“Come on, Patrick! Last one up’s a rotten egg.”
I groan silently. Obviously, I’m a rotten egg because she’s already up there, while I’m still down here. But I need to follow my gorgeous girl because where she goes, I go. Grimacing, I tentatively put my booted foot on the metal ladder, testing its durability. Shit. Will this thing support my muscled frame?
But again, where Maisie goes, I must follow, and with a grimace, I begin climbing to the Heavens in pursuit of my girl.
10
Maisie
Patrick has done so much for me, and I really appreciate it. He’s made me feel confident about my body, and my current position on the roof of this two-story house is testament to that.
Before, I would have been petrified, not only of losing my balance and injuring myself, but about breaking the ladder on the way up. Now though, I feel much more comfortable in my own skin, and scampered up the metal rungs like a squirrel making its way up a tree. There were no thoughts about how I might potentially embarrass myself, or how the fat girl was going to look doing exercise. Instead, I made quick work of the ascent, and now I’m staring at the entire length of Tremont Street, marveling at the view.
Patrick finally pokes his head up, looking adorable with his mussed chestnut hair.
“I’m at the top of the world!” I sing, just like they do in the Titanic. “Watch me fly!”
Patrick rolls his eyes, levering his giant form so that he stands with me on the roof.
“Please,” he says, “I never thought Leonardo DiCaprio was cute. Plus, I always thought there was room for two on that plank Rose was floating on at the end.”
I giggle.
“Ah ha, so you’re one of the plank conspirators.”
He nods.
“I am! What if we were stranded in the ocean together, with only one plank to save us? Would you cast me to my death, letting me freeze before floating off into the sea?”
I giggle.
“You know, this is such a morbid conversation, but I think I’d move over and let you share some space.”
He grins at me triumphantly.
“Yeah, see? That’s why I love you, Maisie.”
My heart jumps at the words because this is the second time he’s said “I love you” tonight and it thrills me to my soul. I’ve never even really dated a boy seriously before but now a gorgeous hunk of alpha male is telling me that he loves me. How did I get so lucky? I throw my arms around his neck, pressing a big kiss to his lips.
“I love you too,” I declare. “But now we have to talk.”
Patrick stares at me.
“Sweetheart, we’re on the roof of someone’s house in the middle of the night. It’s freezing right now. Can’t we talk some other time?”
I nod.
“I know. But there are also no distractions up here, and that’s important because this conversation is important. You love me, and I love you, and we need to talk more about what that means.”
My boyfriend looks completely befuddled.
“How can it be so complicated though? And why now, sweetheart? Seriously, it’s freezing. Can’t we talk about things over dinner or something?”
I shake my head, sitting down so that we’re hidden behind the Santa.
“Nope, now is good. When we usually talk, we get distracted by you know what. Pretty soon, we’re necking and making out, and I can’t even remember my own name because I’m coming so hard.”
He thinks for a moment and then nods, dropping down to sit by me.
“You’re right, honey. I love those lush curves, and love to defile them even more. I guess if it takes sitting on top of a roof on a cold winter’s night to stop me from touching you, then so be it.”
I giggle again.
“You’re right, although I do love being defiled. Now, where were we? Oh yes. I wanted to talk about birth control, Patrick.”
My boyfriend grows serious.
“Yes, of course. We’ve been good about it. I’ve been pulling out every time we’re together.”
I fix him with a hard look.
“You haven’t, Patrick. You don’t pull out a lot of the time, and even when you do, it’s basically at the last minute. I swear, a few spurts get in before you’re out all the way.”
His handsome face takes on a look of innocence.
“What can I say, honey? You feel so good that it’s come as a surprise to me too. Before you, I was always in perfect control. I pulled out in the nick of time like a machine, but ever since you’ve come around, it’s been really difficult. You just feel so amazing, and you’re so ripe and fertile –”
“That’s it, exactly,” I interrupt. “I’m fertile, Patrick and even more so now because I’ve gotten healthy. I’m only twenty-five, and I never miss my period. It comes like clockwork which means that my body is working just fine. If even a drop of you gets in me at the right time in my cycle, you know what’s going to happen.”
