I blew out a breath. “Well, maybe he’s demi then, or something.” I spread my legs and let the desert wind dry my balls. “Maybe he’s just not down with sleeping with his boss.” My head fell back to the chaise cushion and my eyes drifted shut. This was not the crap I needed burbling in my head. We had a game tonight.
“Are you respecting his boundaries?”
My eyes flew open. “Yes! Seriously, I’m not some sort of creeper. I’ve never forced a person to sleep with me, I don’t have to.”
“Watch that ego. Your fancy owl helmet won’t fit on your head.”
“Raptor. It’s a raptor. What do you think I should do?”
“Nothing. It will be what it will be. So, the sweat lodge? I met two men in the desert who said they’d help me erect it.”
“Alchemy, you can’t just hit it off with wandering desert dudes.”
“Pfft, like I don’t know how to handle myself. You need to stop worrying about my sex life and start fixing yours. You and Joe have compatible auras. Also, you look cute together.” A crowing rooster sound split the air. “That’s Coyote and Myron. My new friends. We’re going to stake off the boundaries for the sweat lodge. Can you loan me a few bucks to buy some materials?”
“Sure yeah, ask Simon for cash. But Coyote and Myron are not allowed near the house until Simon checks them out.” She rose then patted my cheek before hoisting her sari up over her swollen knees and heading off to the pool house.” Hey, old woman, don’t be doing nothing kinky on the property! Child Services drops by all the time!” She threw her hands into the air then disappeared around the side of the pool house. “She’s so going to do kinky shit behind my pool house with wandering desert dudes.”
“Hey.” Joe’s voice startled me.
“Dude, whistle or something.”
“I didn’t want to interrupt your talk with your grandmother.”
I patted the chaise. He squinted into the sun then sat, his ass on the edge of the damp yellow cushion. “She’s off to put up a sweat lodge with some dudes she met while she was out toking it up in the mountains.” His eyes flared. “So like if you see two guys walking around with animal skins and long poles don’t freak out. It’ll just be Coyote and Myron, Alchemy’s new lovers.”
His eyes rounded even more. “Your life is unlike mine in so many ways.”
“Truth. So, is Maddie napping?” I wiggled closer, hoping he’d slip under my arm or crawl into my lap. He did neither, just sat primly on the edge of the cushion, his cheeks looking a little redder than usual. “Are you okay? Is something wrong with Maddie?”
“No, she’s fine. Her belly is full and I read her that story about the boy turtle who wants to wear sequins and pretty things on his shell to school.”
“Timmy Turtle’s Tremendously Terrific Shell. I love that book.”
“It’s a wonderful story about accepting transgender and non-binary children. A little above her reading level yet, but a great book.”
I grinned and he got redder. “Never too early to teach them love and acceptance.”
“Yes, I agree.” His gaze darted around as he fiddled with the seam on his shorts. I liked him in shorts and tank, it showed off his arms and calves. I wanted to see more of him. Was his chest covered with hair like his forearms and legs were? I hoped so. “So, we’re doing well, right?”
I blinked to clear the lusty thoughts from my head. “Uhm, yeah, sure. I guess. Do you mean we’re doing well with the manny work because you are totally the only man I want taking care of my daughter.”
He beamed. “Well thank you. I’m quite fond of her.”
“And me? Are you fond of me too, Joseph?” My voice dropped and his Adam’s apple bounced. Yeah, he liked me. My dick started to rise under my towel. I shoved at it to try to hide it but it was kind of hard. His gaze dropped to my cock then a rosy red blush swam up his neck all the way to his ears. “Sorry?”
He wet his lips. I waited. I had a few hours until I was needed at the barn. “It’s like this.” He cleared his throat. I waited. “Yes, well, it’s just that I find myself in a rather confusing situation as I’ve not… this is never… not never, but rarely. I don’t find myself sexually attracted to people. Men I mean. I’ve only known you a short time, just a few weeks, but we’ve grown close in that time. I’ve come to see you as more than a wild rock star. I’ve seen how much you love Maddie, and how devoted you are to your grandmother. I’ve come to see that you’re a kind but free soul. And you smile, a lot. Even though you’ve been through some truly terrible things, you smile and sing. I think I might like you a little bit.”
My heart did this wild tamping dance of joy inside my chest. “I like you too, more than a little. I’d like to kiss you again. Can I?”
He nodded then climbed over me like a capuchin monkey. It was unexpected and glorious all at once. His mouth crashed down over mine, his fingers dove into my wet hair, and he kissed me so hard our teeth clacked. I managed to get a hand on his hip before he wiggled free and stumbled to his feet. His cheeks were flaming, his pupils blown, and his shorts bulging in the front. The man was breathless and ripe. My fingers itched to reach for his zipper but I left them where they were.
“I just wanted to do that. Was it okay?”
“Oh yeah, it was exceptionally okay.”
He smiled, a shy awkward smile that made my balls feel heavy. “Good. I… well, good.” He carded a hand through his hair, making it stick up at disjointed angles.
