“Adorable?”
I take a deep breath and let it out slowly. “You already know I’m all in with us, Helen. Normally it would be enough. Having you here is a gift, and I feel the need to repay it.”
“I think you’ve lost your marbles,” she deadpans.
“I want you to feel comfortable here, to see our lives entwined in this space,” my voice is earnest. “You didn’t have to easily agree tomove in with me and take the risk, but you, my brave, beautiful woman, did. That earns a surprise, one which will help you carve out your own space in a place that used to be mine alone but was never a home until today.”
Helen melts into my arms and shakes her head as she blinks rapidly. Her voice is soft, “Agreeing to move here, to be with you, was probably the easiest decision I’ve ever made. And I was able to do it without pressure and only for myself. This is the first time I’m following my heart in my life and doing something for me, something I truly need. I don’t need a reward for it. This is the surprise. You. This life.”
Fuck, my woman slays me.
“Well, we’ll agree to disagree on this one,” I drawl while leading her away from the living room and toward where my office used to be.
It’s not my office anymore. I don’t really need one. Especially now because I don’t want my job to invade my home and the life I’m building with my woman. She deserves this place to be a home, a respite, a sanctuary. A place where we can exist and where we can grow a family.
Fuck, we will be growing a family. I’m ready whenever she is. Honestly, I can’t fucking wait.
The thought of her round with my baby? Fuck me. It’s almost too good.
When we’re standing in front of the door leading into the room I put together for my woman while working in stolen moments and long lunches. I kept the door closed so Helen wouldn’t see. I nod toward the door and grin when she shoots me a look that is pure confusion.
“Go ahead,” I gently prompt her.
She opens the door and I guide her into the room. Her jaw drops and she quickly takes a few more steps. After turning one way and then the other, she looks at me with wide eyes.
I’m not able to keep the smug smile off my face. Because she likes it and I got it right. Honestly, I wasn’t sure and was more than a little concerned.
“This is,” Helen pauses and shakes her head before starting again, “I’m not even sure what I’m looking at. I mean,” she starts to babble, “I can see it. I see all the pieces of it, and I think I know what it means, but maybe you should spell it out for me.”
When she spins around again, I sidle up to her and press my front to her back as my hands land on her hips. My mouth finds the curve of her neck and I kiss her there. Her body relaxes against me and her breath hitches.
“This is for me?”
My lips brush against the shell of her ear with every word, “This is your room. Your work room.” I turn her to one side. “I put this entire wall of built in shelves so you can organize your fabric. The shelves are adjustable and I’m more than willing to move them around for you.”
I turn her a quarter turn. “This is a big cutting table or worktable.” I point toward the other side of the wall. “I left that side open because I know you love your set-up. I didn’t want to change it, just give you more options.”
With another turn, we’re looking at another wall. The top portion is a peg board and ready for her to organize whatever she needs. The bottom is a console with more storage. “This is ready for you however you need. You’ll notice that I got you a new speaker and it’s set up for you. The minifridge is stocked with your favorites, including some snacks.”
“I can’t,” she starts to say and then her breath hitches as she turns toward me and swallows hard, “you did this for me?”
“Of course,” I tell her easily. “This is your home. You need to have space here to do what you love to do. You deserve it and I want you to always feel comfortable.”
“Thisis the nicest thing anyone has ever done for me,” she whispers the words and my heart soars.
It also pisses me off because she deserves the world. She certainly deserves so much more than what she’s been given. Now she’s mine to care for.
I lift her and a little gasp falls from her lips when I sit her on the big cutting table. My hands skim up her thighs until I grip the waistband of her leggings. As I pull them down over her hips and legs, I feel Helen giving herself over to me.
My fingers skim up the inside of her thighs and spread her legs. When I find her slit, she’s already fucking soaked for me. A growl rumbles from my chest as I plunge two fingers inside of her and pump them a few times.
Her hips jolt and she moans as her hands scramble for my jeans and pops the button. The way she’s touching me has me feeling feral as fuck while she pushes my pants down and frees my cock.
“I need you, Rhodes,” she pleads.
I don’t waste a fucking second. After sliding the tip of my cock up and down her soaked flesh, I find her entrance and plunge deep inside of her in one stroke. We both moan at the contact, and my arms grip her tightly against me.
My hips move hard and fast, chasing something, chasing this connection, chasing bliss. Helen clings to me, her body moving to take every thrust.
