Page 83 of You Saw the Best In Me

Silk, lace, and the color blue on her body are a dangerous combination, and fuck, she looks ravishing.

Mine aren’t as cute, but I’ve caught her looking at my boxers and workout tee more than once.

This is the definition of happiness. Being so comfortable around another person that anything goes, and nothing is off-limits.

I trust her, and she trusts me.

Karina fills the tub and drops the bomb in the water. I watch in awe as it fizzles, changing the water to a light pink color, and the aroma of strawberries fills the air.

We climb in together, her back against my chest, and our legs tangle together at the other end.

“How are you feeling?” I ask, checking in on her seemingly calm demeanor.

“I’m okay. The details scared the shit out of me, and I nearly had a panic attack. But he didn’t get the chance to hurt me, and I’m focusing on the good things in my life,” she says, squeezing my arms wrapped around her chest.

“That’s a good way to think of it. Now, we move forward. What does that look like for you?” I close my eyes, waiting while she thinks about her answer.

This bath is seriously relaxing, and my body is so content I’d stay here all night if the water didn’t turn cold.

“I want to heal and have a place to call home. I haven’t had that since I was a teenager, and I feel like I deserve that,” she trails off, sighing deeply, and I can tell she’s trying not to cry.

“Your apartment doesn’t feel like home?” I pull the hair from her face, tucking it behind her ears.

“No, it never did. I stood inside for a while this afternoon, and all I could think of was how it means nothing to me. It’s not where I belong,” she says softly.

I drain the tub, helping her to her feet as we grab towels to dry off. My ass is numb, the water is cold, and I want to end the night lying in bed with my girl.

“I think this is your home,” I wrap the towel around her tightly, spinning her to face me.

She doesn’t say anything, looking into my eyes as if she’s searching for something to guide her.

I pull her into my chest, not forcing the conversation or pushing her further than she wants to go.

“I think you’re right,” she whispers, lifting her head and wrapping her hands around my neck.

I lean down to kiss her, bringing this moment full circle, giving her the intimacy she’s always feared, and I ran away from.

It’s a slow kiss, the kind that solidifies what’s in both of our hearts. There’s no running away just because the threat has been neutralized.

It’s been more than that from the moment we met.

I lead her to the bed, and we both climb in naked, facing each other.

We haven’t had sex since I took her to the range, and I don’t mind.

No matter how much she teases me, my feelings about this woman have nothing to do with what her body can do for me. That’s a bonus.

“I love your freckles,” I say, tapping the line of dots across the bridge of her nose.

She scrunches her nose, making them stand out even more, and I smile.

“I don’t want to move into your place or anything. I don’t want to stay at mine, though,” she whispers, almost sounding like she’s afraid of disappointing me.

“I’m okay with that. How about we talk about what works for us? For example, I’d love it if after work we have dinner and sleep in this bed together. Maybe spend the weekends together, doing things that make us happy,” I offer, judging her reaction to see what she thinks.

Karina has mastered the art of thinking before she speaks, and I give her the space to decide what she’s comfortable with.

“Okay, I like that. On my weekdays off, I can spend time there or wherever, but I don’t need to inhabit your space constantly,” she lights up, finding precisely what she wants and using her voice.