Feeling as if I’m unable to hold my breath much longer, I start to struggle. Of course, I can’t utter my safety word, and that’s a little scary. But when I start slapping his arm, he lets me up. He raises his hips so that his cock is closer to the surface. I intensify my sucking, work his shaft with one hand and grab his balls with the other. He drops an oath and starts bucking in short, rapid motions, sending water into my face again. I taste his cum and let it drip out of my mouth, surprised he hasn’t ordered me to swallow it. I suspect that day will come.

With a sigh, he sinks back into the water. I settle against him and we sit in the tub for a while, even though the water has grown tepid.

The ringing of his cell prompts us to get out. It stops as he wraps a towel around him. Walking over to the bathroom counter, he picks up his phone to see who called.

Seeing the expression on his face, I ask, “What’s the matter?”

He turns to me. “My mom’s here.”

Chapter 22

BRIDGET

Past

I put on the summer dress Cheryl bought to meet Mrs. Sharon Lee. I feel a little nervous, more so when I see her for the first time standing with one of the other wedding guests. Sharon is tall, beautiful and has a quiet glamor to her.

“Mother,” Darren greets her.

Her eyes light up upon seeing him, though there are no hugs or kisses. Amy explained to me once that many Asian families are not big on public displays of affection.

She narrows her eyes at her son. “You look dark. How are you so tan when it’s winter?”

“I was in Hawaii not that long ago.”

“You got too much sun then.”

“Mother, this is Bridget Moore.”

She looks me over, and I get the feeling I’m not what she expected, but her tone is friendly enough when she says, “Nice to meet you.”

The other guest, Mr. Liao, is a friend of the bride’s family. He hasn’t seen Darren in a while and asks how things are going. He politely asks a few questions of me, and says, “Go, Bears” when I tell him I go to Cal.

When I tell him I’m studying public health, he asks if I plan to go to medical school. I explain I’m more interested in the policy side of health, and he responds by asking, “Don’t you get paid more as a doctor?”

“You do, and you’re also less likely to receive death threats than a public health officer,” I reply.

“So why would you want to be in public health?”

“I think the last pandemic showed that we need public health expertise.”

He either agrees with my answer or decides it’s not worth talking about anymore, because he turns to Sharon. “You must be proud of Darren. Word is he might follow in his old man’s footsteps.”