Western Waves (Compass 3)

“His name is Milo,” I told him. “He’s two years old and grew up in not the best environment. His owners were abusive, and he’d been moved around from house to house many times because they said he couldn’t be trained, but I didn’t believe that. They were considering putting him down, actually, but when I saw him, I felt it in my soul that he was yours.”

“And I am his,” he quietly stated.

Damian’s tears kept falling as the nervous dog began walking out of the cage toward him. He rubbed up against Damian’s leg and then allowed Damian to pick him up. Milo rested his head against Damian’s shoulder and cuddled into him as if they were always meant to be together.

“Thank you, Stella,” Damian said, looking my way. “For believing he deserved another chance. For believing I did, too.”

I moved over to him and wiped his tears away. “Merry Christmas, Damian.”

“I’m falling for you,” he replied, the words somersaulting off his tongue. “Sorry.” He grimaced. Then he paused and shook his head. “Wait, no. I’m not sorry. I’m happy to know you, and I’m lucky to be around you. You’re ridiculous and kind, and I am falling for you. You’re beautiful and funny, and I am falling for you. You’re my first thought in the morning and the last one at night, and I am falling for you. Stella…” He held Milo in one arm and gently caressed my cheek with his other hand. “I am falling for you.”

“I—”

“Wait.” He cleared his throat. “You don’t have to say anything back, just because I said it to you. You can wait. I know you got out of a relationship not that long ago, and I never want to pressure anyone to say any type of words to me and—”

“I’m not falling for you.” I took his free hand into mine. “I already completely fell.”

He pressed his forehead to mine and closed his eyes. “I didn’t know I could have this.”

“Have what?”

“You.”

My heart swooned in ways I didn’t know hearts could swoon.

“And Milo is ours?” he murmured as if he was still unsure if his new companion was real.

Ours.

Us.

We.

Cinderstella and the Beast.

“Yes,” I replied.

He kissed me, and his lips tasted a bit like dreams coming true.

“Can I show you my gift for you now?” he asked me.

“Yes.”

“Okay, but you need to put some shoes on, and I have to drive us there.”

I sat back, a bit shocked. “You’re going to drive?”

He smirked and cleared his throat. “I might have gotten my driver’s license a few days ago.”

“Damian! No, you didn’t!” I playfully slapped his arm.

He laughed. “Don’t cry.”

“I won’t.”

“You are.”

“I know.” I laughed, wiping my tears. “I’m so proud of you.”

He kept snickering, shaking his head toward me. “Let’s go. Milo can ride in your lap.”

After driving for about fifteen minutes he pulled up to a property.

He parked the car—with amazing driving skills, might I add—and looked up at the building. “I found this while I was showing a few clients some real estate properties. When I investigated it, I knew it was meant for you.”

“What do you mean it’s meant for me?”

Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a key, and he placed it in my hand. “I bought you an art studio.”

My heart.

It flipped.

It twisted.

It soared.

“You what?”

“I mean, if you hate it—”

“You what?!” I exclaimed again, stunned by his words. “You bought me an art studio?!”

“Yeah. I know you don’t have as much space to work and figured since you’ll probably be doing a lot more commissions since your gallery show, you’d need the space to make it happen.”

“Damian.”

“Yes?”

“I adore you.”

He laughed and lifted Milo from his lap. “You haven’t even seen it yet. You might hate it.”

“There is literally no way in which I would ever hate this.” I started getting giddy and rubbing my hands. “Can we go look at it?”

“Of course.”

We headed inside, and right as I turned the doorknob, my heart got caught in my throat. It was beautiful, with so much natural light shining through the space. It was all painted white with floor-to-ceiling windows and had different stations where I could set up my supplies.

“It’s over three thousand square feet, and I figured you can have your own showcases here to display your artwork. You can have your fancy galas with your this-time-priced-correctly pieces. I made you a few business cards, too, over here. If you hate the design, you can change it, of course, but—”

I cut him off with my lips on his. He placed Milo down and then he pulled me into a hug.

“You like it?”

“I love it. I don’t deserve this.”

“You deserve everything good in this world, Stella.”

And just like that, the love for this man deepened within my soul.

After spending some time in the studio—my studio—we headed back home. Milo spent most of the day cuddled up between Damian and me. When nightfall came, we put Milo to bed and walked out toward the ocean.