Page 38

“She looks so peaceful right now,” I said, looking over at my dog.

“I guess that last pain pill kicked in,” Joshua said, looking up from the book he was reading on the couch.

“Well, since she’s sleeping…” I dropped to my knees in front of his legs. “Let me thank you for taking such good care of my baby.”

“Don’t worry, Elaine will send you a bill,” he joked, even though Stephen’s father had already called and put everything on his credit card, likely hoping that it would make me less likely to testify against his son.

I pushed my way between Joshua’s legs, then grabbed his neck, pulling him down for a kiss. The kiss immediately turned hot, our tongues dueling for control while I used my hand to stroke him through the track pants he was wearing.

When he’d grown hard, I pulled back, sliding his pants and briefs down his hips. Joshua lifted his hips, and I slid them down to his ankles before taking his length in my hands. I stroked him up and down with rough movements, just the way he liked it, until the tip was glistening with a drop of pre-cum. That’s when I lowered my head and took him into my mouth.

At first I just focused on the tip, tracing the mushroom head with my tongue until Joshua made an impatient sounding groan. Then, and only then, I took as much of him as I could into my mouth and added suction, hollowing out my cheeks.

Bracing my hands on his thighs, I moved my head back and forth, curling my tongue around the bottom of his shaft. I knew Joshua was getting close when he dug his fingers into my hair and started moving me faster, taking control.

I didn’t mind him taking control when I knew he was about to lose it again.

I slid one hand underneath, cupping his balls in my palm and giving him a gentle squeeze. Joshua’s hips jerked up like he’d been shocked.

“Fuck! Mabel!”

Then he was coming down my throat. I swallowed furiously, determined to take it all down, continuing to stroke him with my mouth even as he sagged back on the couch. When he’d emptied himself I pulled off slowly, wiping my mouth while looking directly into Joshua’s eyes.

“Holy fuck.”

He sighed deeply, tossing his head back against the couch. “Holy fuck.”

I came back up on the couch, and he immediately pulled me onto his lap. I wrapped my arms around his neck and pressed quick kisses along his jaw until our lips met.

“Mabel.” Joshua’s voice was serious when he pulled away.

“Yeah?”

“I love you.” His voice was sure.

“I love you too,” I said quickly.

“I just need to warn you, someday soon, we’re going to need to move in together,” Joshua continued. “And someday in the future, I’m going to ask you to marry me. I’m just giving you a heads up so you have time to get used to the idea.”

“Thanks for the warning,” I teased.

Then I grew serious again and I added, “Someday in the future, I’ll give your offer serious consideration.”

“That’s all I can ask.”

Epilogue -- Joshua

Six months later…

“How would you feel about going away for the weekend?”

Mabel looked up from her tarot cards. She was in the little office on the first floor where she did readings. The walls were covered with tapestries, and there was a group of candles in glass jars burning on a shelf in the corner of the room.

Esmerelda, as always, was sitting at her feet.

When we’d first started dating, Mabel had avoided talking about or doing any tarot card work when I was around. I knew it was because she was afraid I’d judge her, the way her ex-husband did.

Finally one day I asked her to do a reading for me. She’d been shocked but had readily agreed. To be honest I didn’t think tarot cards were any more real than astrology or psychics. I was a man of science after all. But I also knew that there were a lot of things in the universe that we didn’t understand yet, and if tarot cards were important to Mabel, they were important to me.