Page 106 of Fierce-Gabe

He didn’t normally seem put off by things.

Not moody either.

It seemed they were both out of sorts over this holiday and she was glad it was behind them.

“I don’t think you being dirty is a secret,” she said, laughing.

“Am I really that bad?” he asked.

She moved out of his arms. “No. You’re not. Even the first time we were here. You are messy but not a slob. There is a difference. And most people’s houses aren’t that clean when someone shows up unexpectedly.”

“I bet Jayce’s is,” he said.

“Considering he’s not home much, probably. Think of it that way. Your house is lived in. It’s a home. There is a difference. Didn’t you say you were a homebody? It stands to reason. We should all be comfortable where we live.”

“That’s right,” he said. “Sometimes life just gets away from me. But I wash my sheets weekly now. Or at least change them weekly. I always cleaned my bathroom weekly. I just didn’t wipe it down daily.”

“But you rinse the sink,” she said, giggling. She noticed those little things.

No, he didn’t wash his floors or sweep or vacuum daily, but who the heck did? Not many. She didn’t.

It’s not like he dropped food on the floor. At least that she’d seen.

“I do,” he said.

“As for secrets,” she said, “I wasn’t sure what to do when they brought up Clemson.”

“I’ll talk to them,” he said.

“If you do, do you think they will read more into it?”

His head went back and forth. “Most likely. You’re right. You answered it well. Might as well stick to that answer if it comes up again.”

She knew if she told her father not to bring it up he’d be all over it like stink in the sewer wanting to know why. Best to pretend like it’s not a big deal and go from there.

“How about if we get dirty another way?”

Her hands went for his shirt and slid under.

“I like the way you’re thinking,” he said. “What do you have in mind?”

“No dancing tonight,” she said. “I don’t have a lot of rhythm anyway.”

She might have joked about it, but she didn’t see herself doing any striptease for any man.

“Fair enough,” he said, kissing her. “I don’t have any at all. You’ve got more than enough for me where it counts,” he said, picking her up and bringing her to the living room.

“Guess we aren’t going to make it to your bed?”

“Nope,” he said. “You brought up the word dirty and I’ve got kinky in my mind. We did it in your living room, don’t you think we should do it in mine?”

“I think we should. Do you have a condom on you?”

“Nope,” he said. “Kind of gotten out of the habit of carrying them now that things are out in the open.”

Elise knew she should consider some form of birth control. She’d never been on it before. Didn’t see the need for it and shewondered if it was because she didn’t see herself long term with anyone.

Something she’d have to think of another day.

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