Page 67 of Keystrokes and Kittens

“Yeah. And I guess she’ll probably see we’re truly together. Just think—by then Jack and Peaches will be really coming into their own. I mean, their personalities are already forming. And Tibby adores them and—” My voice caught. “Like…how can my life be this perfect?”

“You opened yourself up to the possibility of love.” Soren caressed my cheek. “You are deserving. Just as, you clearly understand, Quinta is as well. For her, that means maybe moving in with a guy—even though she’s still young. For you, that means accepting an older guy, despite his flaws.”

I shook my head. “I don’t see flaws. I see light and love.” Again, I blinked. “Really that simple?”

He nodded. “Really that simple.”

“Okay.”

“Yeah?” He grinned.

“Yeah.”

“Woohoo.” He said the word quietly. “So I don’t wake Tibby or the kittens. They might want to get in on the action.”

“That would totally be okay with me.” I returned his smile. “But I’m exhausted. Even though tomorrow is Sunday, we still have little creatures we’re responsible for.”

“Yep.” He pressed a kiss to my lips.

“More cuddling?”

I considered. “Will you hold me?”

“Sure.” Yet his hesitancy made a lie of his words.

“What?”

He cleared his throat. “I might be, uh, older…”

“Okay.” I had no idea where he was going with this.

“It’s just—” He swallowed audibly.

“Oh.” I arched an eyebrow—unsure if he could see me in the low light. “Erection?”

“Morning wood, yeah. Rare…but it happens. Especially if I wake with someone in my arms.”

I considered. Weighed. Then came to a decision. “But you’re not going to act on it.”

“Nope.”

Be brave. Ask for what you want.“Okay. So I read something on the internet. On a blog post.”

“Sounds dangerous…but go on.”

“One woman, who’s ace, said she enjoyed watching her partner pleasure himself. She didn’t mind and, in fact, it brought her a modicum of relief to know he could find satisfaction with her. Without actual penetration or anything like that.”

Soren tilted his slightly—shifting his pillow. “Are you suggesting this because you’re curious or because you feel like this is something I want? Or that I need?” He grasped my hand. “When I say that everything’s perfect—I really mean it.”

“I know you do. And maybe you’re not comfortable with my suggestion.”Maybe something I should’ve considered before proposing this harebrained scheme.

“My comfort isn’t always the issue. Partnership.”

His words warmed me. “Look, I haven’t seen a flesh-and-blood naked man since gym class in high school. Back then? I wasn’t really interested—which might’ve been my first clue I was different.”

“Different isn’t always bad. We’d be boring if we were all horn dogs who went around having sex all the time. Not much would get done in the world.”

That resonated with me. His days were full to the brim with activities. Maybe, in this room, he obsessed more.