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“I should go get cleaned up.”
“Shower with me?”
I nod my agreement, and before I can move to jump off the counter, he lifts me into his arms, bridal style, and carries me to his room. He sets me on my feet once we’re in the bathroom. He reaches in to turn on the water before placing our towels on the closed toilet seat.
Testing the water and feeling it’s warm enough, I step under the spray and close my eyes. I feel him move in behind me and hear the curtain closing us in. “Let me take care of you, and then I’m feeding you breakfast.”
I keep my eyes closed and my back to him to hide my emotions, but I nod. He does exactly what he said. He washes my hair and cleans my body with the utmost care before wrapping me in a towel, leaving me with a soft kiss before he makes his way back to the kitchen to salvage breakfast.
CHAPTERTWENTY-ONE
Brooks
It’s been fourteen days.
Fourteen days since the best sex of my life.
Fourteen days since I slid into the woman I love with nothing between us.
Fourteen days since I’ve seen her.
I’m going out of my mind. I don’t know how to handle this separation. Our work weeks have been crazy, and then I had to work last weekend. By the time I got home and showered, she was already busy with something. She was with her parents one night, and then the next, she was dress shopping with Ramsey and my mom. My mom has seen my girl, and I haven’t.
That changes today.
Palmer and I have plans to go to the food trucks at Sunflower Park. My idea is to take us back to where it all began and then bring her back to my place. We’ll sit out on the back patio and stare up at the stars, my girl in my arms, and I can tell her that I’m in love with her. She’s never said it, but I’m pretty certain she feels the same way. I mean, she let me inside her body without anything between us. That speaks volumes, right? She trusts me, and when she looks at me, I swear I can see love in her eyes.
She had a shoot this morning, much to my dismay. I’ve cleaned my entire house, done my laundry, and been to the grocery store, and I’m still pacing the floors waiting for the clock to strike six, so I can leave to pick her up. We agreed on six thirty, but I’m going to be early. I can’t take being away from her any longer.
I should have told her that day. I didn’t because I didn’t want her to think I was professing my love because of the phenomenal sex. I want to tell her when it’s just us, being us, doing nothing in particular. I want it to be real and genuine and not attached to anything involving her pussy. That’s how we started, with benefits, and I don’t want to tell her I’m in love with her with sex. I want to tell her I love her with my heart. So, yeah, I didn’t say those three little words that day, even though I felt them in my bones.
My cell rings, so I stop pacing and pull it from my back pocket. “Hey,” I greet my oldest brother.
“What are you getting into tonight?” he asks.
“Oh, uh, nothing much. What’s up?” I hate all this fucking lying. Palmer and I need to clear the air, so I can tell my family that she’s the one for me.
“Nothing. I just haven’t talked to you in a while. You’ve been pretty busy lately.” Guilt floods me. I hate lying to my brothers and my parents. Hell, I hate lying, but for her, I would. I did. I agreed to this mess, and it’s time I make it right.
“Work’s been kicking my ass.” It’s not a complete lie, work has been hectic, and I have picked up a few shifts for various coworkers for vacations and sick kids.
“I hear that.”
“How are things at the shop?” I ask.
“Good. Business is good. Too good.” He chuckles. “I don’t have time for the passion project I started because we’ve been so busy.”
“That’s a good problem to have, brother.”
“That’s what I keep telling myself.”
“What are you getting into tonight?” I ask.
“Nothing that I know of. Jade spent the day with Piper. They went shopping, so she’s coming over, and we’re probably just going to hang out here.”
“You not taking your girl out to dinner?”
“I do, but we’re just not going to do that tonight. She’s had a crazy week, and I’ve missed her, so I kind of want her all to myself,” he admits. “I know that I sound crazy, but I’m telling you, brother, when you meet the right one, you’ll understand. I’d take staying in with her any night over going out without her.”
