I wouldn’t be surprised if she was.She had always been touch-averse and I knew it took years before she allowed Amanda to hug her.
She swallowed before continuing, “I thought I didn’t want sex with anyone.But turns out I just didn’t want to sleep with anyone?—”
“But your young and handsome boyfriend,” I finished her sentence.
“Yes.You,” she said, smiling at me, her hazel eyes bright.“I always ended up overthinking.Am I using enough tongue?Am I making enough eye contact?Does this reaction look remotely human?”
“Darling,” I said, squeezing her thigh.“Everything you do turns me the fuck on.Even how you eat cheesecake like a starved woman.”
“Of course you do.”She grinned, nudging me with her elbow.“But I’m glad my brain shuts up whenever we are intimate.I don’t have to pretend.”
“Thank fuck for that,” I said.“My ego would bruise if you faked orgasms with me.”
She straightened up.“Who says I haven’t?”
“You… come back here!”I said when she stood up, keeping her plate on the coffee-table.I followed when she ran away.
We turned the chase into a tickle war, which ended with me grabbing her and hoisting her over my shoulder.She squealed, trying to wriggle free when I took her to the small office we had set up for me in her guest room.
She told me that we would never get anything done if I set up my desk in her home studio.My desk gleamed with two monitors, a mechanical keyboard, and a gaming chair.I loved that she had made space for me in her sanctuary, and Amanda was glad I was finally out of her hair.
“Sit,” I ordered, spinning her into the chair so she faced the monitors.
“What is it?”she asked.
“Have some patience.”I typed some things into the panel, opening a new window.
“Is it the edited version of our almost sex-tape?”she asked.
“That’s a good idea, butno,” I paused, looking at her.“It’s something better.”
I finally opened it and watched her face change as the site loaded.It had a clean layout with soft colors and a handful of mock products.Necklaces in the hero banner, delicate rings and polished photographs of the cufflinks she’d once made for a client.
I built an entire site around her brand, used her color palette, and filled it with mockups of pieces she loved and the pieces she had created.
It had taken a few weeks to work behind her back, but I wanted to do it for her.
She stared at the screen, her lips parted and eyes wide.
“I made it with your brand colors,” I said, my voice low and shaky.“Amanda helped a ton.I… I want you to leaveOpulenceand open your own shop online.You don’t have to design the same thing for someone else ever again.”
Her hands flew to her mouth.“Dylan?—”
“I know it’s scary,” I said, squeezing her shoulder.“I’ve been talking to suppliers.I made a list.Ethical gemstones, recycled metals.I’ve already messaged a few manufacturers who said they’d work with us.I… I want to do this with you.”
She blinked, her eyes glassy.“You did all that?”
“I did.”I swallowed because seeing her on the verge of tears made me emotional.“For you.I’d do anything.”
She threw herself at me, and I caught her, letting her cry into my shoulder until the hiccups calmed.I stroked her hair and rubbed her back.
When she lifted her head, she wiped her face on the back of her hand and let out a wet laugh.“This feels scary and overwhelming,” she said, her voice hoarse and soft.“But I’m glad you’re here.”
“I’ll always be here.”I kissed the tip of her nose.“You’re stuck with me.For good.”
She smiled, her face softening as she stroked my cheek.“I love you.”
“I love you too.”More than you can ever comprehend.
We kissed, our lips urgent and soft, cherishing the moment as we planned for the future.
I was glad I was half-way through fulfilling my dream.I had made my childhood crush my girlfriend and hopefully soon… she would be my wife.
