Page 46 of Up in Flames

Cain shakes his head, placing his forehead against mine. “I hoped. I didn’t want to go another day without you. Somehow, you’ve gained a hold over me, Makaylie. You make me want to be a better man, and I want to be a better man…for you.”His brows crease, and his jaw clenches like he’s in pain.

Smiling, I chastely kiss him again. “You have me, all of me, Cain. No one else.”

“Good!” he replies matter-of-factly, causing me to laugh.

Turning on him, he spreads his legs, and I slide between them. My back to his front, in the same position as last week. Grabbing my laptop, I place it on my lap while he wraps his arms around my waist and nuzzles into my neck as I open my document.

Suddenly, like magic, inspiration hits, and the words flow freely.

Muse—tick.

Writer’s block—cross.

This is now my favorite thing to do on a Saturday.

We spend the day together as we did last week. Then, when the chill finally hits the air and the daylight leaves, we head back to the apartments to have dinner together.

I pull into the parking lot, then walk over to Cain as he slides out of his Impala. Taking my hand, we make our way to the elevator together.

He looks up at the lights above the elevator and then at me. “Do you want to come to my apartment?”

Dragging my bottom lip in by my teeth, I try to hide my bright smile. I’ve wondered for weeks what his apartment is like. So I reply with, “Yeah, that would be great,” as he leads us inside the elevator.

Cain pushes the button for level forty. I live on level seven, so I can only imagine the view of Baton Rouge from that height.

He turns to face me and raises his hand to caress my cheek. I giggle slightly at the thought of his cheek fetish as he leans in, kissing me. We part as the doors open and step out onto level forty. There are only a few doors, so I assume the apartments are larger up here.

“My roommate might be home. Just a warning… he doesn’t wear many clothes.”

A laugh escapes me until I see the look of complete seriousness on Cain’s face. “Oh, like no clothing or just a little?” I ask curiously.

He shrugs. “Most of the time, just a little, but sometimes I come home to total nudity,” he informs me with a smirk.

Grinning, I raise my eyebrows. “Wow! I didn’t pick you for the type to allow another man naked in your proximity,” I reply.

“Oh, fuck no, I don’t allow it. If I come home and he’s naked, he knows to put something on,” Cain states, putting his key into the lock.

Nodding, I tighten my hand in his as he opens the door, and we walk in and down a short hallway before turning right into his living room. Taking in the view, I notice the lavish balcony on the outside.

Wrinkling my nose at him as he pulls me close—it’s almost like a protective instinct—he smiles down at me. “Welcome to the bachelor pad, little dove.” He smirks.

“Little dove?”

“It’s a symbol of peace and purity. You settle my mind, Makaylie. You bring me peace, and I’ve never met anyone more pure than you. So, little dove it is.”

I can’t help but smile, and I say nothing in return, loving my new name.

Spinning around, I gaze over the large living room.

It looks—neat.

Not what I was expecting.

I think because of the ‘naked housemate’ and two men living together, I was anticipating a real bachelor pad, but this apartment is modern and well-kept. Almost has a model-home feel to it. The sofas are black leather, and the tables are all glass and chrome. The furniture is metal or glass, and everything is sparkling under the lights. My eyes bug out of my head when I spot the living fern in a pot by the balcony doors.

These guys have a plant…

… and it’salive.

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