“Maybe we’ll finish the third season before then.”
“This season’s shorter. I think it’s only fifteen episodes, so we’re almost halfway done.”
“You better not watch any of this while you’re on the road.”
“I won’t,” he promises. “As long asyoupromise to not watch any of it without me.”
“How long are you going to be gone again?” His eyes narrow.
“Not long enough for you to watchBoneswithout me.” He raises an eyebrow, his hands stopping in place on my leg. “What do you think you’ll miss more? The show… or sex?”
“Those two things aren’t even a close comparison.” I drag my legs off of his and stand up. “Obviously, I’ll missBonesmore.”
He pauses the show and follows me into the kitchen.
“Oh, you think you’re funny, don’t you?”
“I’m hilarious,” I reply. “But that wasn’t a joke.”
“Oh yeah?” He traps me in the corner of my kitchen. “You’ll miss that,” he points toward the TV, “more than this?”
He tilts his head down, and his lips kiss my collarbone before traveling up my neck.
“Mmmhmm,” I mumble as his hands hook behind my legs and easily lift me onto the counter. I can’t help but laugh as he nibbles at the skin below my ear, but it stops the second his fingers graze against the waistband of my shorts.
Chills spread across my body as he sneaks one finger into the band, just far enough to brush the warm skin below my belly button.
“We should get back to our show,” he whispers, his warm breath brushing against my ear.
He pulls his hands away from my body and walks back toward the couch.
“I’m sorry?” I jump off the counter, and he turns toward me.
“What?”
“You can’t just get me all hot and bothered and not follow through.”
“If you can go well over a week without sex, surely you can make it through the rest of this episode. You said it yourself; you’ll miss the show more than me.”
“I said more than sex,” I argue. “I didn’t say I wouldn’t miss you.”
He takes a step forward, crossing his arms.
“Are you saying you’re gonna miss me, Stewart?”
I am… but I never thought I’d say those words to him. I’ve made it so far in life, keeping to myself and never letting myself get attached to or care for someone else because everyone I’ve ever loved has left me in one way or another.
I’ve been waiting for the day when Zeke decides he wants more than what I’m offering… or the day he gets sick of just being with me.
“No.” I lie.
“Cause I’m gonna miss you.” He smiles, shrinking the space between us. “A lot,” he adds. “A lot more thanBones.”
“You just like sex.” I bite my lip, trying to ignore the burning sensation in my cheeks.
“It’s not the sex I’m gonna miss,” he continues. “It’s you. Just you.”
He brushes a strand of hair away from my face, and as his fingers graze my cheek, I feel my heart stop.