He rubs his hand up and down my back, a soft-comforting smile on his face.
“She was never the same after that. She became really depressed, and my dad just didn’t care enough to stick around.”
“Not even for you?”
“No. It was easier for my dad to just throw us away than try to stick around for the disaster our lives had become. Mom was the breadwinner, and he was the parent home with me most of the time. After the accident, my grandparents moved into this apartmentwith us, and he was forced to work more. One day, he went out to get my mom’s pain meds and never came back. She got the divorce papers a few months later, sending her into a spiral.”
“You guys all lived here? You’ve lived in this apartment your whole life?” I glance up at him.
“Yeah. It was the only place they could afford when they first got married, and then suddenly, they had me, and life just moved too fast for them. They never caught up, and we never left here.”
“I’m sorry you had to deal with all of that.”
“It’s okay. I had my grandparents. I don’t know who I’d be if it wasn’t for myAbuela. She’s the one who taught me to be resilient.”
“I don’t know if resilience is taught,” he begins. “I’m pretty sure you were born with it. She just helped bring it out.”
“Thanks,” I whisper. “So, that’s why I don’t do relationships. Even if my mom didn’t choose drugs over me, my dad chose to not be in my life. I don’t want to give someone that power, you know? My mom was so in love with my dad. He knew that he was her world, but he still left like it was nothing. If I don’t let someone in the way she did. If I don’t love someone with my whole heart… then they can’t hurt me.”
“So, you’ve never been in a relationship?”
“No.”
“You’re dad’s a dick.”
I snort.
“Yeah, he is.”
“You’re better off without him, I hope you know that.”
“Yeah. It doesn’t stop me from wondering what our lives would look like right now, though, if my dad had stuck around.”
“If he stuck around, you probably wouldn’t have met me. You might’ve been a girl who was down for relationships and missed out on the best sex of your life. So, I’m gonna say it was a win.”
And suddenly, we’re back. Back to what this little thing is supposed to be between us. We’re supposed to be sleeping together. That’s it. There’s no reason for these deep-seated conversations because, at the end of the day, we aren’t in a relationship. We have an agreement. And it’s supposed to be fun and light-hearted. And now we’re back to that.
“You’re right. That would’ve been a real shame. Speaking of the best sex of my life, are we gonna get back to that. What’s with all these heartfelt conversations? They’renotthe reason I invite you over here.”
“Don’t have to tell me twice.” He grins, wrapping his hands around my waist and pulling my body onto his. The heat from his bare skin sends heat through my veins, and he takes no time sliding his hands under my shirt and flinging it across the room. Leaving our bodies completely bare.
He smiles, gripping my hips a little harder as he pulls my body flush against his, his mouth nipping at my neck. Then he rolls us over, his body hovering over mine. His eyes stay on mine as he opens my nightstand drawer and pulls out a condom. He places the corner of the wrapper between his teeth and, in one swift motion—
he tears it open.
twenty-three
Zeke
Hey, momma.” I smile, dipping down to kiss her cheek. “How are you feeling today?”
“Better now that you’re here,” she replies. “What’s on the menu for Friendsgiving tonight?”
“I don’t know. I do know Brinley’s been at our place since last night cooking.”
“And none of you boys have offered to help her? I’m sure she could’ve started this morning if she had some help.”
“Mom, you should know Brinley by now. If any of us stepped foot in that kitchen while she was cooking, she’d castrate us.”