Page 66 of Let Me

“I did.Every time I came down to hang with you and your crew, I always thought to myself how you surround yourself with these beautiful women and not one captured your interest.Then, when Autumn came, I saw something different.Saw how you weren’t able to take your eyes off of her, but then when she left that day—the first day I met her actually—you ran after her.I was like, yeah, if there was ever a woman for you, it was her.But congratulations, man.”

“Thanks.I’m waiting on her now to celebrate my new job.”

“Your new—who is this and what have you done with Judah?”

I chuckle.“I fell out with my father.He fired me from the store, and I’m glad he did.Since I’ve been with Autumn, I’m starting to see things more clearly.I feel like I’ve been stuck for a long time.You’ve been trying to tell me that, but it’s her perspective that has helped me the most.I love her, man.”

“I’m glad.I thought after that thing with Emori, you were broken forever.”

“It wasn’t that.It’s more about the cancer.”

“Man, you’re in remission, brother.You know how many people don’t make it that far?I wouldn’t worry about any of that.Live your life.Be happy.I’m excited for you to start this next chapter.”

I take a deep breath and say, “I am, too, actually.It feels nice to look forward to something.”

“No doubt.”

“Enough about me, though.What have you been up to?”

“Work.I was calling to tell you I’ll be that way soon.”

“Cool.Let me know when, and we’ll set something up.”

“Bet.”

“Hey, I think I just heard Autumn pull up, so I’m going to get off this phone.”

“Okay, man.Later.”

I get up from the chair, walk to the door, and sure enough, I see my woman getting out of the car.I don’t wait for her to make it to the porch.I step outside, jog down the stairs, and take her into my arms.

“Welcome home, baby.”

She smiles.“You act like you didn’t just see me last night.”

“Even a few minutes away from you is too long.”

She snickers.“I work Monday through Friday.”

“And I’m sitting over here staring at the clock, waiting.”

She kisses my lips and says, “Come on.Let’s go inside.It smells like you cooked something.Did you cook for me?”

“I did.”

“Then let’s go because all I had at Riley’s was a martini.”

“Oh yeah?Let me taste.”

“I don’t have any more, silly.”

“I mean your tongue.”

“Oh,” she says, angling her face to mine then says, “Taste all you want.”

I lean down and capture the sweetness of her lips – the pure joy of kissing her without any doubt, fear or worry in my mind.The feeling is unmatched.Her tongue is delectable and her moans are music to my ears.

I pull away from her and say, “Your friend makes a good martini.”

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