“Why would you… want that?” I whispered, my eyes wide as Kipling caressed my hips with his thumbs.

“To keep you?”

“Yes…”

“You haven't figured it out yet?” He leaned up, and I shook my head.

“Figured out… what?”

Kipling smiled and slowly wrapped a hand around my throat before pressing his lips to my cheek, my heart slamming against my ribs at the rough texture of his lips.

“Kip?”

“I don't want anyone looking at you. I don't want anyone but me to touch you. I can't have you move out of my house, I need you there. We were supposed to have each other, Ren. You came across the damn ocean and into my life nearly 17 years ago now. I fell hard for you 5 years ago, but I couldn't do anything about it. You were with Eddie, and I was already in my twenties. It didn't seem right, so I was happy to let you be with him if you were taken care of. Then you called me and said Eddie cheated, and I just… I felt my heart break. I didn't want you to suffer that pain. That's why I was bringing you home. To me. So I could take care of you like I always wanted to.”

“I'm not a child, Kipling. I know you only see me as a… kid.”

“God no, I haven't in years,” he laughed, nipping my jaw, a sigh falling from my lips, “I see you, Ren. As the man you are. Am I allowed to be jealous? To want you. I can't do it without permission anymore.”

“Yes,” I whispered, and Kipling smiled, rubbing my jaw with his thumb, “I'm the same way after all.”

“No…” his eyes grew wide, and I nodded, bending down to kiss his cheek, his stubble tickling my lips.

“For years. The same as you. But I never thought you'd want me since I'm younger, so I let it go.”

“That's where my hesitation always came from, too. If it would be inappropriate for me to want to cherish and care for you as long as you'll have me. But I can't fight it anymore, and I don't care what people will say. I pick you, Ren. To share everything with.”

“So you want to be my boyfriend?”

“For now. Yes. Give me you and I'll give you the world.”

“I'm already yours, Kip. I have been for years.”

Kipling moved to sit and slowly pulled me until I straddled him, my arms around his neck. He ran his hand through my hair and down my spine, a shiver ripping through me as I closed my eyes.

“Close the door,” he snapped at the security guard whom I had entirely forgotten existed.

The door closed and Kipling smiled, his lips finding mine as the music shifted. I whimpered and gripped his shoulders, his tongue piercing clacking against mine and making us smile.

“I waited years for you,” he whispered.

“Me too.”

We shared another kiss before I started rocking to the beat, grinding my hips against his. Kipling moved a hand to my rear, holding me close, and I nearly lost my balance, my right hand gripping his throat and making me gasp.

“I'm so sorry,” I blushed, taking my hand back.

Kipling grabbed my wrist and put my hand back on his throat, his eyes filled with mischief and another emotion I was unfamiliar with, “Don't stop now, Little. I like the private dance I'm getting.”

“Been years since I've given one,” I laughed and climbed off his lap.

I started giving Kipling a lap dance, making him smile. His hand slid into the back of my harness when I pressed my rear back against his groin and ground down, using his knees to keep myself steady.

“Damn, Little,” he growled, “Don't ever do this for anyone else. Do you understand me? You're mine. All mine.”

“Yes,” I panted, “all yours, Kip.”

“I never thought you were so… open. So willing to grind on me in public. You're perfect. So fucking sexy. Mmmm… that's it, baby. Keep dancing for me.”

I continued for a while before Kipling suddenly picked me up, pressing me against the wall behind the couch. I laughed loudly, tangling my hands in his hair, and he leaned down to kiss my throat, biting hard and making me groan.

“Fuck,” Kipling whined, marking me continuously as he rubbed against me, his hips slow but hard between my thighs, “I didn't think I'd be leaving here with you like this. I'm so happy. Also super buzzed and want to make you scream for me. But not here. Not yet.”

“K-Kip,” I whimpered, “mmph!”

He slammed his lips to mine, claiming me entirely as his, and I gave in to it, melting against him. Kipling smiled, licking my lip before he leaned back, trying to catch his breath.

“Thank God I keep other clothes here. I ruined these pants,” he laughed, kissing me softly, “Promise me… that nothing changes tomorrow. I don't want to wake up and suddenly lose you.”

“No. No babe, I'm yours,” I caressed his cheek, and Kipling pressed his lips to my palm, “I've been yours for a long time. It's just official now. Don't cheat on me. Don't look at anyone else. No more fuck buddies,” I smacked his forehead and Kipling started to laugh, “You have me. You don't need anyone else.”

“I know, baby,” he gave me a soft kiss and finally set me down, “Stay here. I'm going to change my pants. I'll bring you another drink. The club closes in two hours, then we can head to my apartment to get some sleep.”

“Wait, you have one here?”

“Just a small one-bedroom, so I don't have to drive back to Sandy Springs when I've been drinking. But I won't drink anymore if you're not here with me. I'm going to start bringing you and Fern every weekend to Atlanta, but you'll stay in the apartment while I'm here handling things. I don't want my family that far.”

“It's half an hour!”

“It's too far,” he scowled, giving me a kiss before staring into my eyes, “Are you sure you want to be my boyfriend? I will never let you go if you do.”

“I'm positive. I only want you, Kipling.”

“Thank God,” he sighed with a smile before leaving me alone in the VIP area.

I finished my second drink, trying to ignore the ever-growing fire in my stomach, between my thighs entirely drenched. I understood how Kipling felt, not able to hold back, but it was uncomfortable to sit here feeling like a live wire.

The club shut down 2 hours after our fun, and Kipling left Gem and Jett in charge of closing, the two of us leaving for his apartment. It was a one-bedroom located on the 15th floor of a 33-floor high-rise in the center of Atlanta. The windows were floor to ceiling, and you entered the unit into a thin, galley-style kitchen that led to the living room. The door to your right was for the bathroom, and it shared a corner with the one bedroom in the unit. The entire thing was white with tan wood floors, white tile in the bathroom with dark cabinets everywhere. Kipling had purchased gray furniture for the living room, and the television was mounted on the wall to separate it from the bathroom. The bedroom was small, a dark gray platform bed in the middle of the room with a coral comforter and white sheets. The other television sat on a matching dresser next to the bedroom door.

“I'm gonna shower,” Kipling yawned, tossing his keys and wallet onto the glass dining table.

“Mhm,” I stretched, “Do you have anything to eat?”

“Noodles. I don't eat when I'm here, but I keep food. Go ahead, baby,” he smacked my rear, and I laughed, watching him go into the bathroom.

I quickly made myself some ramen, washing up when I was done, and joined Kipling in the bedroom to find him shirtless, in nothing more than a pair of black briefs.

“You look comfy. Do you have a blanket I can use for the couch?”

“Huh?” He gasped, “No. Here,” he tossed me a shirt and a pair of briefs that were smaller than his, “Get ready for bed and come lie down with me. You're my boyfriend, Sunshine. You’ll sleep next to me from now on. Even when we get home.”

“Why do you have such tiny boxers?”

“I prepped this place to bring you down last weekend. With pure intentions of course. I had no idea you wanted me back. Are you comfortable sleeping next to me?”

“I used to all the time.”

“That was different, Ren,” Kipling laughed, pulling me close and pinching my chin, “We're adults and together now. I can't keep my hands to myself, and I don't have to. I'm asking if you're going to freak out if you wake up to me touching and kissing you.”

“No,” I whispered with a smile, “You can touch me whenever you want. I'm yours.”

“Good. I'm glad you trust me.”

“I'll be right back.”

I rushed off to shower, checking my phone before getting in to find that Fern was totally fine, happy with her grandma and Granda. It made me smile to know how much more that meant now that I was dating Kipling, and I took a long shower before putting on my makeshift pajamas and climbing into bed with Kipling. He wrapped me in his arms, pressing soft kisses to the nape of my neck as I rubbed his arms, falling asleep slowly.

“Mmm,” I hummed when the sunlight hit my face and slowly opened my eyes, smiling when Kipling suddenly kissed me, “good morning, babe.”

“Good morning, sunshine,” he whispered against my lips, his hand slowly sliding up the front of my shirt, “You're so smooth. I can stop if you want.”

“Can I pee, then you can spend time caressing me?” I snorted.

“Go on.”

I ran to the bathroom and once I was done and cleaned up, I rushed back to bed, flopping onto my stomach. Kipling let out a loud laugh and slowly teased the back of my thighs, a sharp breath escaping him when I spread my legs open more, turning my head to bat my eyelashes. Kipling gently kissed me as he started to tease me from the outside of my underwear, a whimper escaping my lips.

“So wet,” Kipling smiled, moving my briefs to the side and finally fully touching me, a moan escaping my chest, “Mmm. I've thought about this so many times when I touch myself. Getting to see how tight and warm it is. Here,” he pushed one in and I groaned, gripping the pillow, “Ah… It's better than I hoped.”

“C-Can I touch you?” I stuttered out, my body shaking.

“Next time. I want to make you feel good this morning. You take it so well,” he slid another finger in, his lips pressed to my cheek before he leaned back to watch my expressions change, “There we go, little. Good boy. I can feel it's close. Come on. Make a mess for me.”

A quiet scream ripped from my chest as I pressed my hips into the mattress and Kipling refused to let up, pushing me through two more before he finally stopped, cupping me gently but not moving away as he kissed me slowly, holding me tight around the chest.

“Kip,” I whined.

“I know, the come down is so hard, baby. Just breathe. I've got you. I won't move at all until you can think again.”

I lay there with my eyes closed, trying to relax before I smiled and yawned softly, “Hi.”

“Mmm,” he kissed my nose, making me giggle, “Hi baby. Was that fun?”

“Mhm, but it was more… connecting. I was so scared I imagined last night or that I'd wake up and you'd tell me you regretted it.”

“Never. I spent years waiting for you. We're going to be a happy family, I swear. I won't leave you or Fern. Even if we decided to mutually go our own ways, which I could never do, I swear I'd still be here for her. We're going to be happy, I promise. I'll take care of you. I'll make your house-husband dream come true. You'll never have to work, Ren. I make enough money to take care of a large family. I just want to come home to your smile. That's been the best part of my days lately. Finally, after waiting forever, I get to come home to see your smile. It just means more now since we shared how we felt. We should tell Mom and Dad next weekend at dinner. They'll be thrilled.”

“Are you sure? We're six years apart and grew up together, what if they hate it?”

“Is it enough for you to end things? If my parents are against us?”

“No,” I shook my head, giving him a soft kiss.

“They won't mind. Now, can I make you cry again?”

“Yes,” I giggled, rolling onto my side and hooking my leg over his waist, “As long as you want.”

“You're way hornier than I expected but I love it.”

We continued on for another two hours, teasing, touching, and marking each other all over before Kipling finally let me touch him. He was thick over being long, my hand barely covering him, and he guided me at first to show me what he liked before he climbed between my thighs, using his own hands for both of us to force me to release at the same time he covered my front area, spreading it as he panted.

“I'm so messy now,” I giggled breathlessly, and Kipling gripped my thigh, his eyes closed tight.

“You're a goddamn tease is what you are,” he panted with a smile and bent down to kiss me, his hand loose on my throat, “I should buy you a necklace with my name on it. So everyone knows you belong to me.”

“I'd wear it every day.”

“Then I'll buy it tomorrow. Hey Ren?”

“Yeah,” I nodded, wiggling underneath him and making Kipling laugh.

“You're a damn blessing. Thank you… for wanting me. For sharing your heart with me. It means more than you can ever know.”

“I'm just glad you want me. I adore you, Kip.”

“I adore you, too.”