“David, living off my paychecks alone will be sufficient.”
“Use that money for whatever you want,” he said. “I’ll get you a card Monday.”
“We’ll see,” I decided, as if we were just making weekend plans.
“So can I buy us tickets for Friday then?” he asked. “To Dallas to see your dad?”
“I have to double-check with Beman, but let me get the tickets. My dad offered.”
“I’d prefer to buy them.”
“But—”
“Didn’t Bill spoil you?” he asked.
I blanched, then shook my head. “He hated spending money. You should’ve seen his face when we got the bill for Lucy’s bridesmaid dress,” I said. “He was almost purple.”
“Mmm, I did love that dress,” David mused. “It was worth every penny. Those days are over. Prepare to be spoiled.”
“Let my dad buy the tickets,” I said. “He’s a little controlling, and he won’t want to seem cheap.” I narrowed my eyes as a realization hit me. “Come to think of it, you guys have a lot of similarities.”
David nodded, but his eyes were fixated on my mouth.
“Should I be weirded out about that?” I asked.
He grunted.
“David, are you listening?”
“What? No. I’m still thinking about that bridesmaid dress,” he admitted, tugging on my ankles. “Come here.”
I scooted forward onto his lap. “Let’s skip tonight,” he said huskily.
“No way. It’s your big event,” I whispered. “I wouldn’t miss it for the world. In fact, I should start getting ready.”
He wrapped his arms around my lower back, pinning me to him. His lips came gently to mine, and he slid his tongue along my bottom lip. I opened instinctively for him, relishing how he felt in my mouth. Before I realized it, we were enmeshed in a quickly escalating kiss. I rocked against his hardness, groaning as our groins connected. He bent me back over his arm, and I let my head fall back.
“I want you,” he said, kissing his way down my chest.
“You have me.”
Slowly, he straightened me up and sighed. “Not yet. Tonight.”
I climbed off the sofa and let him give me a tour of the apartment. In his bedroom, my evening gown in hand, he opened the French doors of his closet to reveal an expansive walk-in closet. I nearly jumped up and down at the sight. It’d been years since I’d had a closet that could fit more than the bare minimum.
But David looked nervous. I didn’t understand why until I stepped in further and saw that the entire left side was vacant.
“I couldn’t sleep last night so . . .” David cleared his throat and nodded at the empty space. “This is your side.”
I took the dress from him, walked over, and hung it on the empty bar. I spotted my shopping bags from earlier in the day neatly lined up underneath.
“Oh, David,” I said, tears pricking my eyes. His long arms wrapped around me from behind. “Are we really doing this?” I asked. “Is this going to work?”
“It is, I promise. I promise you, Olivia, you are home.”
A few tears fell, and I turned in his arms to face him. I reached up and felt his face, still in awe that I could touch him without feeling anything but . . .
I love you.
