I don’t tell him that I haven’t heard back from any schools yet, but my hopes are high. I have a great GPA and have a ton of extracurriculars on my resume.
Mike grins at me, toying with his drink.
“You may be surprised, but I actually dropped out of college. I was going for accounting and it all just seemed so pointless. Everything they taught us felt like common sense, or like something that happens on paper, but is pretty irrelevant in the real world. I felt like I was wasting my time finishing the degree, and spending a ton of money while at it.”
I nod.
“Yeah, I can see how college could feel that way.”
He grins.
“So, I dropped out and took a job as an assistant manager at a local bar. I learned the industry well, and quickly too. I was able to save up enough money to get a small storefront near the local community college here in Riverdale. That was my first location. The shop is still open and operating on 77th Street and Pulaski, actually. My business just grew organically from there. I’m glad I made the choice I did because it worked out for me.”
“Well,” I say with a laugh, “apparently a college degree isn’t a pre-requisite for business success.”
Michael chuckles at this. He’s looking at me in that way again. I try to figure out if it’s love, lust, or a combination of the two. I don’t have time to solve this mystery, and at this moment, I honestly don’t even care. He’s so magnificent, that I’d be happy for anything.
The next moments happen so quickly that my thinking mind can barely keep itself in the present moment. Time seems to be a step ahead of me, forcing me to let go of any inhibitions.
Michael promptly sets his drink down, rising from his chair. Then, he leans over and passionately kisses me. I feel myself reaching towards him, trying to get as much of him as I can. The next thing I know I am being laid on a soft white rug before the fire. I am over the moon with elation, my head spinning, filling with oxytocin.
We both pause to look into each other’s eyes, and we know. Everything else in the room and everyone else in the world dissolves. For this moment, it’s just the two of us. We begin to kiss again, clothes discarded carelessly all around us.
Michael is gentle with me this time. He eases his member into my tightness, and I shake again at the deep, meaningful penetration. I shiver around his hardness, even as I gush wetly, dying for his touch. We both explode with love, carried to the stars and beyond.
The next morning, I wake to the sweet feeling of soft satin sheets against my bare skin. The sun is beaming through the curtains, warming up my heart and soul. I hear birds singing softly outside the window, and stretch a bit, reveling in this feeling of well-being. I feel at peace in this moment in time.
A hand reaches out and pulls me back, turning me onto my back. It traces from my navel up the center of my chest, and then swivels around to the back of my neck, where it gives a gentle squeeze. Fingertips lightly shift back around to softly graze my cheek, and finally, they brush my hair behind my ear. I look up to meet his eyes.
“Good morning, beautiful,” Michael says to me in a soft, hoarse voice. Before I can wish him the same, he’s climbing on top of me once more, that hard member pressed against my thigh. I lift my arms above my head and give myself over to him with all of my heart.
11
Tilly
The next few months fly by. As the weather begins to warm up, so does our romance. Although, sometimes it’s difficult just to see my handsome lover.
After all, Michael’s very busy with work. He’s in the process of opening a new store on the North side of the city, near Wrigleyville. It will be a great place for business. Built around the Cub’s home stadium, and adjacent to a large university, Wrigley has become party central to the twenty-something crowd. The streets are lined with bars and pubs sporting large outdoor patios with string lights and wood-lined dance floors. Some even have arcades and batting ranges inside. The stadium also doubles as an event space for concerts and various expos that come to town. It’s a lively area of the city, and I think my boyfriend’s a genius to open a new liquor store in this locale.
It has been a lot of work for him, however. Michael wants this store to be the go-to liquor store in this trendy neighborhood. He spends much of his time drafting business plans and balancing accounts for the new storefront. He also loses a lot of time driving back and forth to the location to hire and train new employees. In the free time that he does get to spend at home, he waits until Samantha will be gone to invite me over. We only choose nights that she will be gone overnight, as we can’t risk her coming home early and finding me there with her father.