10
STELLA
Tangled up in Eli’s arms is the best way to wake up.
Or at least that’s what I thought until this morning, when I woke to his mouth on my pussy. My eyes slowly opened, and not five minutes later, I was coming, shaking and yelling out his name. Only to get on my hands and knees and take him from behind.
Every and any morning waking up with Eli was great but today has been on a whole other level of incredible. Which has been pretty much every day since I arrived in Moonlit Pines.
It’s been a month since we got together and I gave him my virginity. That very next morning, he laid it out for me. I was his. His girlfriend, his woman, and if he had it his way, his wife and mother of his children one day. I laughed when I heard it, but then he told me that meant in turn, he was mine.
And I seriously liked that.
Two days after that, I met the rest of his family, and if I didn’t have a feeling I already loved him, I knew right then and there I did. His family reflected him. They were funny and kind.Welcoming.Each in their own unique and beautiful way.
But for whatever reason, I just haven’t said it yet.
I feel it. Truly and deeply. I’m just scared.
With each passing day, it’s becoming harder and harder not to tell him I love him. I’ve shared everything with him. All about my life growing up, my lack of a family and my dreams of having one. About what felt like my lifelong friendship with Camila and the life I left behind. About my friend and neighbor, Cami, whom I missed.
I even shared about Jake the fake.
Laid everything out like he had for me, and nothing terrible happened.
If anything, he took me in his arms and promised me he’d always keep me safe. That he’d do anything and everything to give me exactly what I dreamt of because he was the man who would be next to me day in and day out.
I look at the home office space I set up in the second bedroom of the cabin and feel proud of myself. But I also know and have an inkling because my bestie can’t keep a secret to save her life, that I won’t be living here much longer.
Eli wants me to move in with him. I want that, too. In my heart, I know that’s where this is going anyhow. But something is holding me back. I can’t give in. It’s only been a month. It’s too much too soon. Isn’t it?
11
ELI
It’s Monday, and I’m at my girl’s house. I smile.My girl.Fuck. Life sure has changed.
I always used to think of change as something bad. Reed leaving for the military and coming back a different man. My own life not turning out how I’d planned. But damn if I’m not embracing change now.
With Stella by my side, I feel invincible.
Like we could tackle anything life could toss our way. We’re a team. A damn good one.
I drink my water as I pretend to be paying attention to the TV in front of me, when all I can hear is the clicking of Stella’s keyboard as she works in the second bedroom she’s set up as a home office.
I ordered her a desk she had saved on some wish list online, and some office equipment Camila suggested. Everything will be set up and ready for her new home office at my place, our soon to be home.
But for now, this is our homebase.
As cool as this place is, we’ll need the space when kids enter our life in the future.
Yup. Kids.
One day. Maybe not now or as soon as I wish, but when my girl is ready, I will work triple time to give her the big family she always wanted. Oh yeah. Change is good. Somehow, our schedules seem to work, and now that I’m hiring a couple more employees to help out, I’ll have even more free time to spend with her.
We’re at her place, or I guess Camila’s old cabin. I’m working on talking her into moving in with me. Not that we’ve spent a night without one another. I have already pushed so much on her that I’m giving her a little time. Like, two weeks, until I make my big move to have us and all our things under one roof.
I look around the living room, and even though I know Reed and Camila won’t have a hard time finding a new tenant for the place, I contemplate chipping in and painting the walls. Giving the place a refresh as a thank-you for being built, so that one day, when my girl found herself in a need of a new place and change, it was there for her.
