Page 148 of Score
She nods, giving me permission, and every cell in my body detonates. This may be the hardest I’ve ever come in my life. It goes on and on, leaking from the corners of her mouth and rolling over my stomach in rivulets. My vision whites out, and pleasure lights up my whole body, stiffens my arms and legs. Time loses all meaning and I have no idea how long it lasts, but Verity licks and sucks and caresses me through the whole thing.
When it’s over, she rests her chin on my thigh and grins at me. Smugly.
“That was… how did I not know that was possible?” I drape my arm over my eyes. “If I had gone to my grave never experiencing that, it would have been criminal.”
“Tragic even.” She giggles. “So I take it you enjoyed that.”
“Understatement.” I lift my arm and pry one eye open to stare at her in something close to wonder. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome, and I enjoyed it just as much as you did.” I aim aNo way in helllook at her. “Okay, maybe not quite as much, but a lot. I enjoyed it a lot, but now I’m starving.”
“Well, let’s eat. You earned it.”
In the shower, we wash each other. I can’t seem to stop touching her, and she seems to be having the same problem. Every few minutes, our hands still on each other’s bodies, and we just kiss in the spray. It’s so leisurely and perfect. I could never have imagined that we’d be here. That we’d be these people again, but by some miracle we are.
Downstairs, we bring all the food she prepared into the dining room and sample a little of everything.
“This is a ton of food,” I say around a bite of chicken. “I can’t believe you cooked all thisandyou pegged the hell out of my prostate. Best Valentine’s Day ever.”
“I wasn’t sure you’d be able to enjoy it. I know that sounds weird, but—”
“No, I know what you mean.” I pause chewing and take a moment to articulate what’s been in the back of my mind since we left the bedroom. “My ideas about that part of my body were so rooted in the homophobia of culture at large, of how so much of our community—the Black community, and frankly, the church—treats queerness. I’ve never considered myself homophobic. Truly, I don’t care who folks love or fuck, but I didn’t realize how much those ideas had made experiencing anything likethatfeel like a threat to my masculinity. It’s not.”
“No, it’s not.” She sets her fork down and grabs my hand. “That was what I really wanted you to see. “
“Well, after I stopped seeing stars, I did see that.”
I stand, dropping a kiss to her hair. “I’ll be right back.”
When I return, I’m surprised to see Verity filling her glass with wine. It’s rare for her to drink at all, but I guess it’s good she’s giving herself permission to loosen up after all the stress of theDessishoot.
I nudge her up from her chair, then settle her back down on my lap once I take her seat. I’m wearing gray sweatpants, and she’s wearing the matching Finley hoodie, the textured curls coiling softly around her head and neck.
“For you,” I tell her, placing a square black box on the table.
Her dark brows knit into a frown. “I thought we said no gifts.”
“We also said we’d keep it low key, but you cooked enough for an army, and I bought a gift.” I shrug and reach as if to take the box back. “If you don’t want it—”
“Attt att attt!” She pops my hand lightly and snatches the gift. “Ain’t nobody said nothing ’bout not wanting.”
Kicking her legs back and forth, toes brushing the floor, she darts a quick look at me from under her lashes. “What is it?”
“Vee, if you don’t open that damn box!”
She giggles and cracks the lid open to reveal a pair of diamond letterVearrings nestled on a bed of black velvet.
“Monk!” Her wide eyes meet mine. “They’re beautiful.”
She slips the diamonds into the small holes in her ears.
“Thank you. I love them,” she says, a wide grin spreading over her face. “I have a gift for you, too.”
“What happened to no gifts?” I shake my head, an involuntary smile twitching on my lips. “Now see if I hadn’t gotten you a gift, I would’ve been the loser boyfriend.”
The wordboyfriendkind of lands in the room between us. We’re together, but neither of us has labeled it that way. We don’t comment on it, but share a smile that says everything.
She rushes across the room and digs in her oversized purse, returning with a small gift bag.
