“I know, baby,” I smirk, kissing her once more as I help her ride the wave down. “And it’s gonna happen one day. I promise.”
“I wish you could get me pregnant right now,” she chuckles, her eyes drooping as I scoop her up in my arms. I carry her to the room and lay her on the bed, where she instantly starts to doze off.
I stand there watching her for a while, a satisfied grin on my face from knowing that I’d put her to sleep with nothing but mymouth, my fingers, and my words. She looked so gorgeous as she lay there, and I would’ve been content to watch her forever, but aftercare was more important at the moment.
So, I made my way to the bathroom and ran her a nice warm bath, making sure to add her favorite soaks as well. When it was ready, I gently shook her awake and helped her strip the rest of her clothes before leading her to the bathroom, where I took the liberty of washing her up. We may have gotten a bit carried away, but we eventually made it back to the room right as both of our stomachs started growling.
As we finally sat down to eat the food she’d prepared, I went over the itinerary for our trip. She was so excited to go back to California after moving back here earlier this year. I reiterated that we’d do whatever she wanted the entire weekend, but she assured me that she didn’t care what we did, as long as we were together.
December 14th, 2025 - 2:06 AM
“Wow, this is gorgeous!” Raine exclaimed as we entered the beachhouse. She instantly kicked off her shoes and ventured further into the house as I locked the door, leaving the bags where they were.
I sighed, happy to finally be here. After hours of delayed flights and an unnecessarily long layover, we’d managed to book an Uber and get here five hours after our original check-in time. I was so exhausted and wanted to do nothing but sleep. However, seeing Raine’s excitement helped knock a bit of the sleepiness out of me.
“Wow, look at how the moon illuminates the ocean. I can’t wait to see how beautiful this view will be once the sun rises,” shegasps as she walks over to the large bay window in the kitchen. She then moved over to the large double patio doors, and I made my way over to her. She came around and stood behind me, her hands resting on my waist as she hugged me against my back. I chuckled, shaking my head. She wasn’t that much shorter than me, but she loved the slight height difference. “Thank you for bringing me here, love.”
“It’s nothing, sweetheart,” I assure her. “I wanted us to enjoy the little time left that we had off before we got back to the grind.” I turn around in her arms to face her. “Speaking of which, how are you feeling about being signed as an official dancer for Lighthouse Entertainment?”
“I’m very excited,” she nodded. “A little nervous to now have a manager and PR team and all that jazz, but it brings me peace knowing that I now have more people rooting for me to succeed. I know I say this often, but it really is a surreal feeling. Not even six months ago, I was wishing for a chance like this, and look at me now. Who’d’ve thought that my dancing to one of your songs would be the key to unlocking the future I always wanted?”
“And you got a pretty hot girlfriend out of it, too, right?” I ask, a smirk on my face.
“Yeah, sheispretty hot,” she agrees, placing a hand on my chest. “And she’s sweet as hell. Literally a big softie, but I love it.”
“A softie? Me? Nahh, I’m hardcore,” I joke. I roll up my sleeves and flex. “You see these guns. You know, in college, they called me Dawn Anderson the Weightlifting Fairy, right?”
“You need to stop watching K-dramas,” she giggled, shaking her head. She patted my cheek before walking away. “Besides, didn’t you go to college on a volleyball scholarship and major in music production?”
“And I was the strongest on the team because I was also part of the weightlifting club,” I point out. “And I was damn good at it, if I do say so myself.”
She nodded, her eyes traveling my frame as she bit her lip. I closed the space between us and picked her up with ease. She squealed and tried to wiggle free, but my grip was firm as I carried her over to the couch. She giggled wildly once I lay her down and claimed the spot beside her. The couch was one of those huge U-shaped ones, with pillows for days. It was super comfy, and there was plenty of room for us to both cuddle comfortably. I relaxed as she snuggled against me.
“Where do you see yourself in five years?” She asks after about five minutes of silence. I glance at her, and she's looking up at me with anticipation.
“Easy question. I see myself resting on the sofa inourhouse, cuddled like we are now,” I nod. “But the only difference would be that we’d hopefully have a kid sleeping down the hall and matching rings on our fingers.”
“Hmm, I like the sounds of that,” she smiles. “I’ve always wanted to carry a baby, at least once, that is. I want to go through all the ups and downs of pregnancy and then bring a screaming bundle of joy into the world. Doesn’t that sound precious?”
“Sure,” I nod. “For others, but not me.” She looks up at me, confused. “What I mean is, I’ve never had that craving to carry a child. I’ve always wanted kids, don’t get me wrong, but I’ve always said that it would be up to my future partner whether we had them naturally or adopted. Being pregnant scares me, but I vow to be the most supportive partner and spouse for you. I plan to be there every step of the way. Every appointment. Every craving. Every mood swing. I intend to be on the rollercoaster right beside you, holding your hand and feeding you any weird food combination you think of.”
“You’re so damn silly,” she giggled, but her smile was brighter than ever. “Thank you for letting me know how you feel, though. I respect you and your feelings and boundaries. They’re valid, and I love you, always.”
“Thank you,” I nod, leaning down to peck kisses all over her face before placing one lingering kiss on her lips.
When I pull back, I can’t help but smile at the one woman who has brought me more happiness in the last few months than I’d ever experienced with any other person I’d ever dated. She made me so happy. She was all that I’ve ever wanted in a partner.
CHAPTER 19
Reading Dates & Sunrise Picnics.
Raine Anderson - December 14th, 2025
It felt so good out here on this beach. I loved that it was still warm enough to wear my favorite swimsuit as Dawn and I relaxed by the water. She was stretched out on a beach towel, soaking up the sun as I sipped on a mimosa in a beach chair right beside her. My comfort read was pulled up on my Kindle, and we had a platter of fruit and cheese ready for snacking. It was the perfect Sunday afternoon.
These last couple of days have been spent just like this. Even though she said that we could do anything I wanted, all I really wanted was to relax with her in this gorgeous beach house she’d rented. It had enough space for a large family, and plenty of amenities, from a pool to a game room, to a theater room, and even a full chef's kitchen. It was glorious, and I was lowkey sad that we’d be flying home tomorrow. I could stay here forever.
“What you reading?” I glance over at Dawn as she leans back on her elbows, her sunglasses pulled up over her head.
