Page 116 of Praising Haru

“Our friendship flourished via text messages for a year. We’ll be fine.”

“That was before we started having sex.”

He brushes my hair behind my ear. “I love the sex and the kink, but I love you more. I can cope with texts, phone calls, and weekend visits for six months.”

“You think I should take the job?”

“I didn’t say that. Gorgeous, I’ll support you no matter what you decide. Tell me what your dream is, and I’ll do anything I can to help you make it happen. But I can’t make the decision for you.” He presses his hand over my heart. “You have to do what’s right for you.”

“For us, surely?”

“No, beautiful. For you. We’ll be okay no matter what.”

“How can you know that?”

He cups my cheek. “Because we want to be together. Because we love each other.”

“Will that be enough?”

“Yes.”

I wrap my arms around his neck and hold him for several minutes. His embrace is firm and comforting. He doesn’t speak, which leaves me alone with my churning thoughts. I’ve got more questions than answers and too many doubts and fears.

“I don’t know what to do,” I whisper.

“You don’t need to make a decision now.”

“Don’t I? Maybe not right now this second, but I’ll need to reply to the job offer by the close of business tomorrow, or they’ll assume I don’t want it.”

“Do you?”

My chest tightens. I can’t breathe. Aside from a job, everything I could ever want or need is here.

Kyle walks his fingers from my knee up my thigh. “You could design and sell your own clothes.”

I widen my eyes.

“As an extra income stream.”

I stare past him at nothing.

“You enjoy designing gender-neutral clothes.”

I nod.

“What else would you love to design?”

“Inclusive clothing. Kink clothing.”

“Do it.”

“I could, couldn’t I?”

“Yes. You can do anything you set your mind to, beautiful. Believe in yourself.”

My head spins. I’m light and floaty. It’s a similar sensation to being tied up and worshipped by Kyle. “I’d need a label name.”

“You’ve named two cacti. How hard can it be to come up with a name for a clothing label?”