“I can change anything you want.” His palm slides down to take my hand, leading me towards a hall. “Come see my new favorite part.”
That twinkle in his eye sends tendrils of fire through me.
The smell of fresh paint hits me before he switches on the light.
“Holy shit.” I blink rapidly in the master suite. “Is that—”
“Yep. The green paint you wanted to choose.” He grins like a kid on Christmas. “And that’s the bedroom set you picked out.”
All those pictures he sent me over the weeks, I thought it was just a game of what I’d like.
But he was using them all for reference to build my dreams.
“I did make one small change.” He wanders closer to the king sized bed. “I know purple and green usually don’t go together—” His fingers drift over the light lavender comforter. “—but ever since I saw that dress you sent me, I’m pretty partial to it now.”
Everything crashes in. I bared my soul to him and he truly listened, absorbing every detail.
My words catch in my throat.
Rushing to him, I throw my arms around him and bury my tears against his chest.
He holds me tightly, dropping his lips to the top of my head.
“Oliver?” I finally stammer through my sniffles. “I really do love you.”
Keep your promises
Oliver
She seesme.
No more hiding behind text messages.
My fingers weave into her dark locks so I can tilt her teary face up. “Soph, you’ve had me in a chokehold for months. You have no idea how hard it was to want to touch you and not be able to.”
Her bottom lip rolls between her teeth as her blue eyes flicker over me. “You can now.”
Crashing my mouth over hers, I let my hands roam over her supple body pressing to mine.
Tentatively, her palms start behind me, then get more focused, tugging at my shirt.
With a groan, I pull away. “I’m fucking filthy. Let me take a quick shower. Once I get you in that bed, I’m not letting you out.”
Her cheek rises and the first spark of mischief flashes through her gaze. “Always with the promises.” But then her lids drop into a heated stare. “Ollie, I’ve neverseenyou.”
“We can fix that right now.”
She squeals in laughter when I pick her up and toss her over my shoulder.
Her giggles fade when I set her on the freshly tiled floor.
“Like the shower?” I wave my hand towards the emerald colored walk-in. “Your dad said this is what you wanted.” I let my palm travel down her hip to grip the thigh I know she shattered years ago. “I was hoping the new tub would be here in time, but it got back-ordered. It goes here—” I point to the empty void with the taped off pipes. “—and it’s one of those kind that you can swing the door open to step in, or climb into.”
“You did all of this, for me?” The tremble returns to her voice. “Even after all those times I treated you like crap?”
“Sophia, I’d do anything for you.” I smooth a stray strand of hair from her temple. “And I know why you’re all bristly on the outside. It’s to protect that soft heart of yours.” Reaching behind me, I flip on the water to start getting hot, then grab the collar of my t-shirt to yank it over my head.
I hope her sharp inhale is a good thing.
