no reminders that I’d get there long before him, thank you very much.
“Honestly, though,” he said as we walked up the porch steps at my place, “forty’s the new thirty, and I’m an old soul. We’re gonna be just fine.”
I met his serious gaze. “You think so?”
“I know so.” He stood on tiptoe and kissed me without breaking eye contact. “I know so.”
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Beck took Callie out while I put Rico’s cage back.
“We did good, you and me,” I told him before covering him with his quilt.
“Here, girl.” Beck got Callie her water bowl and filled it. Callie nuzzled up to him.
“I love how you look in my kitchen.” I wanted a picture. “How about we go into all the other rooms and see how you look there.”
“All right.” He unclipped Callie’s leash and hung it on a wall hook. “Show me.”
“All right.” We started with the living room. “Stand by the mantle.”
Laughing, he did as I asked.
“To your right a little.” He moved, and I took the picture. “You look much better there than the Christmas tree ever did. Of course it hardly stood a chance. You’re far more beautiful.”
“I think I like silly Lindy.”
I took him by the hand and led him to the hall. “Stand here.”
I snapped another picture.
“Perfect. You know what I’m going to do? I’m going to frame this picture and hang it in the hallway so all my asshole friends can come over and say how meta it is.”
He snickered, then rushed over to catch me when I overbalanced. “God, I am so tired.”
Beck narrowed his eyes. “Maybe you should go to bed.”
“All right, but can we continue our research into how wonderful my house looks with you in it tomorrow?”
“Yes.” He kissed me again, and my head spun. I calculated how many hours of sleep I’d gotten that week and decided sleep was definitely in order.
When we broke apart, I had to gasp for air. “Ah—excellent. It’s a plan.”
“Come on.” He took my hand and led me to my bedroom where he unbuttoned my shirt, starting at my collar and working his way down.
“I really like where this is going.”
“Mm. Me too.” He smoothed his hand over my pecs, my ribs, down my abs, to my belly. “You’re hot for an old guy.”
“That’s right. And I promise you I’m never going to take my health for granted.”
“Your dad still has all his hair.”
“Mom’s dad too.”
“Well, that’s good news.”
“Isn’t it? I’m going to be a silver fox.”
Beck’s hands stilled on the button of my jeans. He leaned in as if he wanted to tell me a secret. “I’ve got news for you.”
I turned my ear to his lips. “What?”
“You already are.” He gripped my jeans and my briefs and worked them over my hips. “Did you wear these jeans for me?”
“I maybe thought about how you’d like them.”
“Mm.” A moment later, he was on his knees, pressing his face into my cock. “You smell so good.”
My dick tightened and my mouth went dry.
“I like you on your knees, Beck.”
He glanced up, lips pursed in thought. “Oh really?”
“How would you look swallowing my cock?”
He spread his hand over his chest. “Moi?”
“Mmhmm.” Playfully, I held it out for him. “No time like the present to find out.”
He contemplated me for a while, then swallowed just the tip.
“Oh, sweetheart.” I let my head fall back.
It was a good thing I was close to the wall because my entire body kept going until I slapped up against it.
“Oof.”
“Careful there, Doc. We don’t want an unfortunate dick disaster.”
I snorted. “I think the difficulty level might be beyond me.”
“Standing?”
“Come take a shower with me.”
“All right.” Beck stood, pulled his T-shirt over his head, and skimmed off his jeans. He had nothing on underneath.
“Now that is just…mouthwatering.”
With a seductive backward glance, he slipped into the bathroom and turned on the water.
I waited for him to leave, and when he didn’t, I said, “Go away. I have to pee.”
Beck smirked. “You can do that while I’m here, you know.”
I flinched. “Is that one of your things, because—”
“Hell no.” He eyed me. “It’s not one of yours…”
“Nuh-uh. Nope. Nyet. I’m just pee shy.”
He sighed and left me to it.
I washed my hands and gave him the same privacy.
While I waited, the idea crashed over me that I’d just made the first negotiation in what might actually be a relationship, and it wasn’t so hard after all. I was feeling kind of proud of myself when Beck cracked open the door just wide enough