An immediate relief sweeps through my muscles when I touch her. Every time, whether it’s just our pinkies or I’m buried deep inside her, the comfort and solace that washes over me is the best feeling in the world.
“It was never one night for me either,” she whispers. “I knew before it even started that it wasn’t possible.”
We roll to our sides, facing each other, her leg thrown over my hip. Her eyes are soft, warm caramel, her lips sweet, plump cherries.
I press my mouth to hers and breathe out a sigh against them. “We can figure this out. I’ll move to Wilhelmina with you. I can find a job there and—”
“No,” she breathes. “You and Auggie have plans and a dream.”
My fingers dive into her hair. “Fuck all that. Wreck my plans. Obliterate them.You’remy dream. None of it matters compared to you.” I coast my lips over her soft cheek. “I want to be where you are. Auggie would understand.”
She glides her palm up my arm. “What if I want to move to you?”
I shake my head against hers. “You don’t have to do that. I don’t want you to give anything up for me.”
Her hands press into my shoulders until I land on my back, and she crawls over me to straddle my waist. “Gavin Moore, you’ve had a life full of people not choosing you. You’ve fought hard for every scrap of family you’ve ever had.” Her fierce gaze holds me captive. “But this time,Iamchoosingyou. I’m fighting for this”—she points from my heart to hers—“because I choose you and I love you.”
I slide my hands up to her hips as the bridge of my nose burns.
Shechoosesme. Shelovesme. She’s fighting forme.
My heart aches as it expands in my chest, trying to burst from its cage.
Her shoulders lift in a small shrug. “I don’t know what I want to do in my life yet. I don’t know what job will make me the happiest, but I want to be here with you while I figure it out.”
I nod as a tear sneaks past my lashes and runs down my temple. “Thank you for choosing me.”
She catches it with her thumb. “Always.”
Her lips move to mine, and she kisses me gently. It’s soft and quiet, like whispered secrets between lovers. She glides her mouth against mine, and when my tongue sweeps in to touch hers, we groan in unison.
Our clothes fall to the floor like both of us instinctively know we need to touch as much skin as possible. We need our warm bodies pressed together. Promises murmured with nothing between us.
Every inch of her velvet curves glows in the lamplight as she pulls me over her body.
I let my gaze travel over all the soft little details about her that are solely mine to cherish now.
As I slide between her thighs and into her wet heat, her nails dig into my hips. She arches, dragging me closer and twining our bodies so tightly that it feels like our souls are swirling together. Soft moans and whisperedI love yousfill the air between us as we move together until our bodies are spent.
While our breaths return to normal, Lena traces her fingers over the tattoos on my chest while I let mine drag through her hair. She murmurs to me about her conversation with her friends, and my throat aches as I tell her about what happened after she left.
And when we’ve kissed a new set of tears away, I leave the bed long enough to grab the pie and a spoon from the kitchen.
I lean against the headboard, and she sits beside me, legs crossed under her naked body, as she takes a bite right out of the middle of the pie.
She swallows and waves the spoon around the room. “We should rent this cabin until your house is built. I like it here. So many good memories,” she says, eyebrows dancing.
Goddamn, I love how she’s skipped straight to us living together.
My gaze follows the wooden beams forming the interior of the cabin. Thoughts flicker through my mind of the two Christmases I spent inside these walls, wishing I could be somewhere else.
Those memories have been replaced now. Instead, my thoughts are full of the woman beside me. Her body against mine, her teasing grins, her bright laughter, her heartfelt words.
“Yeah, let’s rent this cabin untilourhouse is built.” I open my mouth for her to give me a bite.
She grins as she puts the spoon to my lips, the tangy flavor hitting my tongue.
Sweet, with a little kick, just like my Lena.
