The Rules of Dating(53)

Deek nodded. “What kind of porn do you like?”

“I don’t know. Any, I guess?”

“So child pornography is okay?”

“What? No! Of course not.”

“A little more specifics in your answer would be helpful then.”

Colby shook his head. “I don’t know. What kind of porn is there? I guess I like straight, hetero porn. Intercourse, oral, the occasional anal movie.”

“How about an orgy?”

Colby shrugged. “Yeah, sure. I’m down for an orgy.”

Deek looked at me. “Does this concern you?”

I smirked. “No, I’m good with orgies in movies, too.”

Colby wrinkled his entire face. “What the heck is this all about? I mean, don’t get me wrong, I’m stoked that Billie’s into orgy porn. But where is this all leading?”

Deek held up a finger. “Just one more question. What’s your apartment number?”

“Two-eighteen. Why?”

“So I know exactly where to go if my girl gets hurt.”

I chuckled and jumped down from my chair, walking over to stand next to Colby. “Are you finished, Deek?”

He glared at Colby. “For now…”

“Okay, great. Why don’t you go take your lunch break then?”

Colby waited until Deek was out of earshot before turning to me. “What just happened?”

I pushed up and pressed my lips to his. “He knows things have moved out of the friend zone, so he wants to make sure you’re a decent guy.”

“Maybe I should invite him and his boyfriend to dinner one night.”

I pulled back. “Really? You’d do that?”

“Of course. Why not? He’s a good friend of yours, right?”

“One who just interrogated you…”

Colby brushed my hair from my shoulder. “It’s okay. I’d want my daughter to have protective friends like that. And I hope she’d pick the kind of guy who would have her friends over to put their minds at ease.”

My stomach felt all squishy. “Awww… That’s really sweet, Colby.”

“Well, I’m glad you think so. Because sweet doesn’t exactly describe the thoughts I’ve been having about you since our painting party.”

I bit my lip. “I might’ve had a not-so-sweet thought or two about you over the last few days.”

Colby trailed his knuckles up and down my arm. “Oh yeah? Tell me more...”

I was considering it when Colby’s phone started to chime. It sounded like an alarm. “Shoot. I have to go. Saylor has dance class. I need to relieve the babysitter and get her to the studio.”

I smiled. “I didn’t know she took dance lessons. Does she wear a little pink tutu?”

“She does. But for some reason, she won’t wear her sneakers for the walk over to the studio. Instead, she pairs the pink tutu with these green rubber rain boots my mother bought her. They have a frog’s face molded into the toes.”

I chuckled. “Definitely a girl after my own heart.”

“I gotta run. But I stopped by to see if you wanted to have dinner Saturday night?”

“That sounds good.”

“To be clear. I’m asking you on a date—not an undate.”

“I thought the breast painting might have moved us past the platonic undate.” I laughed. “But yeah, I’d like to have a dinner date with you.”

“My place, okay? Saylor is staying at my parents’ house.” He held up his hand. “No pressure. I know you want to go slow. I just would love to not share you with anyone for once.”

I smiled. “Sure. That sounds good.”

“Okay.” He leaned down and brushed his lips over mine once more. “I’ll see you Saturday.”

***

“I can’t believe you make sauce from scratch.” I was perched up on Colby’s kitchen counter next to the stove, watching him stir a pot of tomato sauce.

“When Saylor first came into my life, I had no idea what to do with a baby. My mom spent a lot of time at my apartment because I was a nervous wreck. I thought I was going to fuck something up and hurt her. Every time Mom came over, she brought an index card with a recipe written down and a bag of groceries. When Saylor would nap, she’d teach me how to cook. I owe a lot to her for making me a better dad.” Colby scooped up a spoonful of sauce and blew on it before lifting it to my lips.

“Oh, wow. That’s really good. Nice and garlicy, the way I like it.”

A tiny drip from the underside of the spoon fell and landed on my collarbone. Colby leaned in and licked it off before running his tongue up my neck and sucking along my pulse line.

“You had some sauce.” He grinned. “I don’t have any paper towels.”

I pointed to the full roll next to me and raised a brow.

“I meant, I’m environmentally conscious and don’t like to use too many paper towels.”

“Uh-huh.” I smiled. Plucking the spoon from his hand, I turned it over and ran the saucy back side along his neck.

Colby’s eyes darkened as I leaned up and returned the favor, dragging my tongue over the sauce and sucking along his throat.

He groaned when I pulled back. “I’m going to pour that pot all over our bodies in a minute.”