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We lay there, entangled in each others arms all night. We don’t speak, because we don’t need to. Nothing needs to be said.
Knowing he’s here for me is all I need.
Chapter Twenty
Max
It’s been over a week since we almost had sex, and while I’ve seen her plenty of times outside of work since then, things aren’t as relaxed as they used to be. I chuckle to myself as I sit down at my desk with a coffee. When have things ever been truly relaxed between us?
It’s Thursday evening, and while I should’ve been home an hour ago, I’m determined to get the rest of this shit done, which will allow me to a weekend without worrying about work. We’re getting close to the end of the school year, which means reports, teacher evaluation meetings, and preparation for the next school year.
On top of all that, I’m racking my mind trying to think of a way to show Kiara how much she means to me. I need her to know I’m willing to wait for as long as it takes for her to be comfortable moving on. The thought of not being with her at all…it just isn’t an option.
A plan hatches in my head. I call Grant to see if he can help.
“Yo,” he says, answering my call. “What’s up?”
“I need a favor. I want to surprise Kiara with a weekend away. Would you guys be able to look after Tilly this weekend?”
“Sure, no problem. Good work, man. A romantic getaway will serve you well.” He chuckles. “I guess that means things are going well?”
“They’re not going bad.” I grin. “I don’t want to jinx anything, but I really like her. I’m hoping to show her that by doing something nice to take her mind off things, you know?”
“Yeah. She’s a good girl. I hate that all this is happening to her,” Grant agrees. “She deserves to have some good happen in her life.”
We chat for a few more minutes, and arrange to catch up the following weekend for a drink. Hanging up, I’m excited to start planning our weekend away. Work can wait. I pull out my laptop and load up Google. I have the perfect place in mind.
Set in the hills, the retreat I have in mind offers secluded cabins advertised as perfect for a romantic getaway. The description of the wraparound balcony and huge sunken hot-tub in the living room seal the deal for me. I book us for two nights. In the back of my mind, I’m worried that she’s going to say no. If that turns out to be the case, I guess Grant and I will be sharing a hot-tub.
***
Somehow, I manage to get through the next day without giving the game away. She leaves work on Friday, hinting that maybe she’ll see me over the weekend at some point. I take that as a good sign. Not telling her is proving to be harder than I thought. My plan is to turn up at her house tonight after work and whisk her away, but I’ve always sucked at keeping surprises a secret.
As early as I can drag myself away from my office, I go home and pack. I throw a few things in a bag and quickly have a shower before setting off to pick up Kiara. As I pull up in her driveway, panic is beginning to set in. We’ve been getting closer, but spending a weekend together is a pretty big deal. With all the stress she’s been under, I’m beginning to think putting her on the spot like this wasn’t my smartest idea.
Too late now.
I walk up the path, almost tripping over a pair of pink roller skates and a pink bike, complete with training wheels. My heart is thumping so fast when I knock on the door. She’s going to say no. I can just feel it. I’m the master of bad timing.
She opens the door, her eyes lighting up when she realizes it’s me.
“Hey.” She smiles. “I wasn’t expecting to see you so soon.” She glances around. “Tilly is still up, but I guess you can come in.”
Fuck. I didn’t even think about how my turning up out of nowhere would affect Tilly. I should’ve arranged for Ellie to pick her up beforehand. The last thing I want her to feel is pressured to call us something when she’s not ready. How do you explain to a five-year-old that we’re just seeing where things go?
“Are you sure?” I hesitate.
She takes my hand and drags me inside. “
She’s got to get used to you eventually, right?” Her head tilts to the side and a smile slowly builds on her lips.
Her words spur me on. I lean in and give her a quick kiss on the lips. Her grin widens.
We walk inside. I’m crazy nervous about coming out about our relationship to Tilly and how she’ll react. As I walk into the living room, it quickly becomes apparent that I needn’t have worried. She sits cross-legged at the coffee table, surrounded by crayons and a coloring book.
“Hi, Mr. Walker,” she says, looking up from her work.
And that’s it. No explaining why I’m there on a Friday evening, no trying to simplify our relationship into a five-year-old’s language—she just accepts it. I can almost feel the weight lifting off my shoulders.
