Page 343 of Seasons of Love
“How would they know?”
“I’m on your fucking lap, Riley. Do you have the habit of keeping your friends this close when you video call your parents?”
I hadn’t thought of that. He feels so right on my lap that I don’t want to let him go. I didn’t think about how it would look to my parents. Although it is the first time since my divorce that they didn’t bring up Mel. Maybe I should keep Curtis with me every time they call.
“Are you going to freak out?” he asks.
“No, why do you keep asking me that?”
He huffs and tries to get up. I keep him in place.
“Let me go, mountain man.”
“Not until you tell me why you keep thinking I’m going to shout no homo anytime I so much as have a semi-serious expression.”
26
BUBBLE
“No. It’s Christmas Day, and the reason I sometimes say stupid things does not belong in this cabin,” I say. “I am sorry though. This isn’t about you. It’s all me, okay?”
I really don’t want to drag Harley and his shit in here. He doesn’t deserve to occupy space here.
“I just met your parents.” I repeat it because I can’t believe that just happened. “They seem really nice.”
“They are.”
“Why didn’t you spend Christmas with them?”
Coach picks a crumb of cinnamon bun and rolls it around the plate. “They were on a Christmas cruise in the Caribbean and stopped in St. Barts for Christmas.”
“Do they travel a lot?”
He laughs. “Believe it or not, no, they don’t. They’ve lived their whole life in Denver. Turned up out of the blue on Thanksgiving Day to tell me they were traveling over Christmas. I’m happy for them. They deserve to enjoy their retirement.”
“How about you?”
He raises a brow. “I’m way, way off from retiring.”
I pinch the muscles on his arms. “Hmm, I don’t know, old man. I’m not convinced. Maybe you should take me into the bedroom and show me how you’re not quite ready for retired life.”
The chair scrapes against the floor as he stands, taking me with him.
“I could get used to being carried everywhere, you know?” I say, wrapping my arms around his neck.
“I can’t help it. You bring out my inner caveman.”
“Take me to your cave then.”
I don’t think I’ve ever spent so much time in the bedroom over any Christmas vacation. There’s something to be said about it, I think.
There are still plenty of cinnamon buns, and I can rustle up a quick dinner later. Go hungry, we will not. Even with all the sex.
Correction. All the best sex of my entire life.
Screw you, Harley. You were lousy in bed anyway.
Coach sets me on the bed but doesn’t follow me.
