Page 21 of Back in the Saddle

“Yup,” he answered.

I refreshed our cocktails then rounded the bar to resume my seat beside him.

“Is she going to be the last one?” he asked.

“I doubt it,” I replied with honesty.

I mean, thiswasthe Oasis.

“This seems weirdly familiar,” he muttered.

“At least it’s entertaining,” I remarked.

He shot me a half-smile. “It is that.”

“I’ve neglected to tell you, this is really good.” I pointed at my plate.

“I aim to please,” he joked.

Even joking, I bet he did.

I shivered.

To fight off that train of thought, I nabbed my highball glass and lifted it his way.

“I also neglected the toast,” I declared.

He put his fork down and grabbed his glass.

“Happy No-Fucks-to-Giving,” I toasted.

This time, it was Eric who busted out laughing.

I stilled.

I’d never heard him laugh, or saw it, and it…was…magnificent.

He was still doing it when he clinked glasses with me and replied, “Happy No-Fucks-to-Giving.”

I forced a smile.

We drank.

Then we went back to our plates.

And fortunately…

Silence.

THREE

DARK

Iput my spent bowl of apple crumble and ice cream on the coffee table just as the credits rolled onPlanes, Trains and Automobiles.

Eric, who was indisputably all man, had done what any man would do when we sat down to watch the movie. He’d seized the remote, and as such, right then, he hit pause on the credits.

I tipped my head so I could look at him where his long body was lounged down the longer end of my couch. I was on the shorter end, propped up in the corner, his stocking feet mere inches from me being able to give him a foot massage (which I was not doing, but the urge was there).

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