Marrow bot

“Farrow Keene is the only one I let in. The only one. That’s not by accident. It’s because he’s more than enough for me. He’s every damn thing.”

“I sense Farrow and his at ease nature, and you know the weirdest thing? It calms me. Makes me feel like I have someone prepared to jump on my side. Right now. This moment. Any moment. He’s with me.”

“Farrow extends the half-bitten sandwich to me. “I thought you don’t share.” He licks his thumb, lips lifting. “I share with you, only.” I grab the sandwich. “Because I’m your client.” “Try again.” Because I’m your… “You tell me.”

“My dad will kill you. My jaw tenses, and he must sense my sudden thought. He whispers up against my ear again. “If your dad scared me, I wouldn’t have kissed you.” That reminds me…I haven’t regretted crossing a line with Farrow. Not once.”

I almost laugh remembering Maximoff’s reaction when he saw the cover for the first time. He tried so hard to hide a grin. “Shut up,” he growled. I didn’t shut up. “Sad you couldn’t tape it to your bedroom wall at sixteen?” “And throw darts at it, yeah.” My smile stretches

“I can go with you, Farrow. Seriously,” he said. “Seriously, I’ll be okay talking to him myself.” My smile widened. “But it’s still cute you think I need my hand held.” “Maybe I just want to hold your hand,” he countered firmly. Unwaveringly. It was hot as fuck…”

“You Google ‘what to eat after food poisoning’ for me?” Yes. “No,” I lied. “I’m a food poisoning expert. I know things. Things that you don’t know. Like the BRAT diet.” A softer, gradual smile spread over his face. He bit into the bagel and kissed my jaw.”

“You’re getting off on this.” “Getting off on what?” “The fact that you know more than me about something.” “Wolf scout, I know more than you about a lot of things. If I got an erection every time this happened, I’d be walking around with a constant hard-on.”

“He can’t stop smiling. He rubs his mouth a few times, but that smile is not vanishing any fucking time soon. He laughs and nods repeatedly. “You want me to join your little wolf scout club.” “Maybe.” I breathe fully, happiness spreading across my face. Clear and free.”

He lifts up a gray and black triangular patch. The stitched words read: Asshole Merit Badge. [..] “For the amount of awards you’ve given me: valor, honesty, integrity, resourcefulness, humility—I thought you must’ve been feeling lonely with zero of your own.”

“What’d you rub one out to as a teenager?” “The Olympic male swim team,” he says and off my knotted brows, he laughs, “I’m fucking with you. I didn’t have anyone in mind specifically.” [..] His next glance is knowing. “Not like you.” He knows my fantasy is him.

“Just take a breath, Maximoff. I’m not going to run you off the road. I enjoy your blow jobs too much.” I break into a smile. How is he making me smile right now? […] Farrow reaches out with his right hand, but he can’t physically touch me.”

“Your compassion is showing.” He tries to hold my gaze, but he can’t. Not with the paparazzi threatening to run him off the road. “Do you like compassionate guys?” “I like you,” I say without a beat. He licks his lips, neck reddening. He liked that.”

“Jane lifts her mic to her pink lips. “Farrow is a lovely person.” Maximoff raises his mic. “But he’s taken.” Gasps flood the room, and my smile is killing me. Oscar whispers in my ear, “Boyfriend’s territorial.” I’m enjoying this.”

“I have two more in my pockets.” He empties his pockets to show me. I grin. “I didn’t need you to show me, wolf scout, but it’s cute that you did.” Maximoff stuffs his hands in his pockets. “Who are you again?” “The guy you stopped to talk to.” He looks on the verge of groaning..

"I'm still better than you at everything, wolf scout. Don't get excited." "Excited around you? Yeah, I'm never even close." It just came out, and as soon as I look down, he looks up. I swallow hard, heat brewing in my veins. Did I just sexually flirt with him?”

“[..]I'm hooked by the way he's staring deeply at me. Like I'm a fantasy. Like I'm something made of heaven and stars that he's dreamt of and I never thought to ask what a celebrity who could have anyone in the fucking world fantasizes about. And I wonder how long it's been me."

“We’re both stubborn assholes.” “Tell me something that isn’t new,” I say. “I love you,” he says deeply. “And when you hurt, I hurt.”

“You know that I trust you more than I’d trust anyone else. We’ve been on the same page about all of this: the no texting, no emails, even being careful with street cameras…and that’s meant—it’s meant a lot to me.” [..] “I’m glad you feel safe with me.”

I’m watching Batman Returns with my-childhood-crush-turned-boyfriend.  That thought still hasn’t lost its effect. I rub my mouth a couple times to force down a smile.  Farrow turns his head and laughs hard.  “Shut up,” I snap.  “You’re grinning.”