I squeeze his fingers. “My place. Dolly's all barked out. I'm exhausted. And you look like you're about to fall over."
“I'm fine.”
“You're a terrible liar.” I tug his hand. “Come on, grumpy. I'll order pizza.”
When we’re at my place, Clay is huge in my cozy space. When he sits on my secondhand couch, he's surrounded by pink throw pillows and stacks of romance novels. Completely out of place.
I love it.
Dolly circles him three times. Then she does something she's never done before: jumps onto the couch and curls against his thigh.
I shake my head. “I can’t believe it.”
Clay scratches behind her ear and she melts into him. “She's got good taste in men.”
I sink down beside him. His arm wraps around my shoulders, pulling me close. Dolly sprawls across both our laps like she owns us.
“I meant what I said at the event,” he says quietly. “I love you. I don't want to spend another night without you.”
“We only spent last night apart.”
“Worst damn night of my life. Move in with me. Or I'll move in with you. I don't care where, as long as we're together.”
“Yeah? But I have conditions. If I move in with you, I’ll bring my stuff. Includingallthe throw pillows and my squishy armchair. And we paint your bathroom pink.”
He groans, but he’s grinning. “Karina?—”
“And twinkle lights in the bedroom.”
“You're pushing it.”
I wink at him. “But… you love me.”
He sighs, but he's still smiling. “Fine. Pink. Pillows. Twinkle lights. Anything else?”
“Dolly gets her own memory foam bed.”
He looks at the dog snoring across our laps. “She's already claimed my side of the couch.”
“Deal with it.”
He laughs and pulls me closer, pressing his lips to my cheek.
The pizza arrives and we eat on the couch with Dolly begging for crusts. Clay pretends to disapprove while sneaking her bites when he thinks I'm not looking. It's not exactly a candlelit Valentine's dinner, but I wouldn't trade it for the fanciest restaurant in the world. Later, we watch a movie together and he kisses me softly.
I smile against his chest. “Happy Valentine's Day, Clay.”
“Happy Valentine’s Day, cupcake.”
EPILOGUE - CLAY
One year later
The ring has been burning a hole in my pocket for three weeks.
I bought it the day after Karina booked her thirtieth event. I walked into the jewelry store and pointed straight at the rose gold band with the diamonds. The saleswoman tried to show me other options, but I told her my woman likes pink. She stopped arguing.
Now I'm standing in the Hartford Community Center, watching Colt hang twinkle lights while Viper carefully arranges flowers like he's defusing a bomb.
