Page 44 of Unraveling with You

He zips those black irises over my overheated body. I bite my lip through the powerful, residual ache his playful eyes spark in my groin.

I’m also buzzing with nerves. Is Remington talking about letting me experience proper aftercare for the first time?

Wait, no, that’s ridiculous. A quick dry hump must seem like child’s play to Remington - not worthy of full aftercare. Especially because I’ve left him unsatisfied. My eyebrows draw together, and Remington’s smile fades.

It hurts my heart. “S-sorry, I’m a little worried I didn’t do the right thing.”

He frowns. “What do you mean?”

“I’ll let you in first, sorry.”

He rubs my back, tickling my cheek with his breath as I sloppily push my keys into the door. “You don’t have to keep apologizing to me, baby girl. I’m right here with you.”

My belly flutters. But when I open the front door, we’re greeted by a littlemew.

Flipping on the light, I giggle at Celeste’s swanky walk to greet us. “Hello, baby.”

I get to work dropping my bag and unzipping my boots, but Remington gasps behind me.

“Baby girl number two!?” He whispers.

I turn around to find him crouched as low as he can, his fingers outstretched for Celeste to sniff. To my surprise, she has no fears about rubbing her cheek over his knuckles, allowing those gentle, inked hands to stroke her black fur.

He hums. “Hi, pretty girl. You look just like your mommy.”

My heart nearly explodes. I watch them from a distance, my sweet cat nuzzling my favorite person, and I’m startled by how well Remington fits into my life. My messy apartment with black, purple, and red decor envelops him like he’s the one who lives here. It’s not until he glances at me with a gentle smile that I realize how beautiful this moment feels for me: loving who I’ve brought home.

Oh, God. I love him.

“That’s Celeste,” I whisper.

“How cute. Almost as cute as you.” He carefully slips off his boots, giving Celeste another reassuring stroke. She toddles after him as he rises to meet me. “Celeste - likeCeleste?A little heaven-sent, celestial beauty?” He pronounces her name how I would in Italian, widening my eyes.

“Yes. Do you speak Italian?”

He huffs out a laugh. “Not with anyone but my unhinged family, so mainly only a few vulgar words that stuck in my head.”

I laugh. “Same here. Just from my mom’s side - and angry co-workers.”

“So baby girl number twoisheavenly, like you.” Remington grins.

I laugh. Grabbing his outstretched hand, I don’t know what else to say; I can’t grasp my bearings. I’ve never been so nervous and excited yet deeply soothed to have a man over.

I guide him to my dark room, flicking on only my pink salt lamp to give the room a radiating, moody glow. But, of course, this reveals the giant mess of clothes I forgot I left on my bed.

Remington chuckles through a groan. “Oh, what a sweetheart. You worked so hard to look nice, only for me to be a dick about it.”

Before I can brush off his concerns, he bends to collect my shirts, skirts, and pants.

“Ah, it’s okay! I-I’ve got it.” I rush to his side, placing my hands over the pile in his arms.

But Remington’s beaming smile stops me. “I really meant it; I want to take care of you after you worked so hard to please me. Relax on the bed for me, okay, baby?”

God, I think heisconsidering what we did downstairs as enough to constitute aftercare. I want to experience it with him, but I hesitate at my bedside, my fingers fidgeting with my jacket zipper. Is it okay to continue to let him neatly gather my clothes? To let him do a favor for me after I was the only one who climaxed? He places a stack of clothes on my empty chair in the corner, unaware of my racing heart until he turns to find me still standing.

Remington freezes. “Oh, baby. What’s wrong?”

“I didn’t please you... fully.”