“I love you,” he whispered as he rested his forehead against mine. “I love you so fucking much it hurts, Av.”
Instead of waiting for me to reply like usual, he pulled away and let me get inside the car without another word.
When he sat in the driver’s seat, he put his hand on my knee before easing onto the street with a smile on his face.
What has you smiling like that, mister?
“No.” Her arms were crossed over her chest.
Turned out, Avery wasn’t the type of girl who liked to be surprised with a big move to a new house without consulting her first. She’d finally managed to wear me down a few hours into the road trip, and I confessed everything.
I squeezed her thigh, one hand still on the wheel. “You haven’t even seen the place yet. It’s beautiful.”
“So you say, but what if I hate it?”
I look over at her. “You won’t. I had James comb through your Pinterest. He said you were quite thorough in the board titled ‘Dreamy Home Goals’. It didn’t take him long to figure out what you’d like best. Within a few hours, the owners accepted our offer.”
“Ouroffer?” she said sarcastically. “And I don’t care if James stalked my fucking Pinterest. There’s no way—”
She stopped talking when I handed her my phone, pictures of our new home pulled up.
The house was everything I wanted.
Private. Remote. The kind of place no one would stumble upon or find easily unless they were meant to. It was hidden deep in the woods—nothing but trees and sky for miles in every direction.
No neighbors. No traffic. No noise. Just us.
Our new home was everything she wanted too.
Luxury log cabin.
There were three guest bedrooms—and I already knew what I wanted to fill them with.
The three identical bathrooms were sleek and modern, with natural stone accents, warm lighting, and freestanding tubs.
There was an office in the corner wing, perfect for me—and for spreading her over my desk when I needed a break.
The kitchen was oversized and high-end, and it would be fully stocked in the morning with everything I planned to make for her. I could already see her, barefoot and wearing my shirt, sitting on the counter—my little taste tester.
There were two living rooms, one for guests and one for her to lounge in.
And the master bedroom?
It was massive, with two walk-in closets and an impressive primary bath with a jacuzzi tub and shower open to the outdoors. I already had a special bed frame on the way, perfect for everything I planned to do to her.
And the porch. It wrapped around the whole house, with rocking chairs and thick wooden beams. It was the perfect place to watch her enjoy the sunrise or bend her over the railing at dusk.
I also ordered a hot tub that would be there in the morning. A big one, just for us. The final touch.
The cost was immense, but I didn’t blink. This house was where I planned to build her a life so private, so perfect, she’d never dream of leaving it.
Or me.
We’d spend every day making up for the time we never had.
“It really is beautiful,” she said quietly in the passenger seat.
“Told you,” I said smugly.
