Page 36 of Love in Mission City: The Shorts

“Sure, when you’re in the shop and with your biker persona, okay.But when it’s just the two of us?You’re going to honor your mother and let me call you Fritz.”

A warm glow started in my chest and soon climbed through my torso and out to my limbs.That feeling alone could dry all my damp bits.

He indicated my hand.“Are those for Sunshine, for me, or for someone else?”

My flush intensified, and I tried to shove my hand behind my back.

He moved swiftly, grabbing my elbow.

After a moment, I relented.“For you.”I shoved the bouquet of yellow carnations at him.“I know yellow means something, and I could’ve asked the nice guy, but I didn’t want to guess and then, well, I knew red roses meant love, and it’s too soon for that, right?But not for flowers.At least I don’t think so.Because I need you to know how amazing last night was.How amazing you are.And, like—”

This time he moved just as swiftly.He grabbed the back of my neck, twisted my hair in his hands, and yanked me down for a kiss.

Although momentarily stunned, I recovered quickly.I pulled him against me and gave myself over to his skillful mouth.

Our tongues parried, he sought the recesses of my mouth, and then he thrust his hard cock against my belly.

Holy Lord.

I wanted to keep going.I wanted time to spin out, and for the universe to stop so we could just stay wrapped in each other’s arms.The crinkling of plastic brought me out of the trance.“Your flowers.”I eyed the bouquet, worried our exertions had damaged it.By all appearances, though, it’d weathered the storm.

Dickens eased back and his blue eyes sparkled.“And Sun said something about food…?”

I guffawed.“Glad to know where your priorities are.”

He snagged the bouquet from my willing hands.He sniffed.“Yellow means friendship and joy.”He tweaked my nose.“I think they’re perfect.”

I kissed his nose.“I think you’re perfect.Look, I’m going to run upstairs and get into dry clothes.”

“I could come with you.”He waggled his brows suggestively.So different from the man I’d met mere days ago.

“If you do that, we’ll never eat, I’ll never get my shop open after lunch, and Sunshine will know everything.”

His laugh was a joyous sound.“Sunshine already knows everything.But you’re right about propriety.Get changed while I heat our food.We can eat in the back room while Sun watches the store.”

I moved toward the front, but he snagged my arm.“Use the back alley.”

He was right, of course.Both our entrances were covered.Less chance of getting soaked again.

“Oh, and…” He pressed the small black device into my hand.

Examining it, I squinted.

“It’s one of the original iPods.Like, sixth generation or something.So much storage.I spent the morning downloading audiobooks for you.As many Harvard Classics as I could get hold of, plus tons of other stuff.Like Harry Potter, James Patterson, Stephen King, Nora Roberts…”

“Nora who?”I’d heard of the others, but not her.

Dickens grinned.“She writes romances.Our library has a bunch of gay romances, and I’ve added those as well.You’ve got several hundred hours of listening.Like literally days worth.”

This was, without question, the nicest gift anyone’d ever given me.My eyes watered.

“No.”He moaned.“I didn’t want to make you cry.”

“Happy tears, I promise.”I angled my head down, he tipped his chin up, and we met for a tender kiss.“This is the best present ever.”

“That’s a pretty high bar for me to set, my first time out.”He grazed my beard with his index finger.“But I’m creative.I’ll find ways to top it.”

“But you don’t need to,” I protested.

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