Alissa narrows her eyes.“A friend friend?Or afriendfriend?”
I shrug.“We dated.”
“Right.Your mum mentioned her.Thought Iwasher.”She bites her lip.
“Are you uncomfortable staying with her?It sounds like she’s married now.”I reach over, rub her shoulder.“And I love only you, Alissa.You have to know that.”
She smiles.“Of course.I love onlyyou.I’ll admit I’m not exactly in love with the prospect of staying with your old girlfriend, but it’s not a bad idea.No one would think to look for you there.”
“My thoughts exactly.”I brake at a stoplight and give her a kiss on her cheek.“I promise you, I’ll make it up to you.”
“Just get us there safely.And promise me one thing, Maddox.”
“What’s that?”
“Once we’re there, hold me in your arms.And never let go.”
* * *
Laurie wassuper chill when we got there.She introduced us to her husband, Jonathan, and took us up the stairs of her home to her guest room.She and Alissa chatted a little.We’re not too far from Alissa’s alma mater, Northwestern, so that was an easy conversation starter.
They’re getting along well, considering the awkward circumstances.It definitely helps that Laurie is married.
We finally say good night to Laurie and Jonathan and close the door to the guest room.
“I guess we’ll have to sleep in our underwear tonight,” Alissa says.
“Yeah.Figured it would be too much to ask Laurie to borrow a pair of pajamas.”
“I’d swim in anything she wears anyway,” Alissa says.“She has fantastic boobs.Much bigger than mine.”
I widen my eyes.“You were looking?”
She smirks.“Hard not to.Though it was valiant of you to maintain eye contact with her at all times.”
I wrap my arms around her.“I only have eyes for you.”
She stands on her tiptoes and kisses me.“Thank you.”She slips her arms out of her pink gown and turns around.“Can you unzip me?”
“Of course.”
She pulls the dress down the rest of the way and steps out of it.She eyes the closet in the corner.“Can you see if Laurie has a spare hanger in the closet?I don’t want this to wrinkle.”
“Sure.”I hate to rip my eyes off Alissa in her underwear, but I’m nothing if not accommodating.I open the closet door, grab a wire hanger, and hand it to Alissa.
She looks back at me.“In the meantime, you should be getting undressed, too.”
I exhale sharply.“Of course.”
I take off my jacket first, lay it flat on the bed.Then I remove my pants, folding them along the pleats and hanging them over another hanger from Laurie’s closet.I remove my cufflinks and studs, my bow tie, and place them on the nightstand where I won’t forget them in the morning.I hang my shirt on a third hanger.
Alissa raises an eyebrow.“You’re not wearing an undershirt.”
I shrug.“I never do.It adds unnecessary bulk.”I yawn.“Let’s get some sleep.”
She runs her fingers up and down my bicep.“Who said anything about sleeping?”
I drop my jaw.“You’re kidding.There’s no way you’re in the mood after what we’ve been through tonight.”
