Total pages in book: 121
Estimated words: 116999 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 585(@200wpm)___ 468(@250wpm)___ 390(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 116999 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 585(@200wpm)___ 468(@250wpm)___ 390(@300wpm)
Laurence opens his eyes, looks up at me. “His face was a picture when he saw it. You won at parenting last night.”
“Yeah,” I agree, wiping a crumb of sleep from the corner of his eye. It’s a shame that feeling of winning won’t last. As soon as Ben passes his test and starts going out alone, I fear I’ll become a nervous wreck.
After a minute, my eyes drift closed again. It’s peaceful. Quiet. Another few minutes, and I could possibly fall back to sleep.
“William?”
“Mmhmm?”
“If I say something, do you promise not to go all crabbit on me?”
My heart beats slightly faster against his cheek. “I’ll try my best.”
“Okay, well, this flat is an absolute shite hole, and if you’re still refusing to live with me, then I want you to let me help get you somewhere better.”
Opening my eyes, I watch his head fall as my chest sinks with a sigh. “Oh, Laurence fucking Cole…”
“Is that a yes, aye?”
I feel like I should say no to him, but if last night taught me anything it’s that, sometimes, doing what I want is exactly what I need. “I have to pay my way. Even if you don’t notice because it’s a pittance to you, or whatever.”
Laurence’s forehead stretches and he crawls to his knees. “Are you saying…”
I huff a little, before pouting to disguise the smile that’s eager to break on my lips. “I’m saying I suppose we could try the living together thing.”
He bites his lip, breathing quickly, and grabs my face. “I knew I’d wear you down.”
“Whoa. Now, hold—”
His mouth silences mine. Hard. Wet. Eager. “We’re going to experience the whole world, William. You and me.”
I relish this moment, the feel of the man I love’s skin on mine, his hair around my fingers, his breath in my mouth. I feel trapped inside the greatest love story, and if I found the key, I’d throw it to the sharks.
“Thank you for giving me this,” I say, breaking for air before kissing along his jaw. “For finding me. Guiding me.”
“I’m gonnae give you so much more.” He licks my neck, feels his way down my body. “I’ll never stop making you happy, giving you reasons to stay.”
His hand reaches my cock, making me shudder, but before I give in, before I succumb to a bundle of nerves and urges. I place a finger under his chin, bring his nose to mine. “I love you, Laurence. Only you, in this different, beautiful way. I love you.”
His forehead drops to mine, and I feel what’s in his heart before he even speaks. “Ach, William. It can’t be that different…because I feel it, too.”
And then he shows me how much, and I hope we’ll continue showing each other for the rest of our lives.
Epilogue
Laurence
Two years later…
William is a vision. I can’t stop staring as he cleans the kitchen dressed only in jeans and a dusting of dark chest hair. Leaning against the doorframe, I admire his muscles flexing as he bends and twists, wiping down the counters, stretching to scrub a stubborn mark off a cupboard door. A domesticated god plucked right off a magazine cover and brought to life for my personal enjoyment.
“You could help,” he says when he catches me. “Or are you too famous for manual labour?”
“We have a cleaner.”
He rolls his eyes. “She can’t see it in this state.”
“So, you’re cleaning…for the cleaner?”
“Yes!”
I start laughing, which creates a deep line across William’s forehead. “Well, I’d love to, truly, but I’ve got a conference call with Andy and some casting exec at Netflix in a minute.”
The offer I’ll be discussing this morning sounds good. I’ve read and enjoyed the script. I like the director. Rumour has it, I’d be working with Stan again. Seems perfect. At least, perfect for a previous life. Pre-William. It’s torture when I have to leave him behind, though I understand why he can’t follow me wherever I go. He loves his own job. He needs his family. And, of course, he’s not a puppy.
Today, though, I’m faced with something I haven’t had before during our relationship. A choice. My pre-William contracts and option agreements are fulfilled. From now, I’m not obligated to leave him for weeks on end. It doesn’t matter that we fly back and forth during our free time, visit during days off, meet up for romantic dinners and orgasm desserts before returning to where we left. It’s not enough.
William strides towards me, the cleaning cloth bunched in his hand. “I’ll get ready while you’re on the call. I’ll leave your clothes out for you.”
My smile spreads through my entire body. I feel the pull of it in my cheeks, the warmth of it in my heart. I’ll leave your clothes out for you. It’s such a William thing to do, and it’s these small acts that tell me how much he loves me. I feel him giving me the very best of himself every single day and, somehow, I know that it’s all real. Just like my mum promised. Because he leaves my clothes out. Because he makes sure to leave enough milk for my tea. Because he lifts my side of the duvet before I climb into bed. Little things that say everything.