Page 80 of Man Hands
45PillowTalk
Brynn
Tom hasthe hotel room for the whole weekend. I don’t understand why, and so I ask him while we’re lying in bed together, me snuggled into him, my hand playing with the hair on his chest. He’s such aman,you know? “Why did you get a hotel when you have your huge cold mansion in East GrandRapids?”
“That answers it rightthere.”
“Itdoes?”
“You said huge. Cold.Mansion.”
“Idid?”
“Yes.”
“Well, that was rude of me. Even if it’s true. That place has no soul. Except the boathouse. I could live in that boathouse. Or thekitchen.”
I seem to have lost my filter. That’s what happens when you’re sexually satisfied and curled up beside the right guy. You stop worrying about every littlething.
“That place isn’t me,” he says. “Well, it’s not me now. It was me…when I was trying to beperfect.”
“You seem pretty perfecttome.”
“Perfectforyou, maybe.” He smiles. I snuggle in a little closer. “I’m going to ask Braht to put it on the market. After I do a little more workonit.”
“Really?”
“Yep. I’m done with that place. It took me nine seasons ofMr. Fixit Quickto realize that you can’t build a home out of luxury tile and premium cabinetry. I’ve been trying to do that for a long time.” He picks up my hand and admires the moonstone, seemingly lost inthought.
“Here’s a question, though.” I should be panicking now, but I’m not. “If you sell your mansion, where willyoulive?”
“Hmmm.” He rubs his hand down my arm, and I start to tingle all over again. “I was thinking…”Rub-rub. “There’s this delightful Victorian in Eastown with a banister that really needs someattention.”
“Doesit?”
“Its floor is slanted and needs some help. And the kitchen needs to beupdated.”
“It probably needs to be really updated. It needs to double in size. But I don’t own that place, remember?” Do I? I’m feeling a little lightheaded because I think he just implied that he wanted to move inwithme.
Last week that would have sounded scary, but I’m starting to realize it’s not. Relationships are awesome with someone like Tom inyourlife.
He rubs my stomach, and I feel lazier than a cat inthesun.
“I’m going to buy another place, Brynn. And this one won’t be cold. I know it’s a lot to ask, but maybe I could spend some time at your place while I’m betweenhouses?”
“I like that idea a lot,” Iwhisper.
“Yeah?”
“Yeah…” I’m trying to focus on what he’s saying and not that, while he’s stroking me, the covers covering his legs are startingtotent.
“I want a cottage on Lake Michigan,”hesays.
“Wow,really?”
“Really. Unless you hate that idea. Because wherever I’m going, I’m hoping to take youwithme.”
Right now I have to say something to him. Something big and scary. The thing is, though, I want to do things right this time, and that means being honest and vulnerable. Showing my tender belly in the hopes that he’llrubit.
