He slowly sits back, frowning at me as I sit and grab my phone that fell out of my hand. “You’re seriously not going to let me fuck you right now?”
I most definitely want him to fuck me right now, but I really do need to get my work done. “No.” It’s said with a laugh, his pout tugging at my resolve. I wiggle my fingers, palm up. “Please hand me my laptop.” He’s grumbling under his breath at me, but grabs the computer, setting it on my lap as I type out a response to Jessie.
It’s been months since I’ve actually seen him, and I miss him. A lot. It’s always when things are no longer in front of us that we appreciate them the most, and I’ve had months to notice how much I appreciate him. I was too lost to see what I had, too consumed in someone else. But that’s fine. I have Donatello like I always wanted.
“You’re going to dinner then?” He asks, russet reds flicking between my eyes.
“I am. I miss hanging out with Jessie.”
He reaches out, thumb brushing along my lower lip, lightly pulling it down before he stands. “Okay, Vita Mia.”
I watch as he walks toward the door, sitting on the bench in the entryway to lace his boots. “Are you going somewhere?”
He grabs his jacket, coming back to grin at me. “Finish your work. I’ll be back soon.” Gripping my chin, he pulls me up for a kiss, dropping me back into the cushions with a crooked smile to combat my confused frown.
“Okay.” I finally say after a pause, watching his back move toward the door. “I thought you didn’t have to do anything today?” It’s asked as he opens the door, his face only half turned my way when he answers.
“I won’t be long, baby.”
I stare at the closed door, gut pinching as I listen to his car pull from the drive. Donatello has been nothing but amazing since we’ve become official, but a few months of being a perfect boyfriend doesn’t erase all the damage he did before. It’s going to take me awhile to trust him completely and not feel like he’s keeping secrets every time he walks out the door. Especially when he has random errands and house calls pop up out of thin air like this. Old habits die hard, and Donatello has many I’d like to break.
Adjusting against the couch, I try to focus back on my assignment. Regardless of what Donatello is doing, this actually does need to get finished if I don’t want to fail the class, and that’s not a path I’ll willingly take again.
A low whistle from behind me draws my attention, and I pause on the boardwalk to see Jessie sitting on a bench I’ve just passed. His silver hair is flopped over one eye, hiding one of his baby blues from me as he smiles, tilting his chin toward my outfit. “New dress, Laney Girl?”
“Only the best for you.” I have on a simple cotton tank dress and sneakers, nothing about it is all that special, but his lingering gaze says it just might be. He stands as I get closer, lifting a hand to push his hair back. I wrap my arms around him before he’s even finished, pressing my face into the front of his shirt to breathe him in. “I missed you.”
I feel his chin rest on the top of my head, his arms coming around to hug me back. “I always miss you.”
Pulling from him, I look away, the moment feeling too intimate for just friends. I love Donatello. I’ll always love Donatello, but I know I would have loved Jessie like that also if he hadn’t let me go. He was there to pick me up when no one else was, in a way no one else could. It’s hard not to blur the lines with someone you’ve already shared everything with, who’s seen you at your worst and likes you anyway.
“How long are you staying this time?” I start walking, and he follows, his elbow bumping into my arm as he tucks his hands into his pockets.
“A while. I’m moving back here for work.” I knew his family was in New York from what he’s told me before, but I didn’t realize he was actually from the city until recently. It’ll be nice having him back longer than a week at a time. I doubt Donatello will agree, though. He despises mine and Jessie’s relationship. Not that I blame him. I imagine I’d have a difficult time getting along with someone I knew Donatello had slept with, let alone someone who was as close to him as Jessie and I are.
“You’re moving here? Where are you staying now?” I don’t know why I’m asking. It’s not like he could come stay at Donatello’s if he were stuck in a hotel right now or something. I change my question instead, “What kind of work? Don’t you work in Alabama still?”
He chuckles at my shift, side eyeing me as we walk. “You’re nosy.”
“I like to know things. It’s only nosy if I’m asking about things I shouldn’t be a part of. Are you hiding something, Jessie?” Raising my brow at him, I laugh when he bumps into me, making me stumble sideways.
“Oops, my bad.” He smiles at my fake glare, pulling my arm, so I move in front of him instead of running into a lady walking our way. “Sorry, Ma’am, my friend here is a little clumsy.”
I scoff, and he laughs, his fingers pushing into my lower back to get me walking again. “Are you going to tell me what you do for work or not?”
“Family business.” He says into my ear, the smell of fresh tobacco wafting off his skin as his chest brushes against my back.
Waving his face from my neck I pull
