I slide out of Teegan, still getting used to the whole no-condom aspect. It’s more than ideal when you’re fucking, but clean-up can be a bitch. Almost as messy as Cooper when he was a puppy. But just like him, I’d change nothing.

“I’ll be right back.” I plant a short kiss on her unresponsive lips. Moving as fast I can, I grab a washcloth and head back to her. “Let me clean you up and then we’ll order some—what’s wrong?”

Teegan is sitting up, her feet hanging over the edge of the bed, and she’s staring at the New York city skyline that’s just starting to light up.

I sit next to her, holding the washcloth, but she pushes it away and I see a towel that must have been hers from the shower balled up on the floor, so I toss the washcloth on top of it.

“What’s wrong, babe?” I rub up and down her back. I shouldn’t be noticing in this moment, but the lingerie fits her like a glove. I worried about the bra, but my hands are great measuring devices and my memory of her body is like a steel trap.

“I’m sorry about the scratches.”

I give a short laugh. “Are you kidding me? I take it as a compliment.”

“My mom and dad divorced when I was five. I don’t really know my father. He moved away and remarried and had more kids. My mom believes in love. She wants the knight in shining armor and to live happily ever after. But when it ends, the depression hits. She spends night after night at my place because instead of having a place of her own, she’s always moved between men and my place. Sometimes she drinks, other times she smokes pot… whatever it takes to self-medicate.”

I continue to rub her back, but I’m not really sure what to say. Not that she’s looking for answers with her eyes glued to the skyscrapers.

“Then one day, she’ll run in all excited—or worse, just leave me a note. I won’t hear anything from her until the guy breaks up with her.”

I pull her into me, but she resists, standing and walking to the window.

“In one way I think, how strong is she?” She turns around and crosses her arms. I try to focus on her eyes so maybe my brain won’t remain fixated on the fact she’s wearing nothing under her sheer skirt. “She believes she’ll find love again and she keeps trying.”

“Maybe she will.”

Her face distorts into an expression that tells me she thinks that’s never going to happen. “On the opposite hand, I have no respect for her. I mean, make a life for yourself, get a job, be accountable for your own happiness instead of trying to find it in some man.”

I walk over to her, pushing the dark strands of hair off her shoulder. “Sometimes people get stuck and have a hard time moving on. Maybe it’s all she knows.”

“Yeah, well, her legacy can be that she screwed up her daughter.” She crosses her arms over her chest and I’m waiting for my dick to stand and salute. Thankfully, it understands how serious this conversation is.

“Do you have a sister or something?” I lean down to look in her eyes.

Her lips turn up, but she fights the smile that wants to prevail. “I’m serious.”

I pull her back into my chest. “You can’t honestly believe you’re screwed up?” Her thin arms wrap around me and her head rests on my chest. I turn us to face the window. “You’re an amazing woman, Teegan. You’re the perfect package. You’re intelligent, a hard worker, independent, not to mention your physical attributes.”

She elbows me in the stomach. “Don’t let me stop you.”

I rest my chin on her shoulder. “You fill out my lingerie pretty damn well.” I knead her breasts with my hands.

“Is that a compliment for me or you?”

“They’re only thread and cloth until you put them on. You make them beautiful.”

Her head falls to my chest. “You spoil me.” She turns in my arms, gazing up at me. “Thank you. I needed that.”

I kiss her forehead. “All part of the boyfriend job description.” My arms tighten around her. “Now let’s pig out on room service.”

She reaches back to unhook her bra. “I should change. I’d hate for this to get dirty.”

I cock one eyebrow and she laughs.

“Sweetheart, if you take that off right now the only thing I’ll be eating is you. Keep it on, but be prepared.” I fall to the bed on my back, tucking my hand under my head. “I’m not going to my room tonight.”

She grabs the menu and lies beside me. “I was hoping you’d stay.”

Baby steps. But progress is progress.

* * *

The Hamilton Dog Show went off without a hitch. At least on my end. We heard that there was a fight in the toy dog competition between two handlers. We missed it though since I promised Teegan we’d see the city. Other than the Empire State Building, we didn’t do anything touristy. The only reason I took her up there was so she’d cling to me, since she doesn’t like heights and all.

Now, we’re on a red-eye back to Los Angeles. The passengers on the plane are sparse, but it’s cozy—the only lights come from a runner on either side of the carpeted floor between the aisles.

My eyes flutter shut, with Teegan’s head on my shoulder, her arm draped around my stomach. We arrived in New York on what felt like unstable ground, but after she trusted me enough to open up about her mom, I feel like we’re closer than ever. I spent every night in her room and I can’t help but think my room was a waste of money, but if it got us on a better track then I was happy to do it. Though the Holiday Inn would’ve been kinder to my bank account than the Four Seasons.

“We should have done this in the first place. You’re more relaxed when we travel overnight,” I whisper in her ear.

She nods. “I think it has more to do with you wearing me out.”

Her breathing deepens and becomes a steady stream, so I too let myself drift off to sleep.

* * *

Hot and wet. It feels good, and I shift in my seat, but a hand lands on my stomach to keep me in place. My eyes pop open only to see a head under a blanket, bobbing up and down between my legs. Her tongue slides up my shaft and I almost buck, until I remember we’re on a plane and not alone.

The little vixen is paying me back.

I smile, my head falling back. Thank God for track pants, red-eyes, and half-empty planes. I feel like I hit the trifecta.

The plane is still dark and no one is moving around. Thankfully the two seats on the other side of the aisle are empty. The loud roar of the engines hide any noise Teegan is making.

My hands slide under the blanket, threading through her hair, gripping her long strands as her mouth works my dick like it’s a giant lollipop. Her hand keeps my cock steady at the base, pumping at the same pace as her mouth.

My thighs tighten and I try to push back my orgasm, enjoying her mouth way too fucking much. The fact that she’s between my legs, on her knees on the airplane floor, gets me there faster than usual.

She works my cock until both my hands are on the back of her head and it takes an extreme amount of effort not to try to take over control. Not like she’d let me. Just when I’m naming all the different breeds of dogs at the Hamilton dog show in my head so I won’t look like a two-pump chump, her free hand cups my balls.

Game over, I buck and spurt cum into her warm and waiting mouth. Taking it all, she licks me clean and then pulls up my track pants.

Her head comes up from under the blanket and she slides up into her seat. My breathing struggles to find its natural rhythm and I cup her cheek.

“You continue to amaze me.”

“I’m glad.” She smiles and then kisses my lips. “Now get some sleep.”

I glance at my watch to see we still have an hour before we land, and with the time difference, it will be early morning when we get home. “Shouldn’t be hard. I don’t think I’ve ever been so relaxed.”

She giggles and then covers her mouth, falling into the same position she was in when I fell asleep the first time.

* * *

The plane lands and Teegan is able to stay asleep for most of the descent into LAX, so I refrain from reciprocating her earlier attentions.

She bolts up in her seat once the wheels touch down on the runway. “It’s okay,” I say, pulling her back down to my side.

A soft sleepy smile crosses her face and I grab her hand and she links our fingers together.

On the way to the terminal, we both release our seat belts and power up our phones. Hers dings once and mine dings multiple times.

“Why are people looking for us at the crack of dawn?” she asks, leaning back, her thumbs moving over her phone like she’s a pre-teen texting her friends.

“For me, it’s just my parents.” I’m mostly talking to myself. I scan the text messages. One from my mom and then another from my dad, a third from my mom. “They’re coming.”

“Coming where?” Teegan asks, not fully paying attention. “My mom is off to Tampa. Met some contractor.” She rolls her eyes and I move my hand to her leg. “I’ll be crossing my fingers for her.”

“My parents are coming to L.A.”

Teegan slowly turns her head, the realization hitting at the same time the plane pumps its brakes and shoves us forward a tad. “Oh. That’s great.” No smile.

“You’ll love them,” I say.

Teegan isn’t paying a ton of attention to me as she reaches for her computer bag.

“Tee?” I ask. “You’ll meet them, right?”

She picks up her bag, standing to get off the plane. “When are they coming?”

“This weekend. They haven’t come to L.A. in probably two years.”

“I’ll have to check my schedule. I think Sophie said something about needing a date for a wedding.”

“Surely you can carve out some time?” I purposely don’t stand, so she steps over me, walking down the aisle of the plane, waiting for the flight attendant to open the door.

I follow her. Should I have brought up this news differently? I thought we’d made progress in New York, but anyone can see she’s about to break out in a cold sweat with the thought of meeting my parents.

The flight attendant opens the door. “Miss.”

Teegan jumps over the small opening to the breezeway leading to the terminal. Like a puppy I follow. Once we reach the concourse, I grab her elbow, guiding her to the side. “Talk to me.”

“It’s a lot, Leo.”

I run my knuckles down her cheeks. Her eyes are filled with tears in the corners. “I know, and I never would have asked, but they’re coming here and there’s no telling how long it will be until they come back. Why don’t we just do a lunch or something? We can start there. We’ll go slow.”

“Okay.” But I can tell from her tone that she’s still not convinced.

I run my hand down her arm, linking hands with her, guiding her to the baggage claim. I’m trying, but she’s going to have to jump at some point. My only prayer is that I can get her to jump toward me rather than away from me.