Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 95019 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 95019 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 475(@200wpm)___ 380(@250wpm)___ 317(@300wpm)
And honestly, I don’t want him to take his cock out either.
He presses some of his weight against me, then nestles his face against my cheek, offering the gentlest of kisses.
It’s a moment that’s so perfect. A moment I want to keep him in for as long as I can before real life intrudes again. I wrap my arms around him, keeping him close. Stealing a few more seconds, but knowing this is really only the beginning of many more sweet moments with Ryan, who hasn’t just claimed my body, but my heart.
34
Ryan
A week after my thumb injury, I pull up to the driveway of my parents’ place. I asked if they could meet me at the house, though from what I gather, Mom isn’t staying there anymore.
As I park alongside the curb, Marty glances over from the passenger seat. “You sure you want me to come in with you right away?”
He’s giving me one last chance to bail.
“Why? You worried they’re not gonna like you?”
“You know damn well that’s not what I’m worried about.”
“Maybe you should start worrying.”
Marty enjoys a laugh before resting his hand on my thigh, offering a gentle rub. As the knot in my gut loosens, I rest my hand on top of his.
“How do you do that?” I ask him.
“What?”
“How does the most anxiety-prone guy in Alpha Theta Mu know how to set me right at ease?”
“Not the most anxiety-prone guy in Alpha Theta Mu anymore. I mean, not technically.”
He got me there.
“Well, I want this anxiety-ridden guy to come with me,” I assure him. As much as I struggled with the news of Mom seeing a guy, I know it’s time to have this conversation. “I want them to meet you. You’re my guy now, and I’m tired of secrets. We’ve all been keeping too many of those.”
“Okay,” he says, “but should we have a code word in case things get awkward and I need to bail?”
“What kind of conversation do you think this is gonna be?”
He shrugs. “I don’t know. I haven’t met them yet.”
“It’ll be great.”
Not only because I expect my parents will be fine with me having a boyfriend, but because I know, no matter what happens in there, I have him. It reassures me that however this evening goes, things will be just fine. It’s something I’ve really let sink in since Marty bought me that silly protein bar. Since I realized this is my guy.
“How about…Xenomorph?” he asks.
“Huh?”
“For the code word in case things get awkward. It’s not likely to come up on its own.”
I chuckle. “Sure, why not?” It’s a funny word to use, but it does make what we’re about to do feel less heavy.
I brace myself, and we get out of my car, head up the drive together. He doesn’t seem to know what to do with his hands. Keeps them in his pockets one second, pulls them out the next, scratches at his shoulders. I’ve learned this is one of the ways he shows he’s uncomfortable. And I love noticing little things like that about him. Things I’ve picked up because of how much time we spend together, and I’m sure he’s noticed similar things about me. I move close, resting my hand on the small of his back, and he seems to relax.
When we reach the door, I key in the code and head inside. “Knock, knock,” I say to announce our entrance.
Some shuffling comes from the kitchen before my parents appear, greeting us in the short hall to the foyer. Their eyes go right to Marty.
I told them I was bringing someone with me but didn’t qualify it, and they didn’t ask. Maybe they just think I brought a mediator with me.
“Marty, this is my dad and my mom. Mom and Dad, this is my boyfriend.”
No hesitation. No awkward pause. Only me claiming my guy with my parents.
Marty’s lips curl upward, like he’s pleased I don’t have an ounce of uneasiness about letting them know whom he belongs to.
Mom’s jaw drops as Dad tilts his head. They stand there stunned, and Marty rubs a hand against his arm. “Nice to meet you,” he says with wide eyes and a smile.
Mom snaps out of her daze first. “Yes, wonderful.” When he extends his hand for a shake, Mom says, “If you do hugs, you might as well start now.”
He breathes a sigh of relief. “I’m fine with that.”
“But make sure you have one for me too,” Dad adds, making eye contact with me, grinning in a way that assures me he’s cool. I never imagined my parents would be dicks about this, but it’s still a relief because fuck, that would have been awkward if his parents had been cool and mine had been a bunch of d-bags.
With the introductions out of the way, I say, “I wanted to bring him here because I wished I’d introduced him to you both sooner, but also because we all need to start sharing more about what’s going on in our lives. Mom, if you have a guy you’re seeing, I don’t want you to feel like you have to hide that. But I don’t like the fact that I was the last to know everything. I’m not saying I want a blow by blow of the divorce proceedings, but I do want my parents to be my parents and to be a part of my life, whatever that looks like now.”