“Those studios over on Elm Street.”
“And now?”
“I rented that house across from the McMurray place.”
That surprises me. “You know where the old McMurray place is?”
He nods. “Yeah, Luca took me by there when he was buying his car. Said he and Austin used to camp there when they were younger.”
I scoff. “They shouldn’t have. That man’s a dickhead.”
Arlo giggles, and my heart slams against my rib cage. “Is he?”
“He is.” I run my fingertips down Arlo’s spine, smiling when he shivers. “A real mean old bastard. I don’t know how he’s still kicking.”
Sighing, Arlo sinks into my body. “Can we spend the day in bed?”
Without a word, I cup the back of his head and tuck his face into my throat, letting my fingers toy with the strands of his hair.
After a week of heartache and questions and missing him, I’m so fucking happy to have him back in my arms and in my bed. One day, I hope he’ll never have to leave. That he’ll want to have me in his and the kids’ lives. That he’ll want to bring them here and stay with me.
I wonder if they like to swim. I have room out back for a pool and a trampoline. Although trampolines are dangerous, and I’d rather not have one. I’ve seen too many injuries. So maybe just a pool.
“Do Salem and Nora like to swim?” I hear myself asking.
Arlo hums. “Yeah, a lot. When I first got my license and could afford it, I used to take them to the community pool in town. They really loved it.”
Definitely putting a pool in the backyard.
Chapter 9
Arlo
“So…”Istart,watchingas Jasper finishes up in what will be Salem’s bedroom. I’m so fucking relieved that he’s here. That he forgave me. That he’s willing to stay with me. “What are we?”
Jasper raises an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”
“Like—” I wave a hand through the air. “Are we boyfriends?”
“I like to think we’re soulmates, but yeah, boyfriends works for me. Why do you ask?”
I grin at him. “Just wondering if I’m allowed to say that I’m turned on right now, watching my boyfriend be all competent and shit.”
Laughing, Jasper shakes his head. “What about this is turning you on, baby boy?”
Is he serious? “You’ve got Competent Daddy going on right now.”
His eyebrows nearly shoot to his hairline as he laughs harder. “Is that right?”
I shrug. “Pretty much.”
I can’t believe the way things have changed in the last three days. After our talk, I stayed the night with Jasper. It was the best sleep of my life. Obviously, I’d slept with him before, but something about it felt different.
He was truly mine. With nothing between us. None of my lies or my secrets. Just us. My stomach flutters just thinking about it. As much as I hate to admit it, Theo was right. Not only did Jasper not balk or run, he just… jumped right in. He helped me finish setting up the house, and now he’s doing a quick check of everything to make sure there’s nothing safety-wise that Maryanne might flag.
It’s probably a little overkill, but I appreciate it nonetheless. And well… Like I said, itishot. Really hot, actually.
I stick my lower lip out in a pout. “I can’t help it that you’re hot.”
