I can feel my cheeks heat. “Okay, yeah, I was.”
“I love it.” Austin kisses my forehead. “So, I’ll go make breakfast. You get showered for work. I’ll meet you on the couch, and then I’ll drive you.”
I will admit that it’s nice that Austin’s been driving me to work. Not that I reallyneedhim to, but still. It’s nice for him to be waiting on me at the end of a shift, the truck already warm, so even when the winter air freezes me half to death in the thirty seconds it takes to walk across the parking lot, I’m warmed right back up.
The time has become almost sacred. A time to talk about our days, to reminisce about the younger versions of ourselves. For anything, really.
With another kiss, Austin climbs out of bed. “See you soon, baby.”
It’s harder than it has any right to be to leave our sleep-warmed bed and make my way into the bathroom. Taking showers in the morning should be a crime, but I didn’t feel like leaving Austin’s arms to do it last night, and so this is the price I pay.
Worth it.
I’m quick in the shower, my growling stomach rushing me along more than anything else, and when I step out onto the bath mat, the scent of bacon reaches my nose.
My stomach growls again, so I dry off and get dressed, then head into the living room.
Austin’s already got breakfast waiting on the coffee table. “Oh, fuck yes.”
His laughter brings a smile to my face. “Just finishing up the coffee, and I’ll join you. Figured you could use a pick-me-up after last night.”
“I didn’t mean to stay up so late.” I sit down on the couch and pick up my plate, then take a bite of the crisp bacon after dipping it into my syrup. “I just woke up to River screaming at me, and I had to get up and get the laptop.”
A cup of coffee is placed on the table, and Austin sits down beside me. “I’m so glad your characters are talking to you, baby. Even if they do tend to hinder your sleep.”
“It’s definitely better than the alternative.”
Years and years of no motivation and no creativity. I almost forgot what it was like to have a brain teeming with life, stories floating around, and characters yelling for their chance to talk.
“You were right,” I add, glancing at Austin before cutting a piece off my syrup and toast and shoving it in my mouth.
He raises an eyebrow. “About what?”
“Damien didn’t break me.”
The look on Austin’s face has me giggling, and I’m actually a bit surprised he’s not taking a victory lap around the living room. “This might be my favorite ‘I told you so.’” He reaches over to give my thigh a little squeeze. “I knew you’d just need to see it for yourself.”
I’m still not sure it would have happened without him, honestly. Sure, I did a lot of work to get to this point. Every panic attack, every moment of self-doubt, and every hard day made me think it would never come. But there were also days of kicking ass in self-defense and taking back my sexual power and doing nothing but sitting on the couch with my laptop without a worry in the world for what would happen when Austin got home.
“A lot of it is because of you, you know,” I say, looking up at him. “You gave me a safe place to thrive. You made me believe in love again.”
“Nah. That was all you, baby.”
Stubborn man.
“At any rate, I’m happy now. With you.”
His eyes light up. “I’m happy with you too. I love you so much.”
I couldn’t fight my smile if I tried. “I love you too.”
We finish our breakfast, then hit the road to go to the diner. It’s cold as hell today, and there’s still snow everywhere. It’s everything I hoped it would be. Quiet and peaceful. It’s pure white out here, only the tracks from people’s tires on the road marring the beauty. I missed this.Home.
When we pull into the diner, he leans across the console, smacking a loud, wet kiss on my lips. His grin is so goofy that I, honest to God, feel myself fall just a little deeper in love with him.
His gentle care is so fucking sweet, and I can’t wait to live with it for the rest of my life. He pulls on my scarf, covering my throat. Not to cover bruises, but to keep me warm. “Have the best day ever, Luc. I love you. I’ll see you after your shift.”
“I love you too.”
