He stands, and I watch him go to the bathroom. When he comes back out a few minutes later, he’s still naked, and his cock is still somewhat hard. I take him in, wondering what I did to deserve him. It’s not his looks—those are just a bonus. Even if he were a hundred pounds overweight and balding, I would still feel thankful that I could call him mine.
He pulls back the blanket, and I cry out as he rips the towel from my body and tosses it behind him to the floor. He turns on the lamp then goes back to shut off the light before he gets into bed with me, dragging me against his side. I curl up against him with my ear over his heart, thinking about everything that has happened in such a short time.
“You’re quiet,” he states, running his fingers down my arm lying over his stomach.
“I’m trying to come to terms with things,” I say, lifting my head and resting my chin on his pec.
“What?”
“Well…” I feel my lips twitch. “Apparently, you’re in love with me, and I’m moving in with you. It’s a lot to accept and I’m working through it silently.”
“I see.” He leans up to place his lips to my forehead before he rests his head back on his pillow.
“And, um… now that we’re not in the heat of the moment, I should tell you. My lease is for a year and I’ve only been in the house a few months, so we’re going to wait for me to move in.”
“I’ll talk to your landlord,” he says easily, and I feel my body get tight.
“Tom.”
“Excuse me?”
“Tom is my landlord. You met him briefly when he came to tell me I could get a dog,” I remind him, and recognition fills his eyes. “That said, I don’t think it would be a good idea for you to try to get me out of my lease.”
“Why not?” He frowns.
“I’m pretty sure Tom is in the Witness Protection Program, because he was in the mob or is still in the mob.” I grimace. “Can you get out of the mob, or is it like a blood in, blood out type of thing?”
“Blood in, blood out?” he repeats, looking at me like I might be crazy.
“That doesn’t matter.” I shake my head. “The point is I think he might be in Witness Protection now, and he’s scary. It would suck if you suddenly went missing.”
“You do know you’re crazy, right?” he asks, but I know by the way he says it he also thinks I’m being cute.
“How am I crazy?”
“Your landlord is not in the mob, and he’s not in Witness Protection either.”
“How do you know?”
“I just do. Now, as for you getting out of your lease, I’ll talk to him and see what he says. You might have to keep the lease for a couple of months until he can find a new renter, but we can get the ball moving now, and you can still move in here in the meantime.”
I move and rest my chin on the back of my hand against his chest. “Not that I don’t think this will work, but I think it’s a good idea I keep my place for a few months just in case.”
“It’s going to work, Hadley.” He slides his fingers into my hair, wrapping them around the back of my skull. “I promise you, this is going to work.”
“I believe you.” I kiss his chest then rest my head back down. After closing my eyes, I order, “Go to sleep,” and giggle when his body shakes with silent laughter.
“‘Night, baby.” He rolls so we’re chest-to-chest with my face resting in the crook of his neck and his arms tight around me.
And like always when I fall asleep with him, I do it smiling.
Chapter 15
Cobi
“SHE SEEMS DIFFERENT.”
At Kenyon’s comment, I look at where he’s lounging on my deck with a beer in his hand. He and Brie came over for dinner tonight, and after we ate, the girls kicked us out so they could clean up and talk about wedding stuff. I didn’t put up a fight, and neither did Kenyon. We left them to it and came outside with our beers.
“She seems lighter, even with everything that’s happened.”
He’s not wrong. She’s changed the last few weeks. She’s opening up a little more every day and getting more and more comfortable with me, and with us. I thought I got all of her; I thought I understood the woman she was. But I had no clue just how sweet and funny she really is. She’s perfect… perfect for me.
“She’s happy. Not the fake happy she used to be, just plain happy. Thank you for giving that to her,” he finishes.
“I would say you’re welcome, but since I’m the one benefiting from it, I think you’ll get why I don’t.”