staring intently at me. “They started to give me the talk. The sex talk.”
“No!” Lance said while cackling. Decker had a wide grin on his face as he shook his head. His foot retreated.
“Yup. They wanted to make sure we were safe, and he just sat there the entire time, letting them tell me how a penis worked and how to track my ovulation to prevent pregnancy.”
Both men were bent over and laughing so hard that even Lance had tears streaming down his face. It had been one of the most mortifying moments of my entire life, but now I could look back on it and smile. “You officially win the competition for the worst date ever,” Decker said in a bright voice.
I leaned back in the soft chair while crossing my arms over my chest. I unintentionally pressed my breast up and blushed when I saw Decker drop his fork. “What can I say? I’m a winner.”
“But did you have sex with that guy?” Lance asked with a laugh. “Wait. Don’t answer that. Gross,” Lance quickly added with more chuckles. My eyes flickered to Decker, and I realized how awkward this was. We hadn’t exactly had the conversation about past relationships, and it felt weird to talk about it now.
“Nah. I eventually got tired of his parents asking me if I took birth control regularly and when my next cycle was. They were way too involved in their son’s sex life.”
After chatting a bit more, I got up and excused myself for the restroom and made my way across the swanky restaurant while thinking how perfect this night had turned out. I loved watching the two of them interact. Their friendship was strong and intimate. It was beautiful to watch but heartbreaking, too. I felt terrible knowing Decker and I were harboring this secret that could tear them apart.
After freshening up, I exited the bathroom and stopped when I saw Decker standing in the hallway. The moment our eyes connected, he pushed me back through the threshold and slammed the door shut, locking us both inside. “I’m sorry we couldn’t finish things back at the loft,” he rasped before kissing me.
I could’ve gotten drunk on the taste of wine on his lips. It was intoxicating; I never wanted it to stop. He cupped my neck and squeezed lightly before sucking on my collarbone. If he didn’t stop soon, I’d emerge from this bathroom with a dark, obvious hickey. “I’m having fun,” I said with a smile while guiding his face back up and away from my neck.
Decker kissed my forehead before speaking again. “I’m glad. Damn you look so good in this dress. I want you for dessert.”
It felt wrong, clinging to Decker in a fancy bathroom while Lance was sitting alone at the table. We were being too risky once again, and yet, I held him. I smiled at the perfectness of the night. I kissed his wrist and tugged on the waistband of his suit pants. He palmed my breast and grabbed my ass. We were two seconds from fucking in the bathroom. “Lance is waiting,” he whispered, though he sounded pained to say it.
“Lance is waiting,” I affirmed. And we went back out to the dinner table separately but feeling an intense longing for one another. Dinner was perfect.
28
Blakely
We slipped into a comfortable routine of secrets.
Thanksgiving was just around the corner, and somehow, we managed to survive two months of secret rendezvous, lingering stares, and brief touches that meant more than we could ever say. There was an intense yet hollow sort of happiness between us. We connected so deeply, so profoundly, so beautifully that it almost felt too good to be true, but then there was the added weight of secrecy beating us up. If hiding could leave me battered and blue, I’d have two black eyes, cracked ribs, and bruises. We were always too close to getting caught. Too open with the blinding affection and tension between us.
“You’ve been quiet today,” Decker observed while wrapping an arm around my waist as I washed dishes in the loft. I felt the scrubbing bubbles lathering over my skin as I tried to formulate my response. I didn’t want him to think I wasn’t happy, I was just exhausted.
“Are you tired of hiding?” I asked.
“Yes.” His response was immediate and blunt. I loved his honesty and how we were always on the same page.
Decker grabbed my hips and forced me to look at him. I wondered if