Page 85 of Dead Serious with Benefits
“Why?”
He took a deep breath, setting his hands over mine. “Because, if we commit to more, then it’s important that we know about each other. Maybe not every square inch, but the big things, the things that made us who we are. And my past, however unpleasant, helped shape the person I am today. And that means...you need to know. Not only that, but, as your mother demonstrated quite clearly, the chances of you finding out are pretty high. My siblings don’t talk about it, but who’s to say what they might say in the future? Perhaps someone will have a few too many drinks and tell you, or perhaps they’ll grow concerned that you don’t have the full picture and try to tell you. Not out of concern for you, but because they might not want to risk you finding out down the road and deciding it was too much.”
“I want to say there isn’t much that could scare me off, but that still leaves room for the possibility that somethingmightscare me off,” I admitted.
“I’m not worried about that, but someone else might be. And I want to be the one to tell you, not someone else. I’m not ashamed of it, and I’m not worried about how you’ll react, though that is a small concern, if I’m honest. It’s more...the story is heavy. It’s full of emotion and impact, and although it doesn’t haunt me daily, it’s still not something I like to revisit unnecessarily. So, if I’m going to tell you, I want to be ready. Iwant to be braced for reliving what happened when I was eight. I just...don’t know when I’ll find that strength.”
“If it’s that important to you, then I won’t object,” I told him softly. “You’re not obligated, not by me, but I won’t stop you either. And I am not going to rush you to tell me. You can tell me now, or you can tell me months from now, years if you want.”
“I don’t think it will take years,” he said with a little laugh. “But...thank you.”
“I do have to ask...does this story...does it have something to do with the fact that the press terrified the hell out of you?”
He stiffened. “You noticed that, I thought so.”
“It was kind of hard to miss. You’re not exactly known for expressing emotions, and you looked like you were ready to pass out,” I said softly, trying to make sure he realized I wasn’t teasing him. I had seen the color drain from his face when the press had rushed us with their probing questions and demands for answers. He had done a good job keeping his face free of fear, at least enough that anyone glancing at him wouldn’t have thought he was more than uncomfortable with the noise and attention. That had been the first time I had seen his expression shut down so completely that he looked more like a mannequin than a man.
“Well, your instincts are right,” he said with an uncomfortable laugh. “It is tied to it. A great deal of attention was paid to what happened. And it’s been ages since I’ve dealt with reporters. So long, I didn’t realize that seeing them again would make me...react the way I did. I hoped not to draw attention to myself or distract you.”
“You didn’t distract me,” I said with a shrug, rubbing his stomach in small circles. “If anything, when I realized you were...not having a particularly good time, it was one more thing to add to the list of reasons I wanted to get away from them. The last thing I wanted was more attention, and I wanted to get outof there as soon as possible. I’m still unsure if it’s a bonus that I managed to please my mother with how I conducted myself.”
Arlo huffed. “Take it as a win.”
“I don’t typically count pleasing my mother as a victory.”
“Then consider it a win because you bought yourself some measure of peace.”
“When you put it like that,” I said with a laugh, taking the opportunity for a bit of levity and shoving my hand up his shirt to rest on his stomach. I felt the skin jump at the sudden touch, but his body stayed relaxed. Then, he leaned back into me as we stared out onto the city. “I suppose it’s hard to argue when you’re using logic against me.”
“Do I win a prize?” he asked with a chuckle.
“Hmm,” I began, running my hand up to his chest and then down so my palm still rested against his stomach, but my fingers were turned to dangle over his crotch. When he didn’t move or tense, I curled my fingers and held onto his groin. His body shifted, and I felt him grow hard. “I can think of a few things.”
“Thinking of taking your turn?” he wondered with a chuckle.
“Something like that,” I said as I undid the button of his jeans, slowly undoing the zipper so I could feel the brush of his underwear against my finger. His jeans drooped now they were loose, and I had to laugh when I realized it probably wasn’t the fact that I was pushed up against him. “I think your ass counts as a shelf.”
“To hold up my jeans?”
“Indeed.”
I slipped my hand down his underwear and cupped him, a tingle of anticipation growing inside me as I felt him stiffen rapidly under my touch. Burying my face into his neck, I kissed and licked gently as I held him against me, one hand gripping his waist tightly, the other still holding his hardening cock as I ground against his ass. Not that there was much I could do withhis ass at the moment, considering all our supplies were either at his house or in the wreckage of my place. That didn’t mean there weren’t plenty of things we could do while we were here.
He gasped when I stroked him through his underwear, using my thumb to peel away the waistband and free him from the confines of his pants. I used the opportunity to peer around him to get an actual look at his dick in the full sunlight streaming through the windows. Not that I needed to see it with my own eyes to know it was impressive, but it was certainly more fun to see it in daylight. “There we are, and still?—”
“Your stick is just as big,” he chuckled, leaning back and hissing in pleasure when I caught a bit of his neck between my teeth and worried it just enough to spark sensation, but not enough to leave a mark.
We both jerked when a polite but firm knock came at the door. “Damn it.”
“Probably whatever Moira was sending up,” he said, hiking up his pants and beginning to pull away.
“Oh no,” I said, pushing a hand against his lower back. “I’m not done with you. And I’m going to finish dealing with you right here.”
“At the window?”
“And who is going to see us from up here?”
“A sufficiently determined person with a high-powered set of binoculars or a good camera could zoom in.”
