night’s events wouldn’t take more than a word or two.
“No, I know, Henry.” Even subdued and contrite, Jay barreled ahead. “I’m too eager. You’ve said. I won’t fuck this up, promise. It’s just…it’s Valentine’s, and she’s here—”
Shit, it was. She’d planned to spend the day alone after work. Find a distraction to avoid dwelling on Henry and Jay’s holiday shenanigans. Thank God for city-paralyzing snowstorms.
Though she ought to give them their privacy. Henry probably had special plans for Jay.
“…and you said I couldn’t ask because it wasn’t a Friday and she doesn’t owe us anything, but she’s here, now, and I just…”
“I know, my boy. But behave. Or you’ll spend the holiday in a time-out while Alice and I entertain each other.”
Silence. An empty threat. It had to be. Henry wouldn’t do that, would he? Jay’s soft moan teased the air. Kisses, probably.
“ Behave . I’ll return shortly. It will be a cold meal, I expect, unless I manage to work miracles with that camp stove of yours.”
The electricity must’ve gone out. The broken gas boiler killed the main stove along with the heat and hot water, but the microwave would’ve worked, at least. Rolling over to check the bedside clock’s functionality would be admitting to eavesdropping.
The covers shifted, and the bed dipped. A lean body, cooler than hers, pressed up behind her to snuggle. Jay nuzzled her ear. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Alice.”
Ignore his whisper, or dive into holiday festivities? Ignore Jay. Right. She hummed and stretched. “I’m not big on the hearts-and-flowers holidays. But I hope you have a happy Valentine’s. Sorry for crashing the party.”
“You’re not crashing.” Adorable astonishment colored his tone. “You’re always welcome.”
She doubted Henry would see it that way. If Jay liked the hearts-and-flowers crap, Henry wouldn’t let the day pass without celebrating.
She wasn’t about to stomp on Jay’s sweetness. She’d slip away discreetly later. Turning in his arms, she pressed her forehead to his. “What’s the situation this morning?”
“Let’s see. Boiler’s still out. Power’s gone off ’cause ice snapped lines somewhere.” He tapped fingers against her back as he counted the day’s troubles. “Emergency traffic ban’s still in place, not that you could drive down our street anyway, ’cause I don’t think a plow’s touched it yet. Umm…it’s still snowing. Buuut … ”
Jay loved an appreciative audience. She squirmed in his arms and mimicked his tone. “Buuut what?”
“Henry’s making breakfast.” He kissed her nose. “So the day’s gonna be fantastic anyway.”
He pulled back with an earnest, innocent expression. She laughed. Of course Henry fixing him breakfast made Jay’s day perfect. Henry enjoyed cooking; Jay enjoyed eating. The definition of a symbiotic relationship.
They lazed in bed, Jay surprisingly quiet and no more sexual with her than on a contract night when Henry had granted them leisure time. Maybe he had. Jay’s contract had to be more expansive than her own. Living with Henry, he didn’t get days off, did he?
Henry’d called Jay’s room the only place in the apartment where Jay didn’t answer to him. He’d never said if a time existed when Jay didn’t owe him some kind of obedience. Rude to ask, though, and Jay might not be allowed to answer anyway.
She crawled out from under the covers, instantly missing the warmth, and pulled her abandoned robe around her. Sixty degrees, maybe. Shiver-worthy in the nude.
Jay pouted. “You’re leaving me here alone?”
“I’m not taking you to the bathroom with me.”
He exaggerated his sigh. “Fine, but I’m not waiting here.”
He swung his legs out of bed on the far side and stood. Bare-assed, he bent over and snagged a pair of sweats.
He had a sinfully round butt for such a narrow frame. The long muscles of his back stretched as he leaned forward, the sides of
“No, I know, Henry.” Even subdued and contrite, Jay barreled ahead. “I’m too eager. You’ve said. I won’t fuck this up, promise. It’s just…it’s Valentine’s, and she’s here—”
Shit, it was. She’d planned to spend the day alone after work. Find a distraction to avoid dwelling on Henry and Jay’s holiday shenanigans. Thank God for city-paralyzing snowstorms.
Though she ought to give them their privacy. Henry probably had special plans for Jay.
“…and you said I couldn’t ask because it wasn’t a Friday and she doesn’t owe us anything, but she’s here, now, and I just…”
“I know, my boy. But behave. Or you’ll spend the holiday in a time-out while Alice and I entertain each other.”
Silence. An empty threat. It had to be. Henry wouldn’t do that, would he? Jay’s soft moan teased the air. Kisses, probably.
“ Behave . I’ll return shortly. It will be a cold meal, I expect, unless I manage to work miracles with that camp stove of yours.”
The electricity must’ve gone out. The broken gas boiler killed the main stove along with the heat and hot water, but the microwave would’ve worked, at least. Rolling over to check the bedside clock’s functionality would be admitting to eavesdropping.
The covers shifted, and the bed dipped. A lean body, cooler than hers, pressed up behind her to snuggle. Jay nuzzled her ear. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Alice.”
Ignore his whisper, or dive into holiday festivities? Ignore Jay. Right. She hummed and stretched. “I’m not big on the hearts-and-flowers holidays. But I hope you have a happy Valentine’s. Sorry for crashing the party.”
“You’re not crashing.” Adorable astonishment colored his tone. “You’re always welcome.”
She doubted Henry would see it that way. If Jay liked the hearts-and-flowers crap, Henry wouldn’t let the day pass without celebrating.
She wasn’t about to stomp on Jay’s sweetness. She’d slip away discreetly later. Turning in his arms, she pressed her forehead to his. “What’s the situation this morning?”
“Let’s see. Boiler’s still out. Power’s gone off ’cause ice snapped lines somewhere.” He tapped fingers against her back as he counted the day’s troubles. “Emergency traffic ban’s still in place, not that you could drive down our street anyway, ’cause I don’t think a plow’s touched it yet. Umm…it’s still snowing. Buuut … ”
Jay loved an appreciative audience. She squirmed in his arms and mimicked his tone. “Buuut what?”
“Henry’s making breakfast.” He kissed her nose. “So the day’s gonna be fantastic anyway.”
He pulled back with an earnest, innocent expression. She laughed. Of course Henry fixing him breakfast made Jay’s day perfect. Henry enjoyed cooking; Jay enjoyed eating. The definition of a symbiotic relationship.
They lazed in bed, Jay surprisingly quiet and no more sexual with her than on a contract night when Henry had granted them leisure time. Maybe he had. Jay’s contract had to be more expansive than her own. Living with Henry, he didn’t get days off, did he?
Henry’d called Jay’s room the only place in the apartment where Jay didn’t answer to him. He’d never said if a time existed when Jay didn’t owe him some kind of obedience. Rude to ask, though, and Jay might not be allowed to answer anyway.
She crawled out from under the covers, instantly missing the warmth, and pulled her abandoned robe around her. Sixty degrees, maybe. Shiver-worthy in the nude.
Jay pouted. “You’re leaving me here alone?”
“I’m not taking you to the bathroom with me.”
He exaggerated his sigh. “Fine, but I’m not waiting here.”
He swung his legs out of bed on the far side and stood. Bare-assed, he bent over and snagged a pair of sweats.
He had a sinfully round butt for such a narrow frame. The long muscles of his back stretched as he leaned forward, the sides of
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