The Rules of Dating(57)

“What are you doing home today anyway?” he asked.

“The nanny has the day off, so I worked from home. I have to pick up Saylor from school in an hour.”

As soon as he got to my room, he asked, “Where’s the hole again?”

“Behind the bed.” I moved it out to show him.

He smirked. “You dirty dog. Right behind the headboard. No wonder you were so shady about it. You fucked your way to a hole in the wall.”

I rolled my eyes.

“I thought I was the only one who’d done that type of thing around here.” He laughed. “But apparently not.”

“This is why I wanted to do it myself—to avoid your ridicule.”

“No ridicule, my dude. Just admiration.” He set his supplies on the floor. “And a little bit of jealousy. Don’t kill me for saying that. I know how possessive you are of Billie.” He laughed. “So, I take it things are banging between you and her. No pun intended.”

“You could say that.”

“I’m happy for you, man.”

“Thank you. I’m happy, too. Truly happy in every way for the first time in a long time.”

“Billie is amazing.” He moved my bed out farther and placed a drop cloth below where he’d be working. “So, you think this is it? Is she the one?”

I let out a long breath. “It feels like it, but you know what? There’s still some stuff up in the air, so I’m just trying to enjoy it, take it day by day.”

“By some stuff, you mean the fact that you have Saylor, right?”

I really didn’t want to get into this today. But I should’ve known nosy-ass Holden would want the full scoop on everything, including what was going on inside my head.

I sighed. “I’m not the one with a decision to make, you know? Being with Billie is a no-brainer for me. But it’s not that simple for her. Staying with me means she has to decide if she wants to be a mother to Saylor. I’m sure that question is always in the back of her mind.”

“I get it.” He nodded. “Not to make you feel bad, but I’d probably run the other way if I were her.”

“Thanks.” I rolled my eyes. “I can always count on you for brutal honesty.”

“Anytime.” He smirked. “But you know…you do have one thing going for you.”

“What’s that?”

“You have a massive dick.”

“That’s going to make her want to be a parent?”

“Possibly. Big dicks have a way of working miracles.”

“Thanks. Then I shall rub mine and chant after you leave.”

He cackled. “I do that every night. Doesn’t work for me. I haven’t found the one yet.”

“I don’t think you’re looking for the one. You’re looking for the three,” I taunted. “Am I right?”

He shrugged. “Perhaps. For now.”

It would be interesting to see if Holden ever settled on one person. I used to wonder the same about myself, and look at me now. So anything was possible, I suppose. But if I had to guess, I would still say Holden would be the last of us guys to settle down, if ever.

We shot the shit for almost an hour while he worked to patch the wall.

“I’ll try to be more careful with the wall next time,” I said as I helped him clean up.

“Are you kidding?” He flashed a mischievous grin. “I’ll be disappointed if I don’t have to come back to fix it again.”

***

That night, I asked Billie to come have dinner with Saylor and me. Billie suggested buying stuff to make our own pizzas because she thought Saylor would have fun with that. And she insisted on picking up all the ingredients after her shop closed for the day.

She texted me from the grocery store.

Billie: What kind of toppings does Saylor like?

Colby: She likes pineapple, actually. You can just buy the canned kind. And bacon. That combo.

Billie: Interesting combination for an interesting girl. Okay. What do you like?

Colby: What do I like? That’s a loaded question.

Billie: LOL. No need to hold back.

Colby: Quickies in the laundry room with you after Saylor goes to sleep. My cock in your mouth. My dick buried deep inside you anywhere, anytime I have the chance. My cum on your tits. The list is endless.

Billie: You have a one-track mind.

Colby: You know it. I’m addicted. To answer your original question, I’ll eat anything—but I do have a favorite thing to eat. Can you guess what that might be?

She responded with a photo of a can of pineapple up against her chest. Her corset today was a burnt orange color I didn’t remember ever seeing before. As usual, I was paying more attention to what was inside of it though.

Billie: This can okay?

I couldn’t help messing with her, because who’s looking at the damn pineapple can when it’s up against her heaving chest?

Colby: Can or cans? Those cans are fucking perfect. God, hurry up and come home so I can nuzzle your neck when Saylor isn’t looking. (That brand is fine.) My use of the word home wasn’t lost on me. We were far from living together, but I still felt like her place was with me, that somehow my home was hers now, even if she didn’t sleep here. Have I mentioned that this woman makes me deliriously happy?