“Always. You can tell me anything at any time,” I tell her, and she worries her lower lip.
“It gets kinda quiet here. Compared to the city, I mean. Anyhow, the quiet… it kinda reminds me of how alone I am. I have Stella, but she’s not here, and who knows when I’ll see her next but…” She sighs. “My mom used to love music. We didn’t have a lot, but music was always kinda our thing. And even though a lot of the CDs are outdated now, I still have the file folder she collected,” she shares, and I fall deeper in love with her.
“How do you pick the ones you play?” I ask, needing to know.
“What do you mean?” she asks softly, obviously lost in how our bodies sway together.
“Sunshine, your collection of music is seriously random.” She laughs and leans back into me, her head back on my chest as we sway.
“Is this something you’ve been wondering all this time?” she asks, and I grunt. I smile as she giggles and strokes my chest. “I pick it depending on my mood. Or if I miss my mom, I play her favorites.”
“Love that, Cami girl.” I kiss the crown of her head and feel her sigh happily. “Spend the night,” I say as the song switches.
My body goes taut wondering if she will turn me down, not knowing exactly how else to talk her into spending the night with me. She looks up at me, her eyes shining brightly and filled with emotion she’s not ready to share with me, and simply nods.
Unknowingly handing me the world.
10
CAMILA
Iwake up and know instantly that he’s not in bed with me. I open my eyes and blink, taking in the room. Sparsely decorated but tidy. Neat. I smile as I breathe in the pillow beneath my head.
It smells like him.
The whole room does.
I sit up and press my legs together. My entire body is sore, but in the best of ways. Like it’s been thoroughly loved and worshiped.Love.He’s been so open about saying that to me, and yet I’m the one who hasn’t said it back yet. Not that I don’t feel it. I do.
I love him.
I love him without a doubt.
I’m just scared. Falling in love with him is dangerous and crazy, especially with how fast everything seems to be happening. It’s a whirlwind, and I know if my mom were alive, she would hug me and tell me to go for it. She was a hopeless romantic through and through.
I get out of bed, grabbing one of his plaid flannels and covering my body. I love how it fits me. I use the bathroom andwash my hands after doing my business then go search for him. He’s in the kitchen looking out toward his backyard, and I take a moment to appreciate the view that is Reed Woodman.
His hair is slightly damp. He must’ve showered without me, and I wonder if I can talk him into a second one. He’s shirtless in nothing but his dark gray sweatpants that mold to his ass incredibly. The back muscles make my hands ache to rub his skin and massage away whatever stresses he might have that make him so incredibly serious.
As if sensing me, he turns, and his eyes move down my body and back up until his stare locks with mine.
“Like what you see?” his voice rumbles, and I wag my brows as I approach him.
I love this, too.This easy way we seem to be around one another now that we’ve crossed this line. He puts his mug down before I close in and wraps his long powerful and warm arms around me, enveloping me in a bear hug. I squeeze back and love the way he kisses the top of my head before he pulls back.
I’ve never done this.
Spent the night with a man, and especially never been with a man as intense as Reed, but I find myself loving this first is with him. It means something. There is an intimacy in the moment as we stand in the kitchen early in the morning.
“How did you sleep, Cami girl?” he asks atop my head. I pull back to look up at him with a bright smile. I’m energized in a way I’m not sure I have ever felt, or at least I haven’t felt since my mom passed. Like I am ready to attack the day and am looking forward to any and every surprise and curveball life could possibly throw at me today. Which might be a lot since I need to catch up on the work I didn’t do the day before.
“Great, your mattress is amazing.” I sigh, reaching for his coffee and taking a sip. It’s black with a hint of sweetness.
“Are you stealing my elixir of life?” He makes a dramatically serious face, but I can see the smile trying to sneak through.
“Yes.” I grin up at him and take another healthy sip before handing it to him. I love the way he drinks from the spot where my lips touched the mug and how he puts it down and picks me up.
“Reed, I’m too heavy.”
