It’s Valentine’s Day.

There’s been a buzz in the air all day long, one so strong that it even infected the manly grease monkeys of Marv’s Auto Repair. Talk of suit rentals and dinner reservations before the big dance plagued every conversation between oil changes and tire rotations. I can’t remember the last time the town was this excited for it and here I am, obsessing over one little word that fell from Hank Ross’ mouth two days ago.

He said again.

I pace our living room alone, nervously adjusting the cuffs on my suit. Our. The home I now share with Jovie Ross. It’s the life I’ve imagined since the day I bought it, to be honest. We wake up together. Brush our teeth together. Hop in the shower and fool around before work together. One solid step forward to building the future I always wanted with her. Love. Marriage.

A family.

“Okay, I think I’m ready…”

Jovie steps out of the hallway and my breath catches in my throat.

She wears a red dress. The flared skirt sits just above her ankles, high enough to show off the shiny, silver heels on her feet. Thick straps keep it tied off behind her neck with ribbons trailing down her back. She’s showing cleavage but not enough to cause a fuss. Her hair tumbles over her shoulders in quick, perfect wisps. Elegant but still wild. Still my Jovie.

“Do I look okay?” she asks nervously.

I say nothing.

“What?” Her face falls downward to check herself. “Okay. Wait. What’s wrong with it?”

“No. There’s you…” I inhale. “Jovie, you’re breathtaking.”

“Oh.” Her lips twitch. “Why didn’t you just say that? Why’d you make it weird?”

“Because there was a lack of breath-taking happening and I couldn’t.”

“Oh…” She grins. “I can work with that.”

My feet move me toward her on their own and she raises her arms to wrap around my neck. I rest my hands on her waist, drawn to her like magnets, and she tenses slightly.

“Just, be careful,” she warns. “The tag is flipped up in there somewhere. I need to return it later this week.”

I shake my head. “Keep it.”

“Will, do you have any idea how expensive this thing is? I’m pretty sure your parents charge less for tooth extractions.”

“I don’t care.” I lean in closer to kiss her neck, instantly catching a whiff of her perfect perfume. “I suddenly have very naughty plans for you tonight and this dress might become a casualty.”

She chuckles as I tickle her earlobe. “Well, if sugar daddy wants to spoil me…”

“He does.”

“Then, I’ll send you the bill.”

“Good girl.” I cup her face and kiss her, enjoying the soft purse of her lips against mine. She shudders as I run my fingers down her bare arms. “As long as you don’t mind compromising your morals one last time…”

She hums in pleasure. “It’s Valentine’s Day. I’ll make an exception.”

We kiss again and I pull her in to feel her body against mine. Blood spurs through my groin, awakening a deep need and I’m tempted to bend her over right here and now.

Jovie pulls away and playfully taps my cheek. “All right. Let’s get this over with.”

I flex my jaw, holding back my urges as my eyes drift down her red dress again.

She turns away but I reach out to yank her back to me.

I crush my lips on hers, inhaling as much of her as I can until my lungs tremble in my chest.

“Will.” She chuckles. “Come on. Now, I have to check my lipstick.”

“It’s worth it.”

She straightens her arms, locking me at length before slipping from my grasp. “Behave,” she scolds as she retreats into the bedroom. “Or else, you won’t get your gift.”

“I told you, Jove,” I say, wiping a bit of red color off the edge of my mouth. “You are my gift this year.”

“Oh, good.” She returns with her wallet in hand. “I don’t have to give you all those blowjobs, then.”

I reach into my pocket to pull out the rectangular box hidden inside. “Oh, you’ll want to after you see this.”

Her eyes fall to my extended hand and she scoffs. “And what is that now?”

“Open it.”

“Will, come on, you didn’t have to—” She snaps it open and gasps. “Holy tyrannosaurus!”

I grin at the childish glee on her face. “Does that mean you like it?”

She pulls the necklace out and the tiny, silver, dinosaur skull dangles from her fingers. “It’s so cool!” She takes a closer look, smiling wide. “And fancy!”

“May I?” I lay out my hand and she drops it into my palm. She turns around for me and raises her hair out of the way. “I saw this and instantly thought of you,” I say, laying it around her neck.

“When?” she asks.

I clasp it behind her. “About a week ago,” I answer, leaning in to kiss her neck once before she drops her hair back down. “Spin around. Let me see it.”

Jovie turns toward me and I admire the sterling replica of bones lying in the hollow of her throat. Sharp teeth and a dangerous snout. So utterly Jovie.

“And it matches my shoes,” she says, still grinning. “Double win.”

She rushes into the hallway toward the bathroom to find the nearest mirror and my mind wanders away again without the beautiful distraction owning my attention.

He said again.

It could have meant nothing. Just a quick slip of the tongue.

Or…

Jovie walks back in, heading straight toward me with bright, happy cheeks. “I love it so much, Will. Thank you.”

She lays a kiss on the edge of my mouth, bringing me right back to her. Her left hand entwines with mine and my chest tingles as I feel that ring on her finger.

“Okay,” she says. “Now, let’s get this over with.”

I swallow the urge to ask questions back down into the depths of my guts, just as I’ve done a hundred times since she came home. I promised I wouldn’t ask and I intend to keep that. Not until she starts to let me in again.

There’s that word again.

Fuck.