When he’s finished with me, we’re both hot and sweaty and spread across the floor. Calvin rolls over, reaching out and pulling me in for a kiss.
Even though he’s sated, it’s hot. Brutal. Demanding.
Perfect.
I sigh with pleasure and snuggle up close to his chest. I’m even hotter there, but I don’t care.
“Good thing I didn’t take that shower,” I murmur.
Calvin smiles tiredly. “You better not shower without me.”
“Oh, I’m not even allowed to take my own showers anymore?” I tease.
“That’s right.” He reaches around to grab a handful of my ass. “And remember how bad girls get punished.”
I pout up at him. “I’m not a bad girl.”
I know pouting drives him crazy, so he pulls me in and kisses me harder.
“I’m so tired. If you want to fuck me again, you’re going to have to do it while I’m sleeping,” I joke.
“That can be arranged,” he says, not joking.
I roll my eyes and push him away. “Come on, let’s go take—oh! My book. I have to show you my book first.”
The poor book was left abandoned on the bed after seeing things no children’s book should ever see.
I sit on the edge of the mattress, and Calvin sits down beside me. Of course he has already seen all the artwork and read every page as I finished it, but he hasn’t seen it all put together, and there is one page I never showed him.
“Looks great,” he says, passing a hand over the cover and nodding. “I’m proud of you.”
Smiling, I lean my head on his shoulder. “Thank you. Open it up.”
The front inside cover has pretty paper covering it with lines and lines of my little bee character. He flips to the next page which is just the title page with written and illustrated by Hallie Cutler splashed across the bottom.
“That looks good,” Calvin remarks.
“You would think so,” I say primly.
He flips another page, and that’s when he hits the dedication.
I’m antsy with anticipation. It’s a simple enough dedication, but without him I never would have accomplished any of this, so I hope he likes it.
“For Calvin. You inspire me and lift me up, even when I beg you not to.” I lean into him so I can point at the little winky face I typed. “Yes, I see it,” he says dryly.
“Just making sure.”
His gaze moves to the next line and he reads, “Thank you.”
He doesn’t say anything else right away, so my nerves creep up on me. “I, um… I…”
Then he turns, cradles my skull in the palm of his hand, and kisses me.
Relief flutters through me. I slide my arm around him and let him ease me back on the bed. He climbs on top of me, braces his weight on his hands and knees, then looks down at me, his dark eyes glittering with affection. “You’re welcome.”
“I can’t even imagine what my life would have looked like without you anymore,” I tell him honestly. “I know there was a time before you, but…”
He smirks. “It’s not worth remembering.”
I sigh heavily. “So arrogant.”
He smiles and leans down to kiss me. “So mine.”
“Mm, I like the sound of that,” I murmur against his lips.
“You better.”
I sigh at him again, but it gets lost as he buries his face in my neck and kisses me until everything tingles.
Finally, when my nerves can’t take much more of his teasing, he stands and offers me his hand.
I take it.
“Ready for that shower now, little dove?”
I smile. “Always, my handsome lunatic.”
THE END