The short drive to her new apartment passed in silence.I snuck glances at her gorgeous profile, thinking how lucky I was.Callie made me want things I’d never allowed myself to hope for.Real intimacy.A true partnership.Meaningful commitment.
“You sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine.Promise.”She smiled weakly.“Hugh’s not a bad guy.I don’t think it sunk in that we were really over until I stopped meeting up with him.He’s taking it harder than I expected.”
“Has he been reaching out to you?”
“A few texts here and there.But I’ve been clear with him.”
I nodded.“I’m sure he’s not a bad guy, Cal.I’d imagined I’d be just as pissed off if I made the mistake of losing you.”
This time, I got a real grin.“Well, I’d hate to see you pissed off, Mr.Price.Let’s be sure not to make any mistakes.”
We pulled up to her new building and unloaded the boxes.Once everything was deposited in her living room, I tackled her onto the floor of the still-empty bedroom with a growl.“Time to christen the new apartment?”I said, lips brushing the heated skin of her neck.
“You know.”She ran a finger over my stubbled jaw.“As much as I want you, we should probably finish unpacking first.”
I flopped onto my back, pouting up at the ceiling.“You’re killing me here, Cal.How am I supposed to focus on anything besides getting you out of those clothes?”
She snickered, sitting up to straighten her rumpled top.“Poor baby.Just think how rewarding it will be when we’re done.”
“For you?Anything.”
We made quick work of the remaining boxes.Once the last empty cardboard container was broken down, Callie pounced on me with a growl of her own.“Now where were we?”she said and straddled my hips.
I slid my hands up her jean-clad thighs.“I think you were about to ravish me.”
“Was I?”Callie leaned down, nipping at my earlobe.“Better get on that then.”
Sometime later, we lay tangled together—still on the floor—basking in the afterglow.I ran my fingers through her hair, savoring the warm weight of her body atop mine.After a moment, I felt her chest hitch with a small sigh.
“What is it?”
She lifted herself, elbows resting on the floor on either side of my head as she studied me intently.“Thank you for helping me today, Emmett.And for being so understanding the last few weeks.I know I haven’t had as much time for you as you’d have liked, but getting my own place was important to me.”
“I know, baby.Don’t worry about me,” I said, planting a kiss on her nose.“We’ve got all the time in the world.You do what you need to do, and I’ll be here whenever and however you need me.”
Silence fell over the room as we stared at each other.
“I love you,” I said as I placed a whispering kiss on her still-swollen lips.“And that’s not going to change.”I squeezed her small body tighter against mine, willing her to believe it.
“It’s hard for me, you know, to hear you say that.”
My heart lurched in my chest.
“Growing up, love always seemed so conditional.My dad never treated my mom poorly, by any means, and I know that he loves her.But he had such high expectations of her, and when she didn’t meet them or she prioritized herself, his displeasure was obvious.It was like she had to fit his image of the perfect little wife in order to earn his love.And here I am, constantly putting myself, my goals, my dreams first, yet you still say you love me.I guess it’s just hard for me to believe.”
It was the first time she had ever truly opened up to me about the impact of her parents’ relationship on who she was.The insight made me sad—for herandher mom—and relieved at the same time.
This is her hang-up?Easy.
“Good news, Cal.I will always put you, your goals, and your dreams first, so we’ll have that in common.”
“That hardly seems fair to you.”
“It’s not about what’s fair.I know what’s important to you, and you know what’s important to me.So, we give each other those things.You do it for me every single day, though I’m not sure you realize it.That’s what love is.When you find your person, you can be who they need just by being yourself.It’s effortless because you’re made for each other.”
With each word I spoke, her muscles loosened until her body once again melted into mine.Our eyes still locked, she looked down at me with a mix of vulnerability and trust, her fingers idly combing through the strands of my hair.
