I feel him stiffen and tense then let out a growl as he fills me. He comes hard between my legs, deep and rough, and I roll my hips, wanting to feel it all. He groans and kisses me. I kiss him back, eager for it, greedy for it. I bite his lip and make him grin at me.
“Well,” he says, pulling me tight against him.
I rest my head against his chest. “Just shut up,” I say.
He laughs but doesn’t speak.
We stay like that for a while. I hold him, curled up against his massive body. I don’t let myself think about all of my fear, all of my worries. I don’t let myself embrace any of that.
It’s just the two of us, and there’s nothing outside of this bed.
Of course, that can’t last forever. But maybe ten blissful minutes slip past and there’s only the sound of him breathing and my floating joy.
“Tell me something,” he says, breaking the silence.
“Hmm?” I look up.
He tilts his head. “Are you going to keep the name Truth Hurts?”
I laugh and snuggle tighter. “I don’t know.”
“We could come up with something better.”
“We aren’t doing anything. I might, though.”
“Got any ideas?”
“Oh, I don’t know. Klara Productions.”
“Original.”
“What do you have in mind, then?”
“Oh, now you want my opinion.”
“Come on.”
He shifts and looks at me, kissing the top of my head. “I don’t know. Soft Words Productions, maybe.”
I frown up at him. “Huh.”
“Because you wanted something that seemed real,” he says quickly.
“No, I like that,” I say.
“Or just keep it Truth Hurts. That’s nice, too.”
“Truth doesn’t have to hurt though.” I sigh and kiss his chest.
He chuckles. “No, it doesn’t. Sometimes it feels good.” He runs his fingers through my hair. “So I take it you’re not going to quit?”
I’m quiet for a little while. I don’t want to think about this. I don’t want to start hating him again. I don’t want to picture my baby and wonder what my life is going to be like one day, eight months from now, when I become a mother.
But I need to, sooner or later.
“I guess not,” I say. “Even though you’re an asshole and so is my dad.”
He laughs. “Yeah, true. Can’t fight you on that one.”
“I’ll stick it out. And I’ll win.” I sit up and look at him. My hair falls down around my shoulders and he smiles, looking at my body, at my breasts. I don’t feel self-conscious around him, although maybe I should. “And I don’t need your charity.”
A big smile breaks out across his face. “Damn right you don’t.”
I lean back down against his chest and sigh. I close my eyes as he wraps his arms around me and I let myself embrace this moment. There’s uncertainty in my future and I know it, but right now, things are good. Right now, I have him.
Soon though, the moment has to end. We get up, get dressed. He lingers at the door. “I’ll talk to your father,” he says. “I’ll let him know what’s up.”
“Good.”
As he turns to leave, both our phones buzz at once. Mine’s over on the counter, so I have to walk to grab it while he takes his from his pocket. He’s frowning at the screen by the time I grab mine.
“What?” I ask.
“Text from your dad.” He looks up with a sigh. “You’d better read it.”
I pull up my phone and open the text, my heart racing.Aldo: DEAREST DAUGHTER AND SHAUN, YOU ARE INVITED TO A SLEEPOVER! WELL, NOT A FUN SLEEPOVER, ANYWAY, HA HA HA. YOU ARE INVITED TO THE TRUTH HURTS PRODUCTIONS OFFICES STARTING THIS EVENING AT FIVE. DINNER WILL BE AVAILABLE. COME PREPARED WITH FIVE QUESTIONS ABOUT YOURSELF, QUESTIONS THAT ARE NOT TOO DIFFICULT OR ABSTRACT. THESE MUST BE SIMPLE, STRAIGHTFORWARD THINGS, SUCH AS WHERE DID I GO TO ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, WHAT WAS THE NAME OF MY BEAR AS A GIRL GROWING UP. COME PREPARED! ALDO OUT.I blink at my phone as he walks over and shakes his head. “Why did your dad send a paragraph like he’s shouting?”
“He sucks at texting,” I say. “His eyes are awful so he uses caps lock.” I stare at the message. “Is this the next game?”
“Looks like it. I guess he didn’t take your meeting this morning seriously.”
I clench my jaw. “What a prick.”
“Are we doing this?” he asks.
“I think so.”
“What should I be ready for?”
I grin at him and shake my head. “Sorry, Shaun. You’re the competition tonight.”
He grins back and slips his phone into his pocket.
“Good. I can’t wait.” He walks to the door and slips outside. “See you soon.”
He leaves and I’m left alone in my apartment.
But I’m smiling. I can’t help it.
I’m going to win this stupid contest, even if it breaks me.12ShaunI show up at the Truth Hurts offices at the designated hour and find the doors locked and the lights off. I frown and check my phone, making sure I got the right time and place, before looking around again. I expected to find that little twerp Ryan lingering somewhere, but instead it’s silent.