Page 57 of Sundown Somewhere

Hux pauses, chewing slowly, then setting his utensils down. “Are you asking will I still fuck you when we get back to Hickory Hills?”

Among other things…

“I was trying to be less crass about it, but yes.”

“I meant what I said the other night at dinner. I’m happy being the man in your life. Whatever form that takes.”

I nod, slipping my hand under his. “I want it to still take that form. Only…”

“Only…”

“I need to know that I’m it. I mean, not that I’m it it, like endgame kind of it, but as in, there won’t be others. No skinny little brunettes making special appearances.”

“Dolly, if you’re in my bed, as the woman in my life, then there won’t be any others. In any other way.”

Thank fuck…

My body relaxes, the breath I’d unconsciously been holding on to seeping out of me. Hux chuckles, watching my physical reaction and apparently finding something about it humorous. I’m glad one of us does.

“Anything else?” he asks, returning to his crepes. “Also, please eat.”

Now it’s my turn to laugh. Leave it to him to worry about me eating. Picking up my fork, I cut off a corner of the pastry, popping it into my mouth. The sugary sauce melts on my tongue and I let out a little moan, unable to control myself.

“Good girl.”

Oh fuck…let’s not start that, Hux Hayes…

“Errr, so…what if I want things to be more than physical?” I ask, trying to maintain my composure. Which is damn near impossible since I’m pretty sure that two-word sentence just ruined my panties.

“I don’t follow.”

“This…whatever this is. Man, woman, life thing.”

Yeah, that’s nonchalant. Casual. Totally not trying to put a label on anything or stake my claim.

“Doll, what do I need to do here to make you understand that I’m in this? You want me to be your booty call? Fine. Your handyman? Been there, done that. Will continue. You want it all? I’m here. I’m in.”

He’s in. Hux is all in…

I swoon. Seriously swoon. Something that I don’t know that I’ve ever done. This isn’t a feeling Jeff ever managed to conjure up. Even when he asked me to marry him.

“I want it all,” I tell him, then drop my voice to a whisper. “And the cute little white house.”

Yeah, I’m staking my claim. I don’t know if this can work, but damn it, what if it can? What if it’s been in front of me this whole time?

“We have a whole folder full of those.”

That we do. A very full folder. Hux has been committed to helping make that piece of my dream come true for years, acting as my partner in crime as I squirrel away ideas. Supportive of even the craziest suggestions I could come up with. Always.

“There something else?” he asks, examining my expression, reading me like an open book. I shake my head, taking another bite, delaying my answer. But Hux doesn’t skip a beat, calling me out on it. “Your eyes tell me otherwise.”

“Would you object if I said I wanted to keep this between us for now?”

“You want me to be your dirty little secret?” Hux waggles his eyebrows, giving me the same kind of look Joey on Friends would while asking “How you doin’?”

I kick him under the table, my foot barely connecting with his shin, but he mouths “ow,” pretending to be hurt.

“No. But it’s not the world’s business either, and I…”