I come to consciousness slowly, feeling the kind of ache in my body that only comes with s*x. Gabriel sleeps beside me, his hand on my leg as though it has every right to be there. He looks peaceful, his thick hair going in all directions. He sports a thicker scruff on his face than I’d felt last night.
I smile. He’s truly amazing. In between what felt like marathon rounds of s*x, we’d talked and gotten to know a little more about each other, and there’s an odd feeling inside me that takes a moment to pinpoint: hope.
Is it crazy to feel hopeful about a man I just met? About a man who is closer to my daughter’s age than mine and who is just starting out in life?
Maybe. But I’ve spent decades doing things for other people, and for the first time in my life, I’m finally in a place where
