashes from side to side, but he’s stuck. “I know you think you know, but you don’t.” His gym shorts can’t conceal his arousal that presses against mine. “Anna, my broken-hearted best friend, needed a shoulder to cry on. We drank way too much.” My confession is met with grunts and expletives. “Sharing a bed with her used to include benefits.” He grumbles. “It’s over. I told you, I haven’t slept with anyone else since we… kissed on the boat.” He needs to hear this.
“Your secret best friend that’s never come up? How convenient!”
“Oh, you know her; we owe her big time. Without her in Paris, there would be no us!”
His jaw drops. “Seriously?”
“Yup… You once said you trusted me. Now stop being so dramatic. I didn’t mention that Anna’s staying over, and I apologize. End of story. You and I are going to Matteo’s party. I’ll introduce you to my friends Anna, Claire, and Drake.That’s not up for discussion.” His wrestling ceases. Scattering kisses along his neck, my face breaks into a grin when his stiffy grinds against mine.Good boy!“And for the record, remember that I’m a man of my word. Being exclusive means something.” As soon as I release his wrists, his hands grope my ass, skimming my body along his. Lust floods from my head down to my toes. In a ragged breath, I add, “You hurt me because you didn’t trust me. No matter what people like your father ingrained in you, Mike, you’re perfect as you are. I wouldn’t want you any other way. You are worth it… and I—” I pause, tongue-tied all of a sudden.
“You what?” His pupils dilate with need as they cage mine.
My words bubble up from my throat. My pulse thunders in my ears.
“Love you.”
Chapter 25
All of It
Mike
“Hey, man, good to see you!” lanky Simon shouts over the live music that a certain cowboy is performing at the behest of his number one fan, Matteo Moretti.
Ever since our arrival, a few hours earlier than the other guests so that Troy could set up his equipment, my Italian friend has been trailing after my man like a well-trained puppy, rudely neglecting his other thirty guests. It’s both endearing and pathetic, and I can’t wrap my mind around his fascination with Troy’s DJ performances. I’m way more interested in Troy’s other skills, but happy to be the only one benefiting from them now that Anna-gate has been resolved.
A champagne flute in one hand, my British friend, who I haven’t seen since Matteo’s wedding, pats my back with the other.
“Good to see you, too. It’s been a while. Where are Tweedledee and Tweedledum?” I ask when he releases me. I’m happy that my friends were able to take a week off from work so that they could come tonight.
“Ha-ha! Good one.” His hearty laugh resonates in my ears. “They’re always up to something.” He fills me in on their latest shenanigans, then gulps what’s left of his expensive champagne in one go. “Last time I saw them, they were dancing as close as possible to your celebrity friend.”
Right, my celebrity friend!
That statement sends a shiver down my stiff spine. It’s wrong on so many levels, and not the celebrity part. Well, after we kissed and made up for a couple of hours at my place, Troy declared that he’d made up his mind and wanted to settle down rather than pursue a dream career that will quickly fade. Wary that our relationship might be the impetus behind his sudden change of heart, I argued, and he countered that it was his own decision and had been contemplating it for months. He decided to invest his DJ profits in a bar and wants me to tag along the next time he visits the 8thAvenue location to get my feedback. Apparently, this is his idea of a compromise between his job interests—compromises neither of us is willing to make as far as our relationship goes. Either way, I was relieved that he asked for my opinion.
Anyway, I intend to correct the celebrity friend misconception… soon. As determined as I was to come out to our friends, Troy and I agreed that flaunting my supposedly new sexual orientation would be counter-productive. The point isn’t to convince my friends to accept the “new me,” rather to show them that I’m comfortable and happy with our relationship. A relationship that happens to be with a wonderful man who evokes a whirlwind of sensations in me. We’re not here to make a statement, but to enjoy Matteo’s party. We struggled to pick out costumes on the fly, but then, I rummaged through my drawers and serendipity happened… again.
