Page 28 of Mr. Hook-up

“One of us always seems to be,” she replied.

“Have you thought about me?”

Silence grew between us, until: “Yes.”

“What do you think about?”

Her exhale was short, but loud enough to hear. “The things you’ve done to my body—twice now. The way you’ve made me feel.”

“And what’s your conclusion?”

“You’re a very dangerous man, Mr.Boston.”

I took a seat on my bed, staring out the window. “Only with you.” My thumb traced my bottom lip. “There’s a reason we matchedperfectly. I’m destined to figure out why that is. And in the meantime, I’m going to keep enjoying you and learning more about you and finding every possible way to make you scream.”

“You make it sound easy.”

“I told you, men can change. I already have because of you. If trust and monogamy and love is what you’re looking for—I believe it’s all possible.”

There was movement, a breath, and then stillness. “Then let me ask you this ... I know you told me that you just started a business with your best friends and you’re Boston-sports obsessed, and then there’s your username, but I still have to know: Are you married to Boston?”

I thought about her question. “You mean, would I move somewhere else?”

“Yes.”

“No,” I replied quickly. “You’re right about everything you’ve said. My work is here. My passion is here. My family is here. My whole life is in this city.”

“That’s what I thought.”

Her tone had softened in a way I hadn’t heard before.

Why did that make my chest ache?

Why did I suddenly feel that question had moved us to opposite sides of the same path?

I ran my hand over my hair. “I want to see you.”

“I ... want that too.”

I pulled up the camera on my phone and positioned it high in the air, turning my face to the side as I snapped several pics. I chose the best one and cropped out certain features to make me less recognizable, only because when we finally revealed our faces, I wanted to be able to kiss hers immediately after.

“Check your messages,” I told her.

There was a pause, and then: “I knew it.”

“Knew what?”

“You’re as perfect as I remember.”

I had a feeling she wasn’t done, so I waited.

“Mr.Boston ... this one is going to hurt.”

I didn’t ask her to elaborate. I didn’t try to change her opinion.

I didn’t say anything.

In my mind, there was no way I was going to cause her a single second of pain, so the only hurt that would come between us was what I planned to do with my fingers the second they touched her body again.

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