“Kiss me,” he demands.
I look into his sparkling eyes and take his face in my hands. I kiss him with every ounce of emotion that I can muster and his response sings through my veins. I have someone on my side. Someone not only willing to fight for me, but able to fight as well.
I am not alone and neither is he.
An army of two.
***
I wake to the dawn light shining through the floor-to-ceiling windows. After getting dried off, we settled on the couch, curling together under a blanket and falling into a deep contented sleep. The warmth from the early morning sun shines in my eyes and I grumble, pulling the blanket up over my head and trying to disappear from the world. It doesn’t escape me that I am alone, but it doesn’t worry me either. I am completely aware of where I am and I think for the first time in a week, I wake without feeling disoriented. I can hear the shower running in the bathroom and I smile to myself as I recall last night. I pull the soft fleeceblanket around me then go and stand on the balcony. The view from Denham’s balcony is more amazing than mine. I turn my face up into the warmth of the sunlight and close my eyes. I’m not sure exactly what time it is but the roads are quiet and there is very little noise. It’s peaceful and I’m at peace. In my head and my heart.
It is just then that I realize just what Denham King has done to me, for me. He has given me wings to fly. No longer trapped or restricted. But more than that, he’s given me roots to come back to. A chance to love and be loved in equal measures. I still have no explanation. All I know is that it feels right. Nothing has ever felt so right. I’m aware of how things feel when they’re wrong, and this isn’t one of those times. It is what it is. Allow it to happen. Embrace it. Live it. Because life doesn’t always give you second chances.
“Good morning, Stunner.”
I turn to find Denham standing in the doorway holding two mugs of coffee. “Morning,” I reply with a smile.
He kisses me before handing me a mug of coffee and standing next to me. “It’s beautiful, isn’t it?”
“Yes, very.”
“The view wasn’t bad from the doorway either.” He grins down at me and I nudge him with my shoulder. “You know your phone has been buzzing off the hook this morning?”
“Mine?” I say, surprised as only a few people have my number. I frown “Maybe Lottie or my mom.”
“Well, you’ll find out when you look at it, won’t you?” Denham says sarcastically.
“You’re a bit chirpy for someone who had such a little amount of sleep, aren’t you?”
He chuckles. “Yes, I should be exhausted, but it’s the nature of the sleep deprivation that has me feeling great.”
“Oh really?”
“Yes, you see, I had this hot little stunner in my bed last night.” He pauses, looking for my reaction out of the corner of my eye.
“You did?”
“Yeah, she rocked my world,” he says, trying to keep a straight face.
“Jeez, she sounds pretty awesome,” I say, playing along.
“She is. She’s smart, funny, amazingly talented and more stunning than the most beautiful sunrise.”
I take up the usual position that I do when I’m nervous. I look down at my shuffling feet and my fingers fidget around my coffee mug. Denham lifts my chin with his index finger so I have no choice but to look at him.
“I can’t get enough of her,” he says softly. “I want to spend every waking minute beside her, inside of her. She’s my drug.”
I smile and turn my cheek into his hand. He takes my coffee mug and places it down, giving me just a second to look into the beautiful depths of sincerity in his eyes before his mouth covers mine hungrily. I wrap my arms around his neck and he lifts me by my waist, encouraging me to twist my legs around him, all the while not breaking the contact of our lips. He walks us back inside, only just holding onto the blanket that is now barely covering me.
“D, I’m sorry man, but…”
The voice comes from the doorway and we break apart fast. Denham drops my feet to the floor and stands in front of me protectively. His chest is puffed out and his shoulders pulled back so wide I have to bend at the waist to see past him. My heart races as I gather the blanket up and peek around him to see who it is.
“For fuck’s sake…get out before I fucking knock you out, Spike!” Denham barks.
Spike holds up his hands in mock surrender. “I’m sorry, man, but you don’t answer your fucking phone and there’s a problem downstairs.” He nervously rubs his hands on his jeans.
“What is up with my fucking family?” Denham seethes, turning to me and throwing his hands up while trying to reign in his temper. “That’s it, I’m taking away all of your keys. Where’s the fucking fire, Spike?”
