21 Days (Time for Love 2)

TJ closed his eyes and rested his forehead against mine. I saw his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed, and I knew he was trying to get control of his emotions.

“Thank you, Red, that really means a lot,” he said after a few seconds. “I want to be your partner too, in every sense of the word, and it means a lot that you’re willing to compromise with me. How the hell did I ever get lucky enough to deserve you?”

“I think we deserve each other,” I responded with a smile, then pulled his lips down to meet mine.

Epilogue – TJ

I sipped my coffee, looking around the kitchen with a grin as I waited for Sasha’s cup to finish brewing.

After a few weeks of Sasha’s things slowly appearing around the apartment, and not just toothpaste and tampons, but pieces of furniture, she’d asked how I felt about her putting her house on the market. It had been a no brainer, really. Sasha had been spending every night with me, and making it official was just a technicality. It hadn’t taken long for her house to sell, and we’d put the furniture that came with this apartment in storage with some of her things, and had moved the rest in here.

We were becoming pros at compromising, I realized with a chuckle. The linoleum may be dingy, and the countertops old, but the appliances in the kitchen were top of the line. The same could be said for the furniture throughout the house. We’d only brought the items that would fit comfortably, without cluttering the apartment, but Sasha had managed to make this small apartment look like a home.

When her coffee was finished, I placed it on the tray with mine, and took it back toward the bedroom. Sasha was splayed out over the bed. Her red hair was vibrant against the cream sheets, with a sheet barely covering her naked hips. My heart kicked into overdrive as my eyes took in every inch of her. She was perfect. And she was mine. I could hardly believe I’d gotten so lucky.

I placed the tray on the nightstand and my hands on the bed, leaning over to nuzzle Sasha’s neck. When she moaned appreciatively, stretching her long limbs and turning her head slightly to give me better access, I grinned against her skin, then began to nibble my way toward her ear.

“Morning, Red,” I murmured when I reached my destination.

“Mmmmm, no,” Sasha responded, her voice rough. “More sleep.”

She reached her arm up, grabbing for me, and trying to pull me onto the bed. I shifted so I could comply and crawled in next to her, then pulled her against me.

“I made breakfast,” I said as her head settled on my chest.

“Mmmmm,” she replied, snuggling deeper into me. I doubted she’d even opened her eyes yet.

“And coffee,” I added, my arms wrapping around her warm skin.

“I love you,” she mumbled, and I could feel her lips widen against my chest.

I leaned in, inhaling the sweet scent of her hair before kissing her on the head and replying, “I love you too.”

I closed my eyes and let myself appreciate the moment. I’d been doing that a lot more lately … Appreciating the good moments in my life. Maybe because I knew what it was like to be miserable, and to feel like I had no one to count on but myself, I was truly able to appreciate how great my life was now. Not just my relationship with Sasha, which was better than I ever could have hoped it would be, but opening the shop with Cal. All of the

paperwork was complete, and Cal, Scott, Sasha, and I were officially business owners. I was spending my days ordering what we would need in the shop and helping Cal go over applications for the positions we would hire. Things were moving in a direction that just a few months ago I never would have believed, and I couldn’t be happier.

Sasha propped her head up on her hand and finally allowed her eyes to flutter open.

“What kind of breakfast?” she asked sleepily.

“French toast with bacon and fresh strawberries,” I replied, bringing my thumb up to run it over her full bottom lip.

She parted her lips slightly and kissed the tip of my thumb, “Bacon,” she said on a moan, causing me to chuckle.

I reached over to pick a piece of bacon up off the table. When she reached for it, I pulled it back and shook my head. “I want to feed you.” Sasha arched her brow, dropping her hand and grinning naughtily. She licked her lips slowly and waited patiently for me to bring the bacon to her lips. She nibbled it slowly, then licked my fingers when the bacon was gone.

“Yum,” she said throatily. She laid back against the pillows, her body exposed for my perusal, and looked up at me through her lashes as she asked, “What’s next?”

Seriously … my life couldn’t get any better.

Please keep reading for an excerpt of book 3 in the Time for Love Series, 42 Hours.

This is Scott and Gaby’s story.

Chapter 1 – Scott

“Maria, have you heard anything back from Mr. Brandt on tomorrow’s meeting?” I asked my secretary through the speaker phone.