Page 113 of Easy Out

Her skin is also slick with sweat. I run a stream of kisses and bites across her neck and shoulders, tasting her salty skin. With each swipe of my tongue, she squeezes my cock harder finding her release. “Fuck.“ I can’t hold out any longer. I let go with her name on my lips.

I can’t move. I don’t think Lauren can either. Our chests rise and fall together. I need to catch my breath for a moment. Then we can take a shower and go hang out with Manny and Carlos.

Lauren’s stomach growls cutting off my mental to do list. “Hungry?”

“Starving.”

“Let’s get you fed and then we can go see the boys.”

“I’ve got the popcorn. You get the hot chocolate,” Lauren tells Carlos. “And Manny, go run to my closet and grab some blankets.”

We’ve spent most of the day decorating Lauren’s trailer for Christmas and now we are about to watch a Christmas movie.

The tree is half the size of the one I grew up decorating every year with my parents. The ornaments are a mixture of cheap balls from the dollar store and handmade. But I’ve never seen a tree I liked more. It has Lauren’s magic written all over it.

“This one is my favorite,” Lauren whispers to me as she places an ornament on the tree with three thumbprints painted on the front creating a snowman. On the back it has Manny’s name and is dated three years ago.

“It’s cute.” She nods.

“Manny made it in kindergarten. I didn’t really know him that well. I mean, I’d seen them around, but I was still keeping to myself. I had just moved back for winter break. He must have seen me hauling the tree from the trunk of my car.

“I had barely gotten it out of the box when there was a knock on my door. Manny told me he didn’t have a tree at home and wondered if he could hang his ornament on mine. I told him he was in luck because I didn’t have ornaments as pretty as this one. Next thing I know, Carlos was back with a handful of ornaments they made at school over the years.”

Carlos takes a seat in the oversized chair. Lauren directs me to the far end of the couch. I’m about to protest when she snuggles up next to me. Manny sits on the floor in front of us. I raise an eyebrow.

“He’s not allowed on the couch with hot chocolate.” Carlos answers my silent question.

“I only spilled it one time,” Manny defends.

“Because now you sit on the floor by the table." Lauren leans forward and muses the hair on the top of his head.

By the end of the second movie all the popcorn has been eaten and both boys are asleep. Carlos is stretched out in the chair still. Manny is laid across the couch with his head in Lauren’s lap.

Lauren’s head rests against my chest. I absentmindedly run my hand up and down her arm. The glow of the Christmas tree is the only light in the room.

I feel like I’m being visited by the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come. I can see this future clear as day. Lauren, me, and our kids. Decorating the tree with ornaments painted with little fingerprints. Hot chocolate and movies.

Lauren tilts her head toward mine. I eagerly kiss her lips.

Today has been a good distraction for Lauren. I’m waiting for everything that happened yesterday to rise back to the surface. I won’t bring it up or push her. I just hope she doesn’t shut me out. Because being here like this with her, I want it more than anything.

25

LAUREN

Winter break has flown by. The new semester started this morning. Hart and I spent most of our time off at my trailer playing house. We stayed up late every night watching true crime, talking, and having sex.

Delicious, mind-blowing sex. The way he says all those dirty things to me in Spanish. Throw in how his dark eyes that practically eat me alive. I’m a mess. I’m this crazed wanton slut. A role I’m not used to playing, but here I am nailing it.

Hart made breakfast most mornings, which was an absolute delight. Apparently, he cooks shirtless. I shamelessly drooled over his hard packed muscle while he whipped together a simple breakfast of eggs and toast.

It’s official. I want Hart shirtless in my kitchen every morning. I want midnight fridge raids and sharing ice cream straight from the carton. I want to reach across the bed and feel Hart beside me every night. I want a family. I want...

I inhale a deep breath to fend off this wave of anxiety taking over my body.

I want…

I want my brothers in my life.

---