“I’m serious, Harper.Move in with me.I want us to be together.All the time.Not just when we can squeeze in a night together.”
She’d never thought she’d hear those words again.Or even want to.And now that she had, it just wasn’t that easy.She was stuck.She didn’t want to run anymore, but putting down permanent roots seemed more than she was ready for.
She put her coffee cup down on the bistro table next to Joanie’s latest assignment, a synopsis ofWuthering Heightsthat Joanie had structured beautifully.
“I’m too old to be packing a bag for a sleepover, and I’ve seriously had enough of going commando at work because I don’t have any clean underwear to put on.”Trent smiled.
He was so damn attractive in plaid pajama bottoms and his naked chest.His tattoos looked stunning in the early sunlight.Harper studied his face.He was a good, strong, sincere man, and he wanted them to move forward.It was only natural.In any other circumstance, Harper would have felt like the luckiest woman in the world.
“Isn’t it a bit soon?I mean, we’ve only known each other a couple of months.”Was there a compromise to be reached?There was still so much going on in her head—a shrink would have a field day.If she moved in with him, Nathan would figure out where they lived, which would put Trent at risk.On the other hand, if she moved in with him, she’d definitely be safer.But all craziness aside, who moved in with their boyfriend after such a short period of time?
His hand reached around her neck and his thumb stroked her cheek softly.“More time will only prove what I already know, Harper, but if you’re not ready just say so.”
The expectant look on his face was almost more than she could bear.Why couldn’t this just be the happiest day of her life and be done with it?Trent raised an eyebrow at her.A silent “So?”
“I don’t know what to think, to be honest.The last couple of months have—what was it you said?—yeah, stood my world on its head.I’m just starting to find myself again.I have incredibly strong feelings for you, Trent.”Harper reached out her hand and placed it on his cheek.“You don’t need to worry about that.”
Trent leaned back in the chair, pulling away from her hand.He rubbed his hand along his morning-shadowed jaw.
“Maybe I should give you some space,” she said.
He slammed his cup down.Coffee splashed over the rim and puddled around the base.“What on earth gave you the idea I want space?I want you here.With me.All the time.I want to come home and hear the shower running and get excited because I know you’re in it.I want to struggle every morning to get up and go to the gym because I hate the idea of leaving your warm body behind in bed.I want to hear a key turn in the lock and feel contented knowing you’re home.I don’t want fucking space, Harper.”
Harper laughed.
“What’s funny?”
“I didn’t mean space.I meantspace,like closet space, a drawer in the bedroom, part of the counter in the bathroom.”
Trent’s mouth twitched, a slight smile making its way to his lips.
“Like a compromise.A commitment that I want more.I seem to recall you telling me in the car about something being a step in the right direction to a goal we both agreed on.Well, I want all those things you just said, with you, eventually.And if we start to leave things at each other’s places, it’s a step, right?”
Trent reached up, flexing his delicious tattooed bicep, and scratched the side of his head.Without speaking, he leapt to his feet, grabbing Harper and pulling her into a fireman’s lift.
“Trent,” she squealed, kicking her feet to get free.“What are you doing?”
He slapped her butt playfully and laughed as he carried her down the hallway.
Reaching the bedroom, Trent threw her onto the bed.“We’re doing space.Today, right now.”He started pulling open his drawers, looking inside each one before pulling stuff out of the top drawer and dividing it between the others.
“Okay, this is for your underwear.I need to see bras, panties, and whatever other girly shit you have in here before the end of the day.”
Like a panther on the prowl, Trent launched himself at the bed, grabbing her ankle and pulling her to the edge of the bed before sweeping her into his arms to walk to the bathroom.He perched her on the corner of the vanity, where his stuff was spread across the two sinks.
“Pick one.”
“Pick one what?”
“Sink.Which do you want?”
“You’re giving me a whole sink?Wait… stop…”
Trent grabbed her and started tickling her.Harper didn’t recognize the girly giggles that escaped her.
Pointing to the sink farthest away from the door, she watched as he pushed his toothbrush, toothpaste, and styling products to the other side of the vanity.
He did the same thing with the vanity drawers and created some space under the sink.
