I admire the view of the city and the park through the window before my gaze trails over the rest of the open-plan space on this level. “I can actually see what your place looks like now. I like it.” It’s expensively decorated but still homey. He has family photographs pinned to the walls along with some impressive, framed artwork. Rugs soften the dark wooden floors, and colorful cushions brighten the white leather sectional.
“When you move in, you can redecorate if you like.” He just casually throws it out there as he sets a bowl of delicious coconut-scented curry in front of me.
I blink repeatedly as I stare at him, and he chuckles as he slides into the seat beside me. “We’re inevitable, Lili. You don’t need me to tell you that.” He lifts a forkful of curry. “Eat before it goes cold. I spent ages cooking everything from scratch.”
“I love that you still love to cook,” I say before groaning as I swallow the first delicious mouthful. “Wow, this is so good.”
“Good.” He pecks my lips. “It’s a new recipe I got from Mom.”
“I find it so funny that you caught the cooking bug from her, yet Joshua is practically allergic to the kitchen.”
“Not totally.” He waggles his brows and grins. “He can boil water.”
I throw back my head and laugh.
Caleb plays music low in the background as I try not to shovel the food in my mouth like a greedy pig.
“I meant what I said,” he adds in between mouthfuls. “You haven’t found anywhere to live yet after your lease is up, right?”
I shake my head. “I haven’t had time to look. I figured I’d probably stay in Uncle Ben’s penthouse until I found office space and a new apartment.”
“Move in here. You’d have Gia right next door, and it’s central and secure.”
“You’re really serious?”
“As a heart attack.”
“We’ve only been dating three weeks.”
“Who gives a shit?” He shrugs. “We’ve known each other for almost fifteen years, Lili, and we’re endgame. You know it as well as I do.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Say yes.” He lets his vulnerability shine through for a minute while I try to work out if this is crazy or inevitable.
“I got us a new bed,” he adds, rubbing the back of his neck. “And sleeping beside you is the best sleep I’ve ever had in my whole entire life.”
“I sleep great with you too,” I admit, stuffing another mouthful of curry into my mouth while I contemplate doing this. Excitement fizzes in my veins, and when I see the raw need on his face mixed with sheer terror, I know what I need to do.
“Okay.” A wide smiles races across my lips. “I’ll move in with you after graduation.”
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Caleb
“What’s in here?” Lili asks, frowning as she turns the handle to my special room, finding it locked. “Is this the room you don’t let anyone into?” She quirks a brow as she glances at me over her shoulder. “Gigi said it’s some kind of sex den. Is it?”
My lips tip up. “That girl has her mind in the gutter.” I walk forward and stretch my arm up, pressing my thumb into the little lockbox over the door. “No, it’s not a sex den.” The lock pops open, and I extract the key. “You are the first person I’m letting into this room,” I truthfully admit as I turn the key in the lock.
“Joshua hasn’t even seen it?”
I shake my head. “When I set this up, a couple months after we moved into this building, I made a vow that the only person who would ever enter this space was you.”
Her entire face lights up. “Now I’m really intrigued.”
I open the door and switch on the light, stepping back to let her enter first. “After you.”
Her eyes almost pop out of her head as she surveys the small square room, taking in all the framed pictures on the wall. Crystal lilies in vases are dotted on display tables aroundthe room, surrounding the small two-seater couch with a coffee table situated in front of the open fireplace. A shelving unit on the right stores books, boardgames, and framed photos of Lili and me taken over the years. There are pictures ranging from when we were kids right up to today.
