His smile was as welcomed as the sun after a storm. “I want to feel everything together.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?” He beamed.
“Leslie would love you.”
He pressed a quick kiss to my lips. “Maybe you will someday too.”
16
Ben
That night I made love to Crew. Tender touches, kisses mingled with promises adorned my flesh, and when a tear slipped free, Crew was there to catch it.
When he fell asleep on my chest, I spent hours staring at the ceiling. One particular night popped into my mind. Leslie and I were sitting on our deck, it was dark and the sky was filled with stars. I looked over at her with a warm smile and out of the blue she said,“Promise me something, Ben.”
“Anything.”
“Promise if anything were to ever happen to me, you wouldn’t stay lonely. You’d find love again.”
“Where is this coming from, Les?”
“I don’t know, I get lost in my head sometimes. We’ve made sure our kids are taken care of if something happens to us, but what if you or I weren’t here?”
I leaned over and gripped her hand. “Nothing is going to happen to you or I anytime soon.”
“Ben, I’m being serious. Can you just promise me you won’t disappear inside yourself, that you’d try to fall in love again?”
I pulled her hand to my lips and pressed a kiss there. “Leslie, I promise I won’t waste my life, no matter what.”
“Good…” She smiled, a twinkle in her eye. “Because if you kicked the bucket, I’d get me a cabana boy.”
I chuckled at the memory and accidentally jostled Crew awake.
“Hmm? Ben, you okay?”
I peered down at him as he rested on my chest and kissed his forehead. “I am, Crew. I was just thinking how I’m keeping a promise I made years ago that I truly thought was ridiculous.”
Crew propped himself up, a small smile curving his lips. “What promise is that?”
“That I wouldn’t stay lonely.”
He kissed me right then, no words, no delving deeper into the meaning or who I’d made that promise to. Just a kiss. One that washed away the wisps of grief that desperately tried to cling to my heart.
“There’s something I need to tell you, Ben.” Crew rubbed his fingers over my chest, his gaze only slightly serious.
“What’s that?”
“I can’t be an escort anymore.”
“Not true. Crew Riley, you’re going to be my escort for as long as you can tolerate me.”
He laughed and again he kissed me…Damn, I’d never get tired of those lips.
“I want to do more than be some kept man, I want to help you here. I have ideas and thoughts.” His eyes widened like he was trying to scare me but I just shook my head.
“That’s a little terrifying and of course I’d love you to stay here and work at Supernal.”