Page 80 of All Bets are Off

“Just in the nick of time,” Ezra says as Jase’s face lights up from the flick of the lighter.

“This is a little spooky,” Cara laughs. “Sean, you remember that time the electricity went out and you tripped and fell down the stairs?”

“What? When did that happen?” Andi asks.

“It was before you started working here,” Kasey says. “He wasn’t hurt.”

“My ego was,” Sean says, cutting into a piece of turkey. “Fuck, Mal, this is so juicy. Mmm.”

We eat, and talk, and somewhere in the middle of it, West takes my hand underneath the table and laces our fingers together. A lightness I haven’t felt since Mom passed away a few of weeks ago fills me. I miss her, but I know she’s with Dad now. And I’m here with a different kind of family. And West and I are together. I should have realized he’s a strong enough person to plow through his insecurities when it came to his sexuality. I should have trusted him more. But I’ve learned my lesson and promise myself to be the best boyfriend to him I possibly can be. He’s gotten me through the worst times in my life, and there’s no one I love more in this world. Stella gave me the biggest gift when she told me what Mom said about me and West. I think about it a lot.

In the chaos of clearing plates and bringing in coffee and dessert in the semi-darkness of the candlelit room, I tug West into the downstairs bathroom.

“What are we doing?” he asks me as I shut the door, enveloping us in total darkness.

“I just wanted a minute alone with you,” I say, pushing him against the wall and nuzzling his cheek.

“Are you thinking about getting on your knees for me?” West asks.

“Now I am,” I say, sinking to the floor and fumbling with his pants.

Someone bangs on the door, making me jump. Hawk calls, “Who’s in there? I gotta piss!”

I hit the door with the flat of my hand. “Go downstairs!” I yell at him.

Going back to the task at hand, I unzip West’s jeans and pulls them down.

“Fuck, Lo. Are you really going to…” West leaves off and moans loudly as I somehow manage to insert his cock in my mouth in the pitch-dark room.

“West and Logan are doing it in the bathroom!” Hawk calls out a few minutes later as West holds my head and pumps his load down my throat.

When we finally return to the dining room, we’re subjected to a barrage of “extra protein” jokes, while Sean hands me a toothpick to take care of the “stray cock hairs.”

“Why do you just assume I need the toothpick?” I ask, scowling at him.

“I’m not wrong, am I?” Sean smirks, earning him a punch on the arm.

Heading for the pecan pie, I secretly wonder how everyone knew exactly what we’d been up to. Later, when West and I are in bed, I bring it up.

“It’s the look you get on your face every time you blow me. Your lips are all swollen and you look kind of empty-headed.”

“Fuck you,” I say.

“It’s true!” he laughs.

“Well, let’s see how you look after I fuck your face.” I straddle him.

West doesn’t argue. Another storm has moved in off the coast, and it drowns out my moans. Good thing, or I would be facing more teasing from my coworkers over breakfast.

“West?” I say into the darkness sometime later as I lie in his arms.

“Hmm?”

“Love you,” I say.

West kisses me. “Love you, too, Lo.”

THE END.