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When we woke up this morning, I was looking forward to a chill day off until he informed me that we were going shopping. I protested but he insisted, saying that he needed my help to decorate this place.

He wasn’t wrong.

If left to his own devices, the man would have picked out anything brown or made with leather. He gave zero thought to how it would all fit together or look next to each other.

If I hadn’t been there to help him today, he would have a very monochromatic home.

In the end, we learned to compromise a lot. The couch is, in fact, brown but he agreed to get one made of fabric instead of leather. And he caved on the sage green rug I picked out to break up the very dark vibe he had going on in here.

The house has gorgeous dark wood floors and matching beams in various places throughout the house. They frame the entrance to the living room and the dining room. It gives the place a rustic cabin feel without being too on the nose. I’ve wondered more than once if he designed this place with Colorado in mind because I can definitely see that. The railing on the stairs is made out of the same-colored wood and dark iron which matches the black cabinets in the kitchen and the heather gray countertops. You can definitely tell this place was designed by a guy but with the touches I added today, I think we can make it look cohesive.

“Baby,” Dalton calls and I turn to look at them as they stand in the living room with the couch in their hands. “Feet on or off the rug?”

“On, just barely though.”

He nods and they set the couch down on the rug I picked out and I scan the living room. In the middle of the far wall is a large stone fireplace which really adds to the Colorado vibe and feels totally out of place in Louisiana but I love it. I imagine cool fall and winter nights curled up in front of the fire with Dalton and I can’t help but smile. One purchase I couldn’t stop though was the seventy-five inch tv dominating the corner of the room.

Thank God for the vaulted ceiling or I fear it would look even more ridiculous.

On either side of the couch are two large recliners and I chose an iron and glass coffee table to tie into the railing by the stairs. The one thing Dalton really fought me on was the artificial plants I insisted he buy and I’m glad I did. It gives the space a little bit of life, something it desperately needed. I wasn’t naive enough to think that he would remember to water real plants, though.

“Ta-da,” Jumper says, stepping back from the newly placed couch. “Your house is furnished. I’ll receive your gratitude in pizza and beer or cash.”

Gear rolls his eyes. “You can’t ask for gratitude, you fucker.”

“Some other night,” Dalton says and I meet his eyes across the house, my brows furrowing. He’s watching me and he has a look on his face that I can’t quite figure out.

“What?” Jumper looks between me, Dalton and Gear. “I just moved a metric fuck ton of furniture and you’re not going to feed me?”

“We have other plans.”

My head jerks back slightly.

We do?

“Lame,” he says, shaking his head. “So damn lame. You go and get yourself a woman and now you don’t want to hang out with us anymore. It’s a story as old as time.”

“You sound like a bitch,” Gear says, nudging Jumper with his shoulder. “Let’s head to Moe’s and get something to eat before you fucking faint on me.”

Jumper’s jaw drops as they start moving towards the door. “I wouldn’t fucking faint. I’d pass out, like a man.”

“Sure you would, man,” Gear says, laughing as they walk out of the house, closing the door behind them. I can still hear Jumper going off outside the door and I laugh, shaking my head as I meet Dalton’s eyes.

“Your friend needs help.”

Dalton rolls his eyes but there is a ghost of a smile on his lips. “Or a fucking muzzle.”

“So,” I say, drawing the word out as I round the counter and lean back against the front of the island. “We have plans?”

He closes the distance between us and wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me into him. “We do.”

“Care to share?”

A smile tugs at his lips and he shakes his head.

“Does this plan of yours involve breaking in the new bed upstairs?” I ask and he laughs, nodding.

“Yeah, but that comes later.”