Page 81 of Miles Apart
He shudders but bumps me away with his ass. I fall into an outdoor chair with a cackle and my hands up. “We don’t speak about that outside of the house,” he grits through his teeth, the tongs pointed at me. “It only happens with you and that voodoo mouth.”
“Voodoo mouth?” I bust out laughing.
Miles adjusts himself and looks around for signs of nosy neighbors. “Exactly what I said. Got me sounding like a cartoon character.”
“You know you like this mouth.”
He grunts, waves me off, and turns back to the grill. “Take your ignorant ass back inside so I can feed you. Dinner is almost done.”
I set the table, and we eat the steak and lobster Miles grilled to perfection along with some vegetables. Two hours later, we’re in the hammock to watch the sunset. This thing takes up most of the deck space, but it’s cozy.
I’m nestled against his warm chest, now free of the apron he tossed in the laundry basket.
“Thank you for cooking,” I say up to the stars. He really outdid himself.
“You’re welcome, kitten.” His long fingers knead the achy muscles in my shoulders. “I’ll rub you down after we get upstairs.”
That’s another thing about living together: free massages. Yes, they come with his penis at the end, but who’s complaining about that? Since we confessed how we feel about each other, Miles sleeps with me. He converted his old bedroom into a home office with more screens than Best Buy and has the flexibility to do it because of his job.
His job.
My phone call Carter pops into my head. His conspiracy theories are out there, but that doesn’t mean questions are off the table.
“Carter called today,” I say haphazardly, running my fingers through his.
“Oh really? What did Crispin want?”
I snicker at his nickname. “To warn me about you. He says you’re dangerous and wonders why you’re in my life now when we’ve known each other so long.”
Miles tenses under me, the hardness of his muscles protruding into my skin. “And what do you think?” His tone is low and even.
“I told him he was full of it.”
“No, Em. I don’t give a damn what you said to him. I want to know what you think.”
My brows knit. “Are you mad?”
“I’m waiting for you to answer my question.”
It’s impossible to face him without risking us flipping over. I can’t see the disappointment on Miles’s face, but I hear it in his voice. We sit in silence, him wondering what more he needs to do to earn my trust and me searching for the right words.
“You’re not with me to uncover any government secrets.” Miles is sleeping with the wrong person if he wants to take down Washington. “But it would be nice to know more about what you do.”
I want to hold every piece of himself he stores away.
Miles adjusts me on his chest. He’s quiet, but the tension in his muscles eases. “I can’t get into details, but I take contracts to help gather information. I don’t assist extremists or entities that want to harm everyday people in pursuit of power. My data security company is my main focus. I won’t lie to you and say I don’t like to hack, but I’m not out here breaking into the Pentagon or some shit.”
The hammock picks up a steady sway. “And politicians?”
Miles snorts. “I work with people trying to tip the scales toward equity, not those who want a power grab. Zo is the main politician I’ve worked with, and he’ll be the last. I have no interest in them otherwise.”
“Yet you’re with a senator’s daughter.” Amusement shines in my tone.
Miles drops a kiss on my knuckles. “I’m with a woman who takes no shit and changes everything she touches for the better. You’re my quiet place, Em. Every day I spend with you feels like home.”
I let my tears fall freely. Miles isn’t the only one changing. He exposes me in ways that should frighten me but don’t. “You are my safe space.”
We try to make love in the hammock but bust our ass in the process. I knew jeans were trouble.
