Page 2 of The Year of Us: September

Reese

Cory slept like the dead, falling into a slumber that had him heavy as a log in my arms. I kissed the back of his head and wondered if I’d been overtly cruel with my own actions, but I had needed time away from him to regroup.

Walking into his office, ready to confront him about the living situation and finding him so close to another man, touching him in the same ways he touched me… the sight of it had shaken me.

Cory and I had been together for almost a year, but almost a year with a whole continent between us.

He’d moved—and I’d welcomed it—but the shock of our new life together was more than a small adjustment.

Having him around was amazing. Being able to wake up with him every morning was something I didn’t even know I wanted until I had it.

But then, in a flash, I’d watched the whole future we’d been working toward slip through my fingers.

In his sleep, Cory murmured my name.

How could I have ever doubted this man who’d given just as much to me as I’d given to him, even if the method of it was different. Cory had been so patient with me, so giving, so willing to break so that I could bend. And at the first sign of something wrong, I’d walked away and left him…

The picture of him sprawled on the couch clutching that whiskey like a lifeline was seared into my memory, and I knew going forward the only thing I could do to make it right with Cory was to be better.

Eventually, sleep also took me under.

When I woke up later, I was alone. At some point, Cory had gotten out of bed, which I supposed was a good sign because it meant he was sober and alive.

Stretching my legs and groaning when my knee cracked, I kicked down the sheets and set off in search of my boyfriend.

He was easy to find, trying to be quiet—and failing—in the kitchen, making sandwiches that looked like they could have come from a deli on Wilshire.

“Are you going to eat all of that?” I asked, rubbing the sleep from my eyes.

He looked up at me, shoulders weary like he was relieved to see me in the kitchen and not heading for the exit.

“Half of it,” he said, pushing the second plate toward the stool that had unofficially already become mine.

I shuffled around and climbed onto the stool, waiting for Cory to finish prepping the second sandwich and join me.

“You didn’t need to make us lunch,” I said when he finally sat down beside me.

“It’s practically dinner,” he said.

“You know what I meant.”

Cory hummed and turned his hand, smashing the towering sandwich down into something better able to fit into his mouth. I watched him take a bite, the way his eyes rolled back when he chewed like it was the first time he’d tasted food in days.

I was such a prick.

I pushed away from the counter and went into the kitchen to get him water, which I clanked down in front of him rather unceremoniously.

“When was the last time you had something that wasn’t whiskey?” I asked.

“I don’t need a dom, Reese.”

“Neither do I,” I snapped, immediately regretting the tone. I angled myself away from him, scrubbing a hand down my face and taking a steadying breath before sitting back down.

“I know you don’t,” he said quietly, taking a drink of the water.

“I want one, though,” I mumbled. “Or at least, I want you .”

Cory didn’t acknowledge what I said, taking another bite of his sandwich, chewing and swallowing, and then having another drink of water instead.

“I want you too,” he finally whispered, shoving the half-eaten sandwich aside.

“You need to eat more.”

He worked his jaw back and forth, expression petulant, but he didn’t argue when I slid the plate back into his hands.

“I’m sorry for storming out,” I said, and he pushed the plate away again. I shoved it back toward him, brow raised, daring him to defy me another time. He cursed and picked up the sandwich.

“I’m sorry for storming out,” I repeated. “I acted immaturely and disrespectfully. You can punish me for it later if?—”

“Punish you?” He dropped the sandwich, and I leveled a glare at him.

“Eat, Cory.”

“Why would I punish you?” He picked up the sandwich again. “I’m the one who should be punished.”

“I think the past three days were punishment enough. Now finish your sandwich and the water.”

Cory rolled his eyes at me, but took a bite, muttering a garbled, “Yes, Sir.”

“I should have stayed,” I said after he finished half the sandwich and all of the water. “I acted…immaturely, but I’d just come from lunch with Morgan and I?—”

“You wanted to talk about our future,” he said before I could.

“Yes.”

“And you saw what you saw and thought there wasn’t one.”

I didn’t say anything else while Cory finished eating. I’d made decent work on my own sandwich, but it was a meaty beast. The fact he’d gotten through the entirety of his on whatever fucked-up kind of stomach he had was a testament to his fortitude.

“I would have been mad with me too,” he said.

“Your friend must think I’m an idiot.”

“My friend thinks everyone is an idiot.”

I huffed, flashing a quick smile before it fell flat.

“You’re here now,” Cory said quietly, tentatively resting his hand on the top of my thigh. “Right?”

“I’m here.”

“And—” He dragged his hand up my leg to my wrist, fingers dancing across the watch I hadn’t taken off since he’d given it to me. “That’s where you want to be?”

“More than anything.”

“You want to move in with me?”

“I…” I snapped my mouth closed, swallowing hard. “I wanted to talk about it. I wanted to know why you hadn’t asked.”

“Because I didn’t want to scare you off.” Cory tugged me closer to him, coming back to himself more every second that passed. He kissed the inside of my wrist, the heel of my palm, smiling against my skin when I shivered.

“And now?”

“Now there’s nowhere for me to be with you besides all in.” He bit the tip of my thumb, eyes flashing dangerously. “What are your limits, Reese?”