close to the insight on women you claim to have, you’d know that every time I saw you were less than a perfect fantasy man, I loved you even more.”
Even in the dark, I can see the tenderness in his face, his eyes. “Really?”
“Yes. Really. I don’t want a fantasy man. I don’t want to live out a romantic movie. I want to be me. In a real life. With the real you.”
“Then that’s what you’ll get. For the rest of our lives if you’ll have me.”
Just before I pull him down into a kiss, I whisper, “I’ll have you, Damian. I’ll have you.”
FIVE MONTHS LATER, Damian and I walk into our favorite coffee shop on a Thursday evening. Our friends are gathered at their normal table, so we put in our orders and then head back in their direction.
Damian is going to be graduating with his PhD next week. Instead of going on the job market immediately, he took a one-year teaching position with the university that will give him time to turn his dissertation into a book and hopefully get a contract for publication, which will potentially open up better full-time jobs.
Neither one of us are in a hurry to move anyway. We like it in Atlanta, and we have a lot of friends here.
The group is in good spirits tonight. Giselle is graduating with her master’s next week too, although she was admitted to the PhD program at the same university, so she’s staying in the area as well.
We have a good time, catching up on news and getting to know Foster’s new boyfriend, whom we’re meeting for the first time. Giselle tells us a sprawling, hilarious story about her weekend with an eccentric client from Companions for Hire.
“If only I could be matched up with the love of my life as a client, the way Damian was,” Giselle says with a teasing smile. “All I get are endless tours around Civil War battlefields.”
“I thought that’s what you wanted,” I say when everyone else laughs at that. “Don’t you just do history-related jobs?”
“Yes. I do. I don’t do any of the romantic dates or fantasy stuff.” Glancing over to Damian, she adds, “No judgment, of course, but being that kind of companion just isn’t for me. I was really just joking. The odds of what happened to you and Damian are astronomical. I’m perfectly happy just giving people entertaining history lessons on weekend tours. The money can’t be beat.”
“Well, you never know,” Damian drawls. “Someone could need a fake spouse for six months and it’s too much money to turn down. Then your life will never be the same.”
A FEW HOURS LATER, I’m in bed, wearing a pretty pink chemise and waiting for Damian.
It’s been a good evening. We enjoyed hanging out with our friends, and then I had a glass of wine and a long bath when we got home. I’m relaxed but not overly tired, so I’m hoping Damian’s in the mood for sex.
Even after all these months, we still have sex a lot. A lot. But it isn’t every night. Tonight would be a good time though. I’m getting excited from the anticipation.
Damian’s taking a shower, which is a good sign. On the nights he doesn’t shower before bed, he’s too tired for sex. He comes out after a while, and I leer at his lean, fit body as he walks over to the bed.
“You feeling horny tonight?” he asks warmly, eyeing me closely in the light from the bedside lamp.
“Horny! What kind of word is that? I’m never horny!”
“Lascivious?”
I really do try to hide my amusement at his dry tone, but I don’t entirely succeed. “No. I have a perfectly healthy libido that happens to need frequent exercise.”
His eyes grow hot. He still hasn’t gotten into bed. “In that case, I’m fully prepared to give your libido the workout of its life tonight.”
My whole body starts to pulse. My cheeks get warm.
“You like the sound of that. Don’t you, baby?” He’s got that soothing, erotic tone going now that always does it for me.
“Maybe,” I say primly.
“Maybe?” He leans over the bed, bracing himself on the headboard. “I think you might need some extra attention tonight to remind you exactly how wild and lascivious you actually are. So here’s what I’m going to do. I’m going to take off your clothes and kiss every inch of your body until you’re begging me for release. Then I’m going to go down on you and