I just about choked on my coffee. Apparently, Dixie had heard what I said about modeling for her, not realizing that I had been kidding.
“I-I don’t really think—”
“Oh, come now, dear boy, don’t be a prude. I’ve seen hundreds of naked people, and obviously, Shae has seen what you’ve got and likes it quite a bit considering she’s pregnant,” Dixie added, believing Shae’s lie.
I gasped. My head spinning. “How about you take some pictures? With my clothes on.”
“Deal,” Dixie said, talking out her smartphone.
She handled the camera like a pro, clearly having no trouble with new technology. I found myself falling in platonic love with Dixie the more time I spent with her.
Shae took me by the hand, getting my attention back to her. I finished my coffee in record time, putting the empty mug down in the sink and filling it with warm water.
“We’re going for a walk, grandma,” Shae announced.
“Have fun, kids,” Dixie said, focused on her newly taken photos.
Liberated from the house, Shae lead me down to the lakeside, the grass, soft and cool under our bare feet. I had wanted us to put our shoes on, but she seemed to be in something of a hurry. I could tell something was going on but couldn’t tell if it was good or bad.
There was a peddle boat sitting on the shore of the lake, pristine and alone, rocking gently on the tide without ever actually being taken out onto the water. I had a good chance to look at it as this was where Shae was leading me.
Helping her into one of the seats, I pushed the boat out and ran around the side, jumping into the other chair before the water got too deep. No wonder Shae hadn’t wanted her shoes.
We peddled well out into the lake, barely able to see the house anymore. A fact which filled me with a sense of quiet relief. I was okay with Dixie and Chester, but that was also where Diane and Ellis were, neither of which were terribly healthy for Shae to be around.
“Well, this is a first,” I said when the boat came to a stop.
Shae shrugged. “Well, things are advancing quickly between us. Why not just give in?”
“Makes sense to me. Things seemed to be going pretty fast at first. I really wasn’t sure we were up to peddle boat level, but here we are.”
“Yup, here we are.”
“Seriously, I do feel like things are going well and not just with your family. Though that is a pretty important factor with what I want to do.”
Shae looked at me. With the serene smile on her face, it was like she was softly glowing in the morning light. “Oh, and what might that be?”
“Be with you for the rest of my life.”
She giggled. “What a coincidence! I feel the same! Probably why I shot Ellis down this morning when he tried to charm the pants off me again.”
“Literally?”
“Well, no. I think he just wanted his slave back, but I made it clear that it wasn’t happening.”
“That’s my girl!”
We kissed as passionately as the seating arrangement would allow. I stroked Shae’s cheek the way I knew she liked.
“I wonder how Dixie’s painting will turn out,” Shae said.
“I’ll probably be naked,” I sighed.
“Oh, definitely.”
“Oh?”
“Don’t worry too much, it will only be from her own imagination and previous experience. She likes you, and I might have let slip about your cock size when telling off Ellis. She’ll make you look good. Besides which, you’ll probably come out so wrinkly and saggy no one will recognize you anyway.”
I laughed hard. “Well, that’s a comfort.”
Chapter Thirteen
Shae
The reunion went better than I could have imagined. Even if Dad’s blood sugar was fine, and Mom had just been using it to guilt me up there to try and set me up with my ex. The only one who was still being awful and unreasonable, really just sticking to character if anything else was my mom. She made it clear at every possible opportunity that she hated Chris despite not really knowing him and preferred Ellis, despite him being a lazy, lying, manipulative, creeper. She didn’t see any of that, of course. She only saw the poor, betrayed man I made a promise too, and then coldly abandoned. I really was morbidly curious to know what it was like to live in that delusional head of hers.
Once Aden and Camilla showed up, things got better. They couldn’t stay the whole time, but they were there, and that was all that mattered. It was nice to be among friends. Other than Dixie, of course. It felt a bit less overwhelming having more allies. With Dad and Victor Pierre on our side, the pro-Chris camp numbered five. Five including me, but I was quickly coming to think of myself as being a unit with Chris.