Sweet Surrender [18+]

t w e n t y - s e v e n

"Do you want children?" Lauren asked, before picking up some ginger crispy beef with her chopsticks.

Josh chuckled. "This is our first date all over again, isn't it?"

Reconnecting away from her house was the best idea because her entire body burned for him and begged to spend the rest of the day naked with him and his beautifully chiseled body.

After taking separate showers and changing into clean clothes, Lauren drove them in the still reliable Penelope Stardust around the city and pointed out some of her favorite places, including Dragon Silver Ink, the tattoo shop where she worked. They eventually decided to grab dinner at one of her new favorite Chinese restaurants.

Lauren smiled at his statement and shrugged. "It's an important question."

"At the moment, no," Josh replied, picking up his chopsticks. "I'm a 26-year-old construction worker who still lives with his parents. If I can't take care of myself, I'm in no position to take care of a baby."

"Just because you live at home doesn't mean you're not taking care of yourself."

"I'm not in an ideal living situation to start procreating," he clarified, with a smirk, before taking a bite of sesame chicken. "Have you changed your mind about kids?"

Lauren shook her head. "A tattoo artist I work with had a baby girl a few months ago, and she's so tiny and cute. Sometimes I wonder if I'm missing out, but a bigger part of me really doesn't want the responsibility. Sounds kinda selfish, I know."

"A good kinda selfish, but I know what you mean. I like the idea of children, but the reality of them is entirely different," Josh agreed, stealing a piece of ginger crispy beef from her plate. "My only concern is who will take care of us when we're old and gray? We won't have any kids eagerly pulling the plug on us if we're in a coma or something or dumping us at some nursing home."

Her heart melted at the words "we" and "us" when he voiced his concerns as if she was permanently part of his future.

"What are the chances of Cara and Michelle having kids?" she asked, thinking about his younger sisters. "We could spoil or bribe them to take care of us."

Josh dramatically rolled his eyes. "Even though they're doing great in college and stuff, they're still kinda flighty."

Lauren laughed out loud, wondering if they were still energetic and inquisitive as ever.

"Michelle is exploring her sexuality right now," he explained, shaking his head in disbelief. "She thinks because we're both bi that we should be able to confide in each other, but she has a hard time understanding that I will always see her as my younger sister. I don't want to know anything about her sex life except that she's being careful."

"You could give her my new number," Lauren offered, lighting up at the chance to talk to her. "I'd love to catch up with her. What about Cara?"

"She'll purposefully get knocked up to keep the man of her dreams."

Completely surprised by his bitter remark, she almost choked on her food and reached for her drinking glass.

"You OK?" Josh asked, eyeing her with an amused smile.

"Just surprised," she admitted, setting the glass on the table. "Don't you think you're being a little harsh about her?"

He shrugged. "Not really. Cara is smart when it comes to math and stuff, but she's still the vain and somewhat self-absorbed 16-year-old. Seriously, as soon as she finds the perfect guy that completes her so-called picture perfect life, she'll get pregnant."