Page 55 of Deception and New Direction

He was definitely jealous.Iknew it.Notwanting him to get the wrong idea any more than he already had,Igave him the full story.

“His name isMaxwell, and he’s my gay hairdresser,”Itold him, looking into his eyes, sliding my hands up his arms in a soft caress. “Youhave nothing to be jealous about.”

I probably didn’t need to add that last part since it clearly gave him the upper hand with knowing howIfelt about him, but it slipped out.

His demeanor relaxed, and any slight insecurity he may have had faded away.

“You should have led with that,” he mumbled.

“You didn’t exactly give me the chance,”Itried to explain. “Also, just so you know,I’mnot interested in him or anyone else.”

I knew how he would read into that, and honestly,IfoundIwas okay with it.Evenif it didn’t fully work out withJackand me,IknewIneeded to put myself out there more.

I reached over his shoulder to turn the lamp off so we could watch the movie.JustasIdid that he leaned forward and put his mouth over my boob and sucked hard on my nipple.Itwas a weird sensation becauseIstill had myT-shirt on, but weird in a good way.Ididn’t even realizeI’dmade a sound untilJack’smouth detached from me and he spoke.

“I love the sounds you make when my mouth is on you,” he said.

BeforeIcould even respond, his mouth was on my other nipple.Myhands, which had been reaching beyond his shoulders to get the phone, now grabbed onto his shoulders for balance as his mouth sucked hard, triggering a tingling sensation that shot straight to my core.

An instant later, his hands were at my sides, lifting my shirt up.Thenhis mouth was back on my nipple, and his tongue rolled and flicked and moved in a way that felt indescribably good.

He didn’t mess around this time.Helifted me and flipped me soIwas on my back on the couch then slid my pants off.Hesheathed himself in record time and lined himself up at my entrance, but then paused.Iwas growing impatient, soIreached around, grabbed his butt cheeks, and pulled him close, causing him to slide home.

“I want to be the only man who can make you feel like that,”Jacksaid, grinding into me. “Theonly man who can make you come so hard you see stars.”

And he did.Twice.

Then he carried me back to the bed, whereIpromptly fell asleep seconds later.

* * *

The next day,Iwas all dolled up and meeting the girls for my birthday.Itwas a busierThursdaythan usual at the office, soIhad just brought everythingIneeded to change into whenIcame in for work.Cathad done the same, and we had gotten ready together upstairs atEllieandWade’sapartment after work before going downstairs to the bar.

Val had come over toEllie’sand offered to do my hair and makeup.Shehad just gotten a job at a hair salon and loved using us girls as guinea pigs.Ihonestly didn’t mind because she was really good at it.

Just asElliehad said he would,WadeandTammyhad blocked off the small event room in the back for my birthday.WhatIhadn’t known was thatEllieandTammyhad spent most of the day decorating the space.Balloons, streamers, and bright-pink tablecloths filled the room.

I had never had anyone go all out for my birthday before.Asa child, my mom made a cake and gave me presents, but my father usually spent the day at the race track or doing something with my brother, never even acknowledging my birthday.Oneyear my mom had even let me invite a few friends over from school.Shepainted all our nails, we had cake and ice cream, and she even bought me a new dress for the occasion.Itwas the best birthdayIhad ever had.

My mother died the following year, soInever had another party.Mybrother usually got me a card, but that was about it.Therewas no acknowledgment from my father whatsoever.

This might be just as good as the last party my mom had ever thrown for me.AsIstared at the room full of people,Irealized they all cared.I’dhad friends before, but not like these people.Thesewere the type of friends who would have your back for life.Theones who sometimes knew more about you than you knew about yourself.

WhenIfirst walked in with the girls, everyone fromRangerShieldwas already there, plusTammyand my granddad.

People came up to wish me a happy birthday and mingled around the space.Therewas one long table that could seat two dozen people and a buffet set up along the side filled with finger foods.Oneof the waitresses would come by to collect drink orders andWadehad already told me this was on the house—company expense, he said.

“I’m probably not gonna stay very long, soI’mgonna wish you happy birthday now and give you your present,” my granddad said.

It didn’t surprise me he was already planning his exit.Socialscenes like this weren’t really his thing, which made it all the more special that he actually came in the first place.

“You didn’t need to get me anything,”Itold him. “I’mjust happy you came.”

“I know that, and don’t get excited ‘cause it’s not much,” he said as he handed me a card.

I opened it to see it was a standard happy birthday card that he’d just signedFromHank.Insidewas a folded-up piece of paper.WhenIopened it, it was to find a pre-paid invoice for another rescue dog.Granddadhad prepaid for me to get another greyhound rescue.

“You don’t need to get one now,” he said from beside me asIfelt my eyes well up with tears. “Ginnyover at the rescue office said you can just keep an eye on their website, and when you see one you like, it’s all yours.”

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