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Will hasn’t been this happy in… He can’t remember how long. Certainly not since his mother’s accident and maybe even long before then.
And while he’s aware it could all come crumbling down any second now, he knows he only needs to last a few more weeks. Then, it will all be over. All the stress, all the hiding, will be done. He won’t have to watch what he says, and will be able to just… be.
He knows he’s an awful man for not telling her yet, but he’s just protecting her. And protecting them.
Shit, who the hell is he kidding? He knows he’s mostly protecting himself.
27
TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY LUXURIES
“Such a good girl… you’resucha good girl.” Will’s whispered voice breaks through my sleepy stupor, a slow, lazy smile spreading across my face. I snuggle deep into my covers and continue to pretend to sleep while my boyfriend (yes, you heard that right—we started calling it what it is) praises my cat and gives her treats.
Three weeks ago, Will and I decided to finally come clean about how we feel about each other. Since then, we’ve been together nearly every free moment we’ve had. Sure, I had to break up with Dr. Sloane first—or whatever the hell it’s called when the guy actually shows up for the date but you reject him before you even go out on it—and it was awkward AF. Though I have to admit, he was a super great sport about it.
“I should’ve known,” he said after I informed him I couldn’t go out with him.
I told him Will and I hadjusthad a talk about how we felt about each other, and it turned out we wanted to explore that. I wanted to be as honest as possible. In a city full of grifters and fuck-boys, Declan Sloane was an outlier—a good guy. He deserved the truth.
“The way he looked at you… the way you looked at him for support. I should’ve known. Especially after the whole—” He waved his hand vaguely in the air and shook his head. “Never mind.”
I grimaced, feeling the bile rise in my throat because I am anawfulperson. I mean, who agrees to go out on a date with someone when they have feelings for someone else? Horrible people, that’s who.
But once he assured me he understood the situation, and I apologized for the third time, I told him he seemed like an extraordinary man who any person would be lucky to have. Dr. Sloane smiled and hugged me, wishing us both the best of luck.
It was all very civilized.
I don’t really know Dr. Sloane, but it was nice to getsomeone’sblessing for our relationship. After our argument, Molly and I hadn’t exactly been on speaking terms. Besides team meetings we were forced to attend together, we hadn’t shared the same space in a while or said more than a passing “Hello.” She was avoiding me, and I refused to allow a “friend” to treat me like a joke. And since I was no longer the going out type, my other friends from before Roger were nowhere to be found.
Besides Will, lately, I’ve been feeling like my close friend circle has dwindled down to… Well, no one, actually. Once I began to ghost Will, Loneliness became my constant companion.
I’m glad he’s back in my life. But more than that, I’m glad that he’s back in my life the way that I want him in my life.Notas my pen pal.Notas my best friend. Not even as my friend with amazing benefits.
He’s in my life as my partner, and I’ve never been happier.
Ginger purrs loudly from the foot of the bed where I watch through one eye as a shirtless Will smiles down at her. They look completely enamored with each other, which makes me fall deeper for him still.
Ginger hated Roger. Ginger hated all of my exes, actually. But I have a feeling she’d go to the ends of the earth for Will. I have a feeling she’d give up her favorite banana catnip toy for him.
“Your mommy and I love yousoooomuch,” he tells her, his voice slipping accidentally into baby talk. I melt into the mattress—I’m sure of it. “We love yousoooomuch.”
I can’t help it any longer. I sit up and crawl toward him, wrapping my arms around his waist from behind.
“Good morning,” I whisper in his ear before pressing a kiss to his neck.
I sense his smile when his hands come over mine, holding me to him. “Good morning.”
“Are you trying to buy my cat’s love?”
He scoffs. “No need to. I already have it.”
Ginger jumps off the bed and retreats to her chair, giving us space.
I snort and kiss him a second time. A third. Suck into the place between his shoulder and neck. When he moans my name, a shot of heat courses through my entire body.
My hands begin to travel over his abs down to where I can tell he’s already hard and waiting. But he catches them before I meet the waistband of his pajama bottoms with a groan.
“Baby,” he begs, his breathing growing ragged. “I can’t. I have to go in early today. Remember? I told you.”
