Just a single beep.
Joe lay on the couch, his head in my lap, eyes closed as I ran my fingers through his hair. He’d started growing it out again and there was almost enough there for me to hold on to. The TV was on, the sound muted.
I picked up the phone where I’d set it next to me.
I had one new text message.
It was from an unknown number.
You’ve had enough time.
I didn’t let my hands shake.
I said, “Shit.”
Joe opened his eyes. “What?” His voice was rough and wonderful.
“Jessie.”
“What about Jessie?”
“She got a flat tire, and she doesn’t have a jack.”
“Shit. All right, give me a second, and we can—”
“Nah,” I said. “Don’t worry about it. It won’t take long.”
“You sure?”
I nodded, looking down at him. “You’ll see. I’ll be back before you know it.”
He opened his mouth to speak, but then frowned. “Weird.”
“What?”
“Your heart just skipped when you said that. Like—” He shook his head. “Never mind. I’m just tired, I guess. As long as you don’t plan on running off with her, I’ll let you go. This once.”
“Never,” I said, though I thought I was breaking. “I’ll never want anyone else but you.”
He smiled up at me. “You’re such a sap today. Hurry up and go so you can come back. If I’m not asleep, I’ll suck you off.”
“Wow. With an offer like that, I should be running out the door.”
“Damn right.”
He let me lift up his head and move from the couch, putting one of the pillows under him to take the place of my lap. I knelt down next to the couch, cupping his face in my hands. I leaned forward and kissed him. He sighed happily, hand coming up to scratch at the back of my head. He pressed his tongue against my lips, just once, and I pulled away.
I ran my thumbs over his eyebrows. His cheeks. His lips. He hummed softly. Safe. Content.
“I love you,” I said, because if there was one thing I hated, one thing I blamed myself for more than anything else, it was that I hadn’t told him this every day. Multiple times a day. It was a rare thing between us. We didn’t need to say it out loud to know how we felt, but that shouldn’t have stopped me.
“Yeah?” he asked, kissing my thumb before taking it between his teeth and biting gently. He let it go and said, “I love you, too, Ox. You’re my mate. And one day soon, I’m going to show you that.”
I had to go before I couldn’t.
I kissed him again.
Stood.