She smiles. “Well, inthatcase,” she murmurs, snuggling down next to me and drawing the duvet up over our shoulders. “I guess I don’t have a choice.” I wrap an arm around her waist, holding her close. Distantly, I hear a baby’s cry. “Is Cami okay?” I mumble into Beth’s neck. “She’s been crying more this week.”
She nods. “She’s started teething, so she’s very angry and drooly. Don’t hug her with a nice shirt on.”
I frown, forcing my eyes open. “Shit. Is she in pain?”
“Some. We’ve been giving her painkillers when she gets really agitated. And cold things to chew on. It should pass soon.”
“Oh.” I feel like shit. My baby’s been inpain,and I didn’t even know. Because I was focussing more on a video game than ahuman child.
Beth reaches out and starts stroking down my face. “Relax,” she whispers.
My heart aches as she brushes her fingertips over my cupid’s bow.
I don’t deserve either of them. Beth or Cami. I’ve ignored Beth for the last two weeks. I’ve shut her out and locked myself in my bedroom. She’s been bringing me food, and coffee, and latching on for a cuddle every time I pass her in the hall. And I’ve given this beautiful, sweet, kind woman absolutely nothing in return.
“I’ve not been good to you,” I mumble. “You or Cami.”
She laughs. “What? What does that mean?”
“I’ve been pushing you both away.”
“You’ve been working. And I’m not your girlfriend. You don’t have to shower me with attention.” She wriggles against me and my eyes fall half-shut. “I really do miss you, though.”
“I feel like an idiot,” I mutter, winding a piece of damp red hair around my finger. Even in the low light of my bedroom, it flashes bright as fire. “For getting so worked up about this. But every time I have to put out a project, I feel like such a failure.” I let go of her hair, watching it drop onto the pillow. “I can’t stop fucking up.”
Beth sighs, propping herself up on her elbow and looking down at me. “You want me to be honest?”
“Always.”
“There will be mistakes in the game,” she says, and my stomach sinks. “There will be things you’ve missed. Most people won’t notice them. Most of the ones that do won’t care. And then a few highly critical nit-pickers will give you bad reviews. And that’sokay, Jack. You’re one indie gamer. You can’t expect to produce the same work that a fifty-strong tech team with a huge budget can. And the vast majority of people will understand that.”
“But—”
She nudges me. “You’re a human being, not a robot. And that’s a good thing for you, because if youwerea robot, I wouldn’t shag you. So.”
I consider. “That’s a pretty good trade-off.”
“Damn straight it is.” She curls up closer to me. “Now stop worrying and go to sleep, so you can fuck me properly tonight.”
I nuzzle into her neck, breathing in her sweet apple-cinnamon scent, and black out in seconds.
Fifty-One
Beth
I wake up with my hand between my legs.
Heat is washing over my skin in tingly waves. Wetness is sticking my thighs together. My pussy feels swollen and puffy and hot. I moan quietly as large hands stroke over my naked body, rolling over and burying my face in a wall of hard abs. Mmm.
“I’m gonna die,” a low voice mumbles. “What do you think she’s dreaming about?”
“Me. Obviously.”
Dreaming. Yes. This must be some kind of sex dream. It has to be. I relax into the warm, muscled chest. A hot mouth kisses my neck. A thumb trails over my bottom lip.
“Open up.” A deep voice says.
I do, fully expecting a dream-dong in my mouth, but instead cold glass chinks against my teeth. Sweet bubbles explode against my tongue, and my eyes fly open. I sit up before I choke. Cyrus holds me closer, pouring champagne between my lips.