Page 79

My belly dipped with nervous excitement. I wiped my clammy palms down my jeans before picking my phone back up to reply. I didn’t want to keep him waiting. I didn’t want to play games. I’d made up my mind for good this time.

I wanted him. I’d take the risk. We’d just be careful. And it wasn’t like we were going to fall in love. We’d indulge ourselves with the sex we both clearly wanted, and by the time the event rolled around, it probably would have come to a natural end anyway.

Yes, I replied. Definitely still on, if you’re interested.

I’m interested, he sent back immediately. You’re still annoying as hell, but fuck, you make my dick hard.

I exhaled in a rush, my thighs clenching together as I stared at the words. He made my figurative dick hard too. Ridiculously hard.

And you’re still an arrogant ass, but for some reason you make me wet. My face burned as I sent it, carefully angling my phone away from my brother-in-law sitting beside me on the couch as he chatted to my mother.

Careful, Nuni replied. That was almost a compliment.

I snorted, which made Malcolm glance over at me with a quizzical smile. After giving him a brief smile back, I bent my head over my phone.

Sorry, I forgot no compliments allowed, I sent. You’re just an arrogant ass.

Damn, you’re making me hard right now, he replied. Better save this discussion for later, seeing as I’m currently sitting in my mom’s living room with three of my siblings around me.

I suppressed another laugh. Yeah. Good idea. I’ll leave you to your afternoon.

Text me later , he replied instantly. I want to know more about how my exquisite, arrogant ass makes you wet.

“Who’re you texting?” Devi asked with a sly smile in her voice as she flopped down beside me on the couch.

I immediately locked my phone. “Just Hustin.”

I didn’t like lying to my sister, but I couldn’t be bothered to deal with the questions if I told her I was texting a guy. A guy called Nuni var Rorik, which was clearly a demiurgus name. My parents had been completely supportive and accepting when I told them I was bi—though it had taken me until my mid-twenties to come out to them. I’d known they were good people who loved me and my sister unconditionally, but there had still been that tiny hint of doubt. Of fear. Of wondering whether telling them would change our relationship irrevocably. My sister had known since I was a teen, and she’d never pressured me into coming out to our parents until I was ready, but she had assured me that they would always accept me.

And they had, but I had no idea how they’d react if I told them I was… involved with a demiurgus. It was unusual. Almost unheard of, especially long-term relationships. Not that I was going into a relationship with Nuni, but that just made the whole thing even more convoluted. I didn’t particularly want to tell my parents that I was about to embark on a fuck-buddy situation, regardless of who it was with.

So when are we going to properly embark on it? The thought popped into my head before I could stop it, a rush of want making my belly lurch.

When was I going to see him again? Where would we meet? Preferably somewhere we could actually take our time and not worry about anyone overhearing or walking in on us.

Preferably somewhere I could get him completely naked.

I tried to picture Nuni in my small apartment. It was minimalist, but still cosy to me. Probably not fancy enough for him, though. There was no way he’d fit comfortably in my bed, but I supposed that wouldn’t matter if we did ever go there—it wasn’t like he’d be there to sleep.

Although I wouldn’t mind if he came over one night and ended up staying. It wasn’t like sleeping in the same bed meant anything. It didn’t automatically make us a couple.

I shut off that train of thought quickly. I supposed these were the kinds of things we’d have to agree on. Maybe he had a strict rule about spending the night. Maybe he’d done this before and would send over his standard list of ground rules later.

1. No spending the night.

2. No messing up my hair.

3. No touching my expensive skincare products in the bathroom.

4. Hydration breaks every twenty minutes.

5. Supplements and a protein shake precisely one hour before sex.

Honestly, I wouldn’t put it past him, but the idea of it amused me more than anything else. Besides, he hadn’t seemed to care about me messing up his hair in the bar restroom.

I remembered what I’d been wondering that first morning after meeting him. Whether or not he was filthy and messy and up for anything in bed.

My stomach squeezed into a tight, excited knot. Now I’d get to find out.