Page 94 of For All It's Worth
“But I thought we were waiting until after we got back from Mexico?”
“That’s a few weeks away. I want to live with you now.”
Max smiled. “I want to live with you, too.”
“Good, because I had Henry help me take some of our things from my apartment. My old apartment.”
“Is Henry going to be okay with you leaving early?” Max asked, his voice filled with concern for our friend.
“I’ve paid up until after my brother’s wedding, not that he needed me for rent, and I’ve also still got some stuff there. We don’t have much in the way of furniture yet, and I dunno about you, but I was sick of the back and forth between places.”
“I am too, but I was trying to put the business first…” He sounded conflicted.
“Well, we have to put ourselves first sometimes and now is one of those times. So, this is how it’s going to go. We’re going upstairs, in the elevator since it’s on, and having a quick look around. Then we are having a nap,” I told him firmly.
“A nap?” He raised a brow at me.
“You are exhausted. So yes, a nap. Then maybe a blow-job. We can check on everyone after.”
He leaned into me, dead on his feet. “That sounds great, actually.”
I unlocked the door to the lower lobby of our building. Stairs went up on the left to another vestibule. It led to a hallway that connected our apartment and my studio. In front of us was the elevator that I’d been so glad Henry had suggested getting put in earlier. I’d been so grateful not to have to carry boxes and boxes of my belongings up the stairs. Max had a box of his own of things he’d left at Henry’s so at least he had some clothes to wear after our nap.
The elevator had been expensive, but since it connected to my studio too, it was worth the investment long term.
We ascended fairly quickly and I led Max to another door, our main door, and unlocked it, Max having found some energy in his excitement to see the place livable.
We’d had the place taken down to the studs and reorganized the layout, giving us a spacious open plan kitchen and dining area. A TV room was in the center and our master bedroom was also on this floor. The whole third floor was for kids, or if the plan didn’t work out, we’d find some other use for the space.
Max and I looked around quickly. We still had a lot of things to buy, but we could order takeout and eat it in bed. I’d order after we slept.
The bedroom was finished aside from needing dressers and the rest of Max’s things, and a few things I had at Mom’s or Henry’s.
Mom had snuck in and made up the bed for us, knowing that I wanted to spend the night in our new home. She’d been pretty great with helping with the renovation plans, giving us decorating advice. We’d reached a nice and steady point in our relationship, but I worried about her coping with Matty so far away at college.
“C’mon, let’s shower before we nap,” I suggested to Max and I directed him to our en suite bathroom.
Max gasped as he entered the room. “It's more than I dreamt of!” he exclaimed as he took in the large room.
“Here,” I led him to a door, “a little privacy in case one of us is in the shower,” I said, indicating the toilet.
Max bit his bottom lip worriedly and I pressed a finger against it to free it. “What’s wrong?”
“It just…” he began, “can we really afford all this? Two rainfall showerheads, the open shower, the bench? It’s a lot, Charlie.”
“I know, but I think we deserve it, don’t you? You work so hard and I want to give you this. I’d give you the world if you wanted it.”
He melted against me, wrapping his arms around my middle. “I know and I love you so much for it. I’m just tired and not thinking straight. If I had more energy I’d be inspecting every inch of the place. I can’t believe this is our home!”
“There’s still work to be done on it, but I couldn’t wait any longer to live with you,” I told him as I helped Max remove his clothes, piling them in the corner to be dealt with later. His phone was chucked onto the bed where it disappeared among the pile of pillows that adorned it. Mom may have gone overboard with the bedding.
Max leaned into me, pulling my head down so my lips could meet his. The kiss started sweet, an outpouring of emotion, but I stopped it before it could deepen.
“Just a shower until you have a nap. You’re dead on your feet,” I told him firmly.
After washing Max gently, I wrapped myself in a towel before gently and carefully drying him and helping him into some loose pajama pants.
I drew back the blankets and ushered him in, crawling in behind him. I fumbled for my phone, setting an alarm since there was no way we’d wake up until the next morning otherwise, then I drew Max into me, curled myself around him, and let him sleep.
