FORTY-FOUR
Kai
“It sure does.” I’m still inside of her as she draws on my skin, and it sends heat through my entire body. Every time she’s around, it’s like I can’t get enough of her. After last night, this time with her means so much more than just having sex. We have a connection that can’t be broken. I won’t allow it to be broken. She’s my everything.
I stroke her hair a few more times.
I need to say something—we need to talk about what happened last night. I don’t want to rush us or her. But she beats me to it. “Maybe some coffee on the deck, and we can have that conversation.” She peers up at me through her lashes, and I don’t for a second stop stroking her hair.
“That sounds like a great idea. You can have the bathroom first.”
“I really don’t want to move.” She whines and kisses my chest again. I love her lips on my body, no matter where they are.
Wrapping my arms around this woman gives me so much comfort; I want to hold her here forever. “I’m down for staying just like this for the rest of the day.” I take a deep breath and let it out.
“That’s a deep sigh.”
I run my fingertips down her spine, making her arch her back, and her hardening nipples graze my skin. “Don’t do that.” She laughs, wiggles, and shivers as my fingers run down her spine.
“I like it when you laugh…where’s that snort I love.”
She laughs again. “You love it,” I say, tugging her closer.
“Ava, I love you. You’re my everything, everything I’ve ever wanted, everything I didn’t know I was missing in my life.” When she looks up at me, I see all the love and compassion radiating from her. “Whatever it takes, Ava. I’m here for you. Always ready to hold you.”
She clears a lump in her throat. “Thank you for telling me what your heart wants.” Tears spill over and stream down her cheeks. “There’s so much I want to tell you. Last night, with the girls…man, they all have opinions. Best of all, I was able to talk through things, and I made some decisions last night.”
“Decisions? What kind of decisions?” I slide my other arm behind my head, lifting it slightly to look at her. Where is she going with this?
“Well, first,” she says, bringing her hand to my face and sliding up closer to me. “I’m really staying, Kai. There’s no turning back on you, on my sister, on my decisions that I’ve already made. I’m selling my van.”
My heart soars as her words sink into my bones. She’s selling her backup plan. “Are you sure about that?” Not that I want her to reconsider selling it.
“A thousand percent sure, I’ve already texted a couple people and have a couple potential buyers already.” I see that genuine smile across her face, and I know in this very moment she is all in. No more one foot here and one foot ready to sprint out the door.
She leans in to kiss me and then whispers against my lips. “And I rented a place, well, Kendall’s house. So many signs, so many things lining up for us to find each other, be with each other, and…hold each other.”
This entire conversation is full of everything I want with her. I whisper back, “You are my everything, and I will show you every single day how much you mean to me. I don’t want to miss another day without you, without you in my arms.”
“I mean, I’ll have my own place, but being in your arms makes me feel alive and happy. I look forward to mornings like this, where we stay tangled up in each other. Not wanting to let the other go. I could do that.”
“What happened to being scared?”
She chuckles, “Oh, I’m scared shitless. Don’t get me wrong, but I…” She takes a sharp breath, rubbing her hand over my cheek. “I love you, Kai Hastings, and the more I tried to run away from that fact, the harder you pulled me back to you. You’re always there for me, knowing what I need before I do.”
“I guess that makes us two scared people following our hearts, following our unforgettable love for one another.” We both sit up, still holding her. “Our love will see us through. All the way through the bumps, twists, and turns that life will throw at us. We’ll be here holding each other, working through it together. I’m always here for you. I’ll always love you, now and forever in my heart, my everything.”
“I want to be your everything.” Her hazel eyes sparkle with compassion, all for me. “I’m worth you loving, and my love for you has only grown stronger.
“Today is a new day for us. Let’s clean up, grab some coffee, and relax on the deck. We can figure out moving you into your new house. Wow, does that feel great?”
“It does. Wait until you see this place with an in-ground pool, too.” She slides herself off the bed. “I’m going to jump in the shower.”
The smile that’s on her face as she hops off the bed has my entire body buzzing. “Okay, I’ll get the coffee started. See you downstairs.”
I stare at her banging ass swaying to the bathroom. She looks over her shoulder. “Thank you, baby.”
My feet stall. Looking at her, she smirks and closes the door. She just fucking called me baby, and I love it.
