AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I could have jumped over the fucking moon, but I managed to keep my reaction limited to a small smile. “Good.”
Tess smiled back at me, and affection flared in my chest like a forest fire, wild, bright, and powerful. I slanted my mouth over hers, kissing her slowly and thoroughly. Glowy, warm happiness spread through my limbs, and I rolled onto my back, dragging her with me.
She shifted to make herself more comfortable on top of me and laid her cheek on my chest, using me as her pillow. I let out a contented sigh. This right here? This was as close to heaven as I could imagine.
I stroked my hand down her back and cupped her ass. “So you’re not going to date anyone else, right?”
Her soft laughter vibrated through my body. “Honestly, where would I find the energy? How much sex do you think I need?”
“For the avoidance of doubt, I think we should amend our existing contract to include an exclusivity clause.”
She lifted her head and gave me an amused look with accompanying raised brows. “I wasn’t aware we had a contract.”
“Verbal agreements are legally enforceable.”
“Hmmm.” Her cheek rested against my chest again. “In that case, maybe I should consult an attorney.”
“Lucky for you, you happen to be sleeping with one.”
“Isn’t that a conflict of interest, counselor?” Her fingers sifted through my chest hair.
“Not at all. As your lawyer, I advise you to agree to everything I say.”
She snorted. “Oh, well in that case…”
“Tess,” I said softly, squeezing her hip to let her know I was serious. “I just need to hear you say I’m the only man invited into your bed.”
She wasn’t the only one in this relationship with insecurities. My feelings had run away with me, and I needed to know I wasn’t all alone standing on this cliff. Getting her to talk about mushy stuff like feelings and commitment was about as easy as catching a fish with your bare hands. It was hard not to notice how her gaze shifted away uneasily whenever things started to get too emotional.
I had to wonder how a woman as extraordinary and exquisite as Tess had become so afraid of expressing her feelings. She behaved like someone who’d been taught to expect rejection, using snark and sarcasm as a shield to avoid saying anything too real. It was almost as if, underneath all her defense mechanisms, she didn’t believe she deserved to be loved. It was a troubling thought, considering how crazy hard I’d fallen for her.
She tipped her head up and rested her chin on my chest, pinning me in place with her eyes. For once, she didn’t make a joke or shy away. “You’re the only man invited into my bed,” she said quietly.
I let my smile break free. “Thank you.”
One of her eyebrows twitched upward. “I assume it goes both ways?”
“Obviously.”
“Good,” she said and laid her head down on me again.
My hand smoothed up her back, and she made a happy noise. Silence fell between us as a siren passed by on the street outside. Her condo was lower than mine and got a lot more city noise. I kind of liked it though. It felt less isolated than my place higher up in the sky. Although maybe it felt that way because Tess was here.
“Can I ask you something?”
She sighed. “I assume it’s going to be uncomfortable if you feel the need to ask permission.”
“I’m just being nosy. You don’t have to answer if you don’t feel like it.”
“Fine.”
“You’ve never been married, right?” I was pretty sure she hadn’t—I’d never heard anything about it through the alumni grapevine—but it seemed worth clarifying.
“Correct.”
I stared at the ceiling as I tried to figure out how to phrase my question without sounding like an asshole.
When I didn’t say anything else, she lifted her head and gave me a curious look. “Was that it? That seems too easy.”
