AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I rested my hand over his bare chest. “I hope there’s time to be naughty in the shower.”
His eyes widened slightly as he gazed down at me. “You continually surprise me.”
“This is just me.” The girl who’d been hiding for the last few years, and it felt good to let her out.
“I like you.” He kissed me on the forehead, leaving the skin that he touched tingling before he turned his attention to the omelet.
“That looks amazing. How come you never make those when Maggie’s here?”
“She’s not a fan of eggs.”
He used a spatula to lift the omelet and slide it onto a plate. “If you don’t like peppers, onions, and cheese, I can make you another one.”
Taking the plate he offered, I said, “This is perfect.”
He patted my ass. “Sit down and enjoy it.”
I sat across from him, cutting a piece and taking a bite. “This is delicious.”
He sliced an avocado, placing a few on my plate. “Get used to a man making you breakfast.” He braced his hands on the counter, flexing his muscles.
“Not just any man. You.” He was the only one I could have opened up to. It was like he had the key to my heart, and with one turn, he released everything I’d been hiding.
He pushed off the counter, grabbing eggs and cracking them into a bowl. He dropped chopped veggies into the mix before pouring it into the pan. “I like where this is going.”
Feeling slightly vulnerable, I asked, “You’re not worried about Maggie?”
He met my gaze. “Let’s take this slow. She doesn’t need to know yet.”
That felt a little like keeping a secret, and I was tired of those. “If things go well, we can though?”
He shrugged. “I don’t see why not.”
I wasn’t sure where I wanted my life to go, but I felt happy for the first time in forever. That meant something, and it was worth holding on to.
I savored the blended flavors of the omelet, enjoying him talk about how his mother doted on Maggie as the first and only grandchild. How her uncles spoiled her.
“She’s a lucky girl.” She had everything I wanted for a child of my own. That surprised me because I’d never even considered the possibility of having kids before, even though I loved them.
“You can be the opposite of your parents. You can create the life that you want. You don’t need to let your past define you.”
“My sister’s doing a pretty good job of that.” She’d opened a business, found her soul mate, and created a family with Amelia. They were happy.
“And you can do the same.”
I smiled. “I like the idea of creating what I want.”
“You’re not a victim of your past. You’re the queen of your life.”
I let his motivating words cycle through my head while he carried his omelet to sit next to me.
“I’m ready to be the queen in my life.” I decided who I let in and how they treated me.
“You already are. You just haven’t realized it yet.”
I felt a renewed sense of purpose. I saw my future with clarity. I wanted to make art front and center in my life. I wanted to bring that joy to other people, teaching them and watching their happiness as they created something too. That was magical.
But at the same time, I loved being here with Sam and Maggie. I wanted it all, and for the first time, I thought I could have it.
