Page 20 of For Life

“Nature is beautiful, isn’t it?”

Maxx blinked a few times before cracking up and shaking his head at me. “You’re crazy and sleep deprived, tiger. Let’s get you settled.”

Smiling at how I made him laugh, I took his hand in mine and pulled him along with me. The inside was a mix of modern and very old. New appliances, including a fridge and dishwasher, told me there was running water, and my mind wentyayto not pumping a well and using an outhouse. The decor was very hunter’s lodge, circa 1985, but all I cared about were the beds and using the bathroom.

Grabbing my bags from the small table between the kitchen and sitting area, I unzipped them and found my toothbrush. Maxx was putting food away and looked like he needed sleep as much as I did. The first bag had my toiletries and such, and clothes I’d hastily shoved in. The second bag, that I’d brought because it was still packed from moving, was not the gym clothes and sneakers I expected. Shiny butt plugs, clear bottles of lube, and other sex toys had me zipping it closed hastily.Well, fuck.This meant I only had two or three outfits and one pair of shoes, including what I was wearing. If Maxx saw this, he’d think I was even naughtier than I acted.

Rushing towards the open door to use the bathroom, I brushed my teeth and washed my face quickly, before moving on to the only other door in the cabin. I tucked my bags into a drawer in the single tall dresser, and turned to take in the room. The exposed log beams were homey and the furniture matched. The quilt on the bed looked like it matched the one on the small loveseat in the main room. But there was one problem.

There was only one bed.

Chapter thirteen

MAXX

HEARINGTHEBEDROOMDOORslam shut told me that Ant likely needed some space. They had been asking me if I was okay lying about my mom being sick and not showing up to work, but really Ant was the one in danger. So I was surprised when Ant didn’t fall into the bed to sleep or cry, instead rejoining me minus shoes. Their sexy feet had dark brown freckles just like the rest of Ant, making my mouth go dry.

“Did you get anything good to drink?”

Ant’s question caught me off guard, and I thought they’d read my mind. I almost answered that I got coffee and juice but not soda or anything, but realized they didn’t mean those kinds of drinks.

“Are you even twenty one?”

Ant rolled their eyes at me and pulled their ID out for me to see. It was the same one I saw earlier in the year that said twenty-one that year, and the birthday had passed.

“For a few months. Though I’m pretty sure you know that.”

“Well, I didn’t buy any alcohol, but my sister and brother in law came up a couple weekends ago to get the keys.” I opened the only upper cabinet where I’d stored our dry food. “I think I saw something around here… There we go!”

“What’d you find?”

Ant crowded up behind me, their hip bumping against mine and reminding me of the long ride with them wrapped around me.

“Ugh, only sherry and ale, which should probably go in the fridge.”

I’d already turned it on when I put the sandwich fixings I’d bought away, since it was unplugged when no one was there to save on power bills. I could do a warm beer, but I doubted Ant would. Drinking wasn’t the best way to deal with stress, but I wouldn’t deny them.

“Nah, I’m good,” Ant snagged a bottle from the six pack, “Gotta wash the sherry down with something.”

The table had three chairs and a deck of cards in the middle. I snagged the only two cups in the pantry, wine glasses my sister probably brought to celebrate the new purchase, and sat down across from Ant.

“Cards?”

Ant nodded and took the full glass I handed him, sipping and making a face before following it with a drink of beer. I followed suit, after shuffling the deck.

“Rummy?”

“Sure, though you may have to remind me of the rules,” Ant took his hands and fanned the cards out. “I haven’t played since I was a teenager with my grandma.”

“Oh yeah? I learned rummy, along with Chinese poker and mahjong, with my mom at the community center. We still play sometimes.”

“You’re close with your mom?”

“Yeah, she’s a bit much sometimes, but after my dad passed we got even closer. My sister Lina and I realized we only had each other in America. All our grandparents and cousins stayed in China or moved to Taiwan.” We weren’t betting anything, just playing until there was a winner and starting over, so I was rambling. “What about you?”

Ant was silent for a minute. “My grandma and I were super close, and I was good with my sisters and mom. But my dad was strict and my family is Catholic.”

“Don’t talk anymore, right?”