Good Man Pt. 03

"Just so you can come."

"Tomorrow, you promised."

"I did. And after that?"

I shrug. "I'm at your service."

"I'll make you regret that."

There's no chance. My cock knows what it wants and it wants Erin's kind of love. I kiss her just like Bogey did Bacall. "Make me."

The movie drones on. Bogart's character is a bit of an ass. Bacall's puts him in his place.

"I won't mistreat you," she says, out of the blue.

"If I want the same thing you do, it's not mistreatment."

"No. But it might drive you crazy."

"Did it drive your ex crazy."

There's a long silence, then, "He hated it from day one. He screwed me, sexually at first, then royally."

"I'm sorry. I promise, I won't do that."

She lifts her head, looks at me. "Do you love me?"

"I think so."

"I'm touched. And maybe in love too." There's a silence then she says, "In university, I tried girls. One in particular. We stayed together for a whole year. I thought I was, you know, that way. We had a good time together. But the desire to bed her dried up. It was curiosity. I know this because was attracted to a young man—and made out. I'm not curious anymore. So, as far as Mackenzie and her lover go, seeing them together might be fun, for both of us. But it's a man that does it for me. What was missing in university was a good man. I don't mean that in the way I say it to you, but the men were all kids, looking for a quick lay or someone pretty to have on their arm after they got out into the workforce."

"I was proud to have you on my arm this afternoon."

"I should hope so. Except for the Gerards, I was the richest person there."

"Should I feel inadequate?"

"That doesn't sound like you."

"I'm a middle manager in an investment firm. I make good money, earned the biggest bonus last Christmas—and likely will this one too. I won't starve."

"And relationship-wise?"

"I've got laid most weekends. Sometimes twice. But not much of that all week—I'm just too busy."

"No special girl?"

"No." I shrug. "You?"

"I'd like to be." She snuggles in again, the movie ending. "I'd like that a lot."

The credits roll, a white stream of text on a plain black background. Then the screen goes dark, the movie over, the next one not decided upon. "I'm happy be here?" I say.

She does answer, doesn't budge. I feel her breathe, I feel how tired she is, how content. I don't want to spoil that. I realize I don't want to spoil that for myself either. Sure, I've not come, but I've not worried a bit about my work, what I should be doing or not doing, where I should be. I settle in, ready to stay here with her for a good long while. I nudge her, a signal I'm going to say something. But I don't. What I want to say might sound too forward, assume too much. A battle rages on inside me. Should I? Shouldn't I?

Erin, to her credit, does not prompt me. She just says, "I feel the same way."

"So we are an item, for real?"

She nods, lifts her head, puts her lips to mine. "Can I trust you'll stay a while?"

"I was thinking the same thing."

She settles in again, but her hold on me is stronger. "I'm not going to say 'I love you' yet. But I'm thinking it.

"So am I."

She props herself up. "I don't want to have a separate relationship, I want to us to live together."

"My place is too small."

She puts her head on my shoulder. "Mine isn't."

"Are you ready for something like this?"

"No. But I'm going to invite you anyway."

"I don't have much stuff."

"I don't need your stuff—even though you might—I just need you."

"And I need you."

A smile erupts. "Tomorrow morning will be a long one," she says. "But there's a come at the end of it."

"A good one, I hope." Aren't they all good?

"I'll do my best." She kisses me and I want her to keep doing that until the world ends. I've never encountered so much real want, real passion, all directed my way. I pull away, breathless. "You're going to the kill me."

She shakes her head, says, "I'm just going to ruin you for anyone else,' then kisses me again, massaging my cock until I'm hard as a rock. "Good man. But we're going to save that until morning."

I'm going to write one more piece for this story—the morning, plus Mackenzie and her girlfriend visit.