She’s here. She wants me.
And I’ll leave zero question in her mind that I want her too.
I almost trip on my dog as I turn to carry her to my couch, but he grumbles and scoots out of the way, barely avoiding the backpack Amanda drops on the floor, which lands with aclunk.
“Your cookies,” she gasps.
“I’ll give you cookies.”
We don’t make it past my couch before Amanda’s tugging at my shirt and I’m kneading her ass.
Clothes have to go.
They’re unnecessary.
So is the tie in her hair.
I’m not smooth, but there’s nothing clumsy about my motions, either, as I help strip her out of everything from her shirt to her shoes, leaving her bare for me to just stare at as she tugs me toward the couch by my open pants, which are the only clothes I have left on now too.
“Last week was the best week of my life,” I tell her as I shuck the pants and climb onto her on the couch.
“Mine too,” she breathes as she runs her hands over my chest. “I didn’t want it to end. I was so mad at myself when I told everyone we were fake. You weren’t fake to me. Not how I felt about you. How Ifeelabout you.”
“You’re not just a girl I had a crush on in high school.” I press a kiss to her jaw beneath her ear, loving the way her breath hitches. “You’re a kind, fun, beautiful, smart woman who has absolutely captured my heart.”
“You’re the only man who could convince me my life is better with a relationship. Only a relationship with you. Only you.”
“I’m sorry I left you without saying goodbye. I don’t ever want to leave you again.”
“I get it.” She squeezes my ass. “I do. It was overwhelming. You needed space. It’s okay. It’ll always be okay if you need space.”
I stare down at this remarkable woman telling me everything I’ve always wanted the people in my life to say but have never heard.
It’s okay to need space.
She doesn’t need space, but she gets it.
She understands.
“I love you,” I whisper.
“Oh, my heart, I love you too,” she whispers back.
Everything inside me glows warm and happy as I touch my lips to hers again.
This.
This wasn’t my plan. It wasn’t my goal. But being with Amanda—this is everything.
It’s so easy to fall into kissing her until I don’t know if she’s breathing for me or if I’m breathing on my own. To stroke her soft skin, knowing that this isn’t temporary this time.
It’s not a situation we’ve thrown ourselves into.
It’s not a thunderstorm making us lose our minds. It’s not stress. It’s not pressure.
It’s simply right.
Perfect.
