on the phone tonight right before I left. He was in the hall talking quietly, but I heard him say, clear as day, ‘Whatever is going on with you, I’m done being your whipping boy.’ And then he saw me, and he turned away and talked quieter, but I think him and his girl are having major trouble.”
My abdomen contracted. “Poor Silas. They’re definitely going through a rough patch. I’m glad he stuck up for himself, though.”
Holly shook her head. “Can you imagine having a man like Silas and treating him bad?”
“Mm-mm,” Willa said. “That boy’s the whoooole package.”
“I wonder if his dick is as perfect as the rest of him,” Rhea mused.
“Seriously?” Shawn called from the bathroom.
We all got big eyes and I covered my mouth as a series of snorting hilarity rang out and we fell over each other.
“Sorry!” Rhea said through laughter.
Shawn came in, wiping his hands on some paper towels he must’ve gotten from the kitchen.
“The sink should be okay for a while. The light shouldn’t flicker anymore. I could come back and fix the floor tiles one day, but I need to get a few materials for that.”
“No,” I began but Willa stopped me with a hard glare. “I mean, if you want to come back that would be awesome.” Willa smiled and batted her eyelashes at him.
“I think I can arrange that,” he told her with a grin.
I melted.
“Well,” Holly said. “I’m tired. Aren’t you girls tired?”
“Oh, yes,” said Rhea. “Suddenly so exhausted.”
Willa yawned, and Syd said, “I’m beat.”
I rolled my eyes at their theatrics.
“Can I have your bed tonight, boo?” Rhea asked.
“Sure. I’ll come get my pillow.” I looked at Shawn. “Your drink is on the counter.” He nodded gratefully and turned to get it. The five of us girls went back into the big bedroom, then closed the door and proceeded to silently jump up and down, dancing and doing happy jigs.
“Oh, my gawd,” Syd said, holding her hands to her chest. “The way he looks at you!”
“Has he talked to his fiancé yet?” Holly asked.
I nodded. “Yeah, they’re over. They’re working out the details about their son when he gets home tomorrow.”
We all calmed down at that sobering thought. I reached down and grabbed my pillow.
“Good night, guys.”
“Night,” they all called, smiling their encouragement as I left the room and closed the door behind me.
When I got to the living room I spotted Shawn’s empty glass on the coffee table. Damn, he’d guzzled that. I looked around and heard, “Psst” from behind me. I spun to see the passion pit door opened with the fairy lights twinkling. Shawn was lying on the pallet with his hands behind his head and a shit eating grin on his face.
“I had to try it on for size,” he said. “Good thing I’m not any taller.”
A buzz of excitement razed over me. I unzipped my boots and peeled them off, pushing them next to the door. Then I padded to the passion pit and walked in, closing the door. I’d never been in here with a guy. The small space filled with our combined energies. He stayed very still, watching me, and his eyes became hooded.
“No sex,” I whispered.
“No sex,” he whispered back.
I unbuttoned my jeans and shimmied them down my thighs. He watched me, the only part of him moving was his eyes as he took me in. I went down to my knees beside him, the blood racing under my skin, and I pulled the sweater over my head. Black bra, black panties, and a whole lot of Harlow.
Shawn moved now, coming up on his knees to kiss me and run his hands from my shoulders down my back. It felt so amazing to be touched. I wanted more. I pulled his shirt up and he raised his arms, letting me take it off. Shawn wasn’t stacked with muscles, but he was lean and real and mine.
Both of us went still as the floor began to hum and then thump rhythmically.
“The fuck is that?” He peered at me with those big blue eyes and I laughed.
“It’s the night club in this building. They just turned on the music.”
His smile made me laugh again. “I’m getting the full experience tonight.”
We got him down to his boxers and then began to roll around, making out like teenage bandits. He was between my legs and I grabbed his ass through the boxers, wanting all of his hardness to grind against me.
“My God,” he whispered. “I haven’t