Page 54 of Tall, Dark, & Ginger

Ridley drags his hand through his blue tresses, shuffling his feet before glancing at me again. “I don’t think it’s exactly rocket science. We all live in the same house, and maybe they’ve noticed how our schedules are similar. Or, you know…” He shrugs. “I do have a slight confession.”

“Okay.”

“It came out when I was talking to Indy, but he wouldn’t tell the others. I’m sure of that.”

The news makes my body heat with emotions I can’t untangle. Am I embarrassed? Proud?

“Sorry. I should’ve told you.”

“You should’ve, yeah.” Indy hasn’t changed how he treats me at all. Not how he looks at me. Nothing. “But it’s okay. I didn’t confirm, but I think Florian knows something’s up too. He said he noticed the way we interact is different now.”

Ridley nods, sliding his hands into his front pockets. “I get why you want to keep it down-low, but I gotta tell you, man, it’s hard not to touch you the way I want to when the others are around.”

It is hard. There have been a few times when I’ve wanted to cuddle next to him on the couch or touch him while we eat brunch.

“What would that look like? Would we, like, announce it or something?”

“I don’t know. I haven’t thought about it. I guess we would discuss it and do what feels right for us. Do you think you want to?”

We walk in silence for a few minutes while I toss that idea around my head a few times. Then the real fear with them all knowing pushes through my thoughts.

“I’m not ashamed or embarrassed about us,” I say, softly. “I’m nervous about…” I pause, blowing out a breath. “About, um…”

“About when you’re ready to move on?” He smiles, nodding. “I get it. This is just for fun. An interim thing. A rebound. It’s not like we’re playing for keeps, right? You don’t want them to think badly of you.”

I open my mouth to agree, but I don’t seem able to. My stomach twists at the idea of this not being a thing anymore. Could I be in a casual fuck buddy relationship with my boss/roommate/friend with no expiration date? As simple as our thing is, it’s also the best quasi dating situation I’ve been in in a long time. Ridley respects me, he’s funny, and hanging out with him is comfortable. The sex is off the charts, so what would haveto happen to get me to decide it was time to move on? A pressing need for commitment? I’m not sure I even want that anymore.

“We don’t know the future,” I mumble. “I don’t have any plans to change what we have. Do you?”

“Nope,” he answers easily. “Hanging out with you is still the best part of my day.”

His response brings a smile to my lips. “Same. I guess what we could do is what we’ve been doing all along and just go with it. If someone asks or notices something, that’s okay, right?”

Ridley stops walking, turning to face me on the sidewalk. “So if we come down the stairs tomorrow morning together, sit at the table, our hands brushing against each other, our hair still messed up from the thorough fucking the night before, that’s okay?”

My stomach flutters as I nod. “Yeah, that’s okay.”

“And if you’re in the kitchen, and I come up behind you and wrap my arms around you, and someone walks in, that’s okay?”

Swallowing hard, I sway toward him, dragging my hands down his chest. “That’s okay too.”

“And if I taste your pretty mouth and the others see me do it, you’d be alright with that?”

“I’d be alright with that.”

Ridley slides his hand to the back of my neck, squeezing gently. “Well then, little rabbit, you better prepare, because keeping my hands off of you all day is harder than it looks.”

“I think I’ll manage.”

He smiles, leaning in to brush a brief kiss to my mouth. “Let’s get you home. How about a nice, hot shower and a slow blow job and then sweet, sweet sleep?”

“Sounds perfect.”

I waketo warm kisses on the back of my neck and a hard cock rubbing against my ass. I’m vaguely aware of my surroundings, but I know who’s all over me right now. A smile spreads across my lips as I snuggle into the bedding, bumping against him.

“Sorry for waking you,” he whispers.

“Are you?”

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