Page 154 of Worth the Trip

“You becoming greedy.”

“I am.”

I kissed him. “Good night, baby.”

His smile disappeared against my mouth before he tucked me closer, pulled the covers over my shoulder, and kissed the top of my head.

“Good night, my Hershey.”

I rested my hand over his at my waist. Outside, the storm had weakened to rain moving gently over the lake. My pendant rested against my chest, still mine, still familiar, still available whenever I needed it.

Tonight, I didn’t reach for it.

I reached for Landon.

He was already there.

I woke up smiling like a man who’d finally gotten everything he wanted and still couldn’t believe life had let him keep it overnight.

Nolani was asleep across my chest—warm, soft, and committed to an arrangement that violated every reasonable standard for equitable bed-space distribution. One leg rested between mine, her hand lay open above my heart, and my black T-shirt had slipped low enough on one shoulder to expose enough brown skin to make gratitude feel like the only appropriate morning activity. I probably should’ve thanked God on my knees, but moving would’ve disturbed her, and I wasn’t about to inconvenience my blessing for ceremony.

My woman.

That thought had been walking around my head with its chest out since she said yes. I’d asked clearly. She’d answered the same way. No ambiguity. No vague little situationship with good kissing and poor governance. Nolani was my woman, and apparently, my woman had also decided my chest, shirt, blankets, and most of the mattress belonged to the collective.

Then there was the fact that she’d called me baby.

More than once.

I had degrees that required less concentration than I’d devoted to replaying those two syllables.

Nolani shifted closer in her sleep, tucking her cheek beneath my chin as her fingers curled against my chest. I slid my palm beneath the shirt and rested it against the warm curve of her back. She softened immediately.

Yeah.

Life was showing off.

The storm had passed hours ago. Morning light had begun gathering at the curtains, turning droplets on the windows bright enough to catch the eye. Her pendant rested near her collarbone, untouched. I noticed because I noticed her. Then I left the observation where it belonged instead of turning her sleep into a case study.

I moved my hand an inch higher.

Nolani pressed closer.

My grin widened with absolutely no dignity.

If Lennox saw me like this, I’d have to purchase his silence or restructure our relationship through violence.

Her fingers flexed against my chest before her lashes lifted. Sleep remained in her eyes when she looked up at me and found the smile I hadn’t bothered hiding.

“You look entirely too pleased with yourself.”

“I woke up with my woman wrapped around me wearing my shirt. I’d question my cognitive function if I wasn’t pleased.”

Her mouth curved. “Your cognitive function has been questionable since Willow Run.”

“And you still chose me. That raises concerns about your judgment, love.”

I kissed her forehead. She tried to hide the rest of her smile against my chest.