Page 12 of Hot Mess
Being arrested wouldn't have been the worst thing that would have happened if I had been with her when she was picked up. But I can’t explain what happened tonight to her, at least not yet. I don’t want her to worry. Besides, I'm not supposed to say anything until I give my statement to the police in the morning.
“What do we do now?” I ask, unsure what direction this relationship is heading in. I know where I want it to go, but after all the ups and downs, she could have a different idea.
"Well, I can tell you one thing for sure.”
“What’s that?”
“We aren’t having sex in any more utility closets.”
“Forever?”
She pauses and thinks for a moment. “For now.”
I smile down at her and cup her face in my hand. “All joking aside. I know that whatever this is between us didn’t start off like any typical relationship. But I want you to know that even if you think this night ended up a huge mess, I’m all in. I’m going to show you—”
Jessie cuts me off when she tugs on my jacket and pulls my lips to hers.
“I don't want to waste another moment not telling you that I'm all in, too," she says, the love I already feel for her mirroring back in my eyes. “And do you want to know why?”
“Tell me.”
“Messy is my specialty.”
Epilogue
JESSIE
“I have to go,” I chuckle as Dylan's grip on me tightens, and he pulls me back in for another kiss.
“Five more minutes.”
"No," I push him back, knowing that if I don't put any space between us, we will never get out of here. “It’s almost time to open.”
“Youare the boss,” Dylan says, leaning against the ledge in the utility closet. “Let everyone else deal with the guests.”
"You were the one to buy this place for me as an early wedding present," I say, holding up my left hand to show off the emerald-cut diamond he gave me six months ago.
“It was a joke. I didn’t think you’d actually want to run an erotic wax museum.”
“No.” I shake my head. “I believe the words you said when you handed me the paperwork was that you bet I wouldn’t want to run this place. Have you learned nothing from when you bet against me?”
“You’re right.” He chuckles to himself. “In a city where the odds are stacked against a person. You are always a sure bet when there is a wager involved.”
“Good.” I lean in and kiss him again. “I’m glad you are finally learning.”
Dylan wraps his arm over my shoulder, and we walk out into the gallery of naked statues.
“Didn’t you say you wanted to show me something?” he asks.
I instantly start to bounce on the balls of my feet. How could I have forgotten the whole reason I called Dylan down here? Oh right, we both get so easily distracted when it comes to our now private utility closet.
“Close your eyes,” I tell him.
“No way.” He shakes his head.
“Do it.”
“The last time you called me down here was to show me that you changed the wax figure that looked like me to lookmorelike me—everywhere.”
