“You seem much cooler about all of this happening between us than I am,” I say with a note of accusation.
He tilts his head in thought.
“It’s not that I’m cool about it in some blasé way, or like I’m not invested,” he speculates. “Something my dad said has stuck with me. When he made his stipulation that I have to get married, he said that maybe some woman would come along and knock me off my feet. Your face flashed intomy mind at that moment, because you literally made me stumble the first time I saw you.”
My jaw drops.
“I did not,” I sputter.
“It was before you ordered your drink. The moment you walked in with Tania and Carlo, I noticed you and nearly landed on my ass. Then you show up at the bar not long after my dad tells me I have to get married and, lo and behold, getting married would help you, too. I don’t necessarily always believe in fate, but it feels like some force kept pushing us together to get to this point. Maybe it’s Abuela telling me to stop being an idiot. I’m scared as fuck about this blowing up and us both getting hurt, but I don’t see the point in ignoring it either. I’m going to just roll with it,” he says with a helpless shrug.
I bring my head to his chest again and breathe in the clean, cotton smell of his baby blue tee.
“I don’t know how to just roll with things. I’m always in fight or flight mode,” I confess into his shirt.
“I know,” he sighs, kissing my forehead. “I’d rather you fight with me than fly though, ok? Until hopefully, one day, you feel safe enough to not be constantly in that mode.”
It’s not easy to be perceived the way he perceives me. Becoming truly seen when you’ve always tried to hide yourself feels like getting squished between glass and thrown under the most uncomfortable microscope. Thankfully, I’ve learned to perceive him as well, because he’s a lot like me in certain ways.
Both of us were abandoned when we were four, even though he still has his dad and brother. It shaped us deeply enough that it’s affected so many aspects of our lives. This man is sitting here, vulnerable, asking me to not be anotherperson who crushes him by abandoning him without a word.
“I’ll fight with you and for you if you do the same, even if this ends up not working out,” I promise.
“I think fighting with you could be fun,” he rasps with a chuckle, squeezing me tighter and pressing another kiss to my temple.
“Bring it on, Casanova,” I retort with a grin.
Chapter 19
Gage
It’s been a week since the influencer came to the bar, and everything changed for the better. After another breakfast of deliciously greasy sandwiches and coffee, which I think is going to become a weekly tradition if I have anything to say about it, Celeste and I are getting ready for the day. She has to get to the animal shelter soon, while I go into work a little later to open up.
I’m in my office going over some invoices, and the contract for the upcoming farmer’s market pop up before I head into the bar. I look up when Celeste knocks on the doorframe and comes in with a flourish. Tink is chirping on her shoulder, Daisy nests in her hair, and Hermes is on her forearm asking for pistachios.
“Look how cute they…,” she says, trailing off when she sees me. Her lips part as her tongue darts out to lick her lower lip. I try to tamp down my smug smile and hardening dick at the undisguised want in her face.
“What?” I ask innocently.
“Those fucking reading glasses,” she mutters, hergorgeous grey eyes a little glazed over with pure lust as they stare at me.
Oh, this is too good. I love that my glasses do it for her.
“Does my wife have some sort of Clark Kent fantasy?” I can’t help but tease.
“Never been a comic book gal, Milo Thatch was the start of my glasses kink,” she says sweetly.
I snort, absolutely living for her sass.
“Noted. I’ll start looking for Atlantis immediately.”
“Please do. Anyway, just wanted to show you how cute the birds are being, I’ll let you get back to it.”
With that, she walks out with a flirty wink over her shoulder. I might have to start wearing the glasses all of the time if it makes her look at me like that. The birds stick with her, chattering away and playing on her like I don’t exist.
Things between me and Celeste have felt like I’m living in a dream. She’s been snuggled in my bed every night, that amazing red hair splashed across my black pillows, our legs tangled together. I’m not sure I’ll ever be able to sleep well again unless she’s next to me, in my arms. We make out, explore every inch of each other’s bodies, and keep learning what we both like to get each other off. I think neither of us want to screw up what is going perfectly by taking the next step, though.
After a little while, she comes back in to say goodbye.
