“Ember, what’s the situation with your townhome?”
“Chloe bought it. We pay her rent. Why do you ask?”
“Are you locked in?”
“I’m not sure what you mean. That’s where I live, so, yes.”
“I mean, with the right amount of notice, can you move out? Can Cruz pay for it on his own?”
She stops and looks at me quizzically. “Tell me why you want to know.”
I tug her into me, moving her arms around my neck, and place my hands on her hips. “My lease it up soon. I’d like to buy a house- a house with you.”
Her eyes grow wide in surprise. “Really? You want us to live together?”
“Absolutely. Let’s start moving your stuff to my place when we get back to Nashville. Keep paying rent until we figure out what Cruz wants to do, but we can start looking at real estate next week.”
“Robbie, living together is one thing, but buying a house? This is a huge commitment.”
“We’re a huge commitment. I love you. You love me. I’ve wanted you in my life since the day I brought you lunch and your sweet mouth described a blow job. If you want me to extend my lease, I will, but a house will be a good investment. And since you’ll be living in it, you should have a say so.”
Her face swarms with different emotions, and I wait for her next protest. Instead, she smiles widely and nods her head.
“I have some money in savings —”
My lips cover hers and cut her off. “I’ve got it. Save your money. You can do the decorating.”
“I can’t believe this,” she says quietly. “We’re moving in together.”
“It’s about fucking time.”
She starts giggling, her head lying on my shoulder. Pretty soon, she’s breathless and snorts. “My dad’s going to freak! Not that he doesn’t love you, but he still lives in denial and ignores the fact that I spend most of my time at your place.”
“Thad gets where I’m coming from. He’s smart enough to know this is the first step of many.”
She stills in my arms and brings her eyes to mi
ne. They are glimmering with happiness. “One of many, huh?”
“Absolutely.”
She lifts up and kisses me sweetly, forgetting we’re on a public beach. I squeeze her ass, pulling away and trailing my lips to her ear.
“I think this is a good enough reason to go back to the room now?”
She pulls away and shakes her head. “I’ll make you a deal. You give me a few more hours on the beach, maybe some shopping, and then tonight, your choice. We’ll skip dinner—again—and get room service.”
“Deal.”
Her eyes turn soft and she rests her forehead against mine. “Thank you, Robbie, for making me happier than I ever thought possible.”
“This is only the beginning.”
Ember
“It’s a terrific idea. It’s not really a surprise, either,” Cruz comments after I recap my conversation with Robbie.
“No matter what, I’ll take care of my portion of the rent until you figure out what to do.”