Page 53 of Gary

“He insisted.” Taking off her shoes, she curled her feet under her. “And I could not say no.” She sighed blissfully. “I really, really like him. Like a lot. Being with him makes me want to be with him some more.”

Her mother eyed her quizzically. “Things are moving fast.”

“Too fast!” She admitted with a sigh. “And I was just saying to myself that I know nothing about him. Not really. He claims he is in management at some company but has not given me the name. His clothes are expensive and so is his apartment.

It’s on Silver Street.” She added as if that explains everything, and it did. “I know his dad is in the hospital and he mentioned an uncle.

I also know he lost his mother, and he was very close to her. He lived in Italy, some little village with his mother’s sister for five years. But what if he is married?” She shook her head. “Which is ridiculous, and I know he isn’t. “But I don’t want to get in too deep only to discover that there is something he is not telling me.”

“You think he has something to hide?”

She shook her head. “I don’t know. He seems honest and upfront, but he is a gorgeous man who is still single. Why?”

“One could say the same about you,” Sharon pointed out.

“It’s different for a woman.” She insisted. “Men have women crawling all over them every day of the week. Especially one who is handsome, articulate and have resources. Women most times have to settle for scraps. Whoever is not gay, is either in prison or broke.”

She got a reproving look for that.

“You know it’s true.”

“And I did not bring you up to be a cynic. There are still some good men out there and I believe your young man is one of them.” She patted her daughter’s knee. “Have some faith and from what you told me, you already know a lot. Give him time to tell you the rest. Have you told him everything?”

Sadie shook her head ruefully. “The thing with dad, I still cannot talk about.”

Her mother nodded. “It’s too painful.” She agreed. “What about that piece of garbage that broke your heart?”

“I told him about Shaun.” She smiled slightly. “He listened without saying anything at first. He is good like that. And he wanted to know if Shaun was an idiot.”

“We have established that he is. I like your young man, honey. And I have a feeling he is going to be in your life for a long time.”

Chapter 11

“What?”

“I cannot stare at you?”

“It’s creepy.”

“Or endearing.” He countered with a grin, his fingers tugging at a fat curl. They were resting after a very energetic bout of lovemaking. He had greeted her at the door with a kiss that had shattered her mind and melted her body.

The meal he had brought home had been forgotten as he hurried her upstairs. Their clothing were still strewn all over the hardwood floor, and they had eaten the Chinese food in bed.

“Creepy.” She repeated.

“I was thinking.”

He continued to play with her hair. The feel of her flushed against his body felt right and he wanted that feeling for the rest of his life.

“Okay.”

“It doesn’t make sense for you to go to and from. You could move in with me.” He tensed when her eyes rounded as she stared at him.

“Shack up with you?”

He winced at that. “Or you could marry me. Then we would be living as husband and wife. Make it legal.”

“You are insane. We just met.”