AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Before that,” Adam lifted my hands above my head, lacing our fingers together and pinning them to the cushion beneath me.
Realization hit and my cheeks warmed. I hadn’t meant to tell him that I loved him but there was no use in pretending I didn’t. “Are you referring to me saying that I loved you?”
“You love me?” His eyes were golden pools of lust and his sweatpants did nothing to hide the massive erection that was pushing against belly.
“The appropriate response is ‘I love you, too.’” I teased him as I wiggled, trying to get that bulge to where I wanted it most.
“Fuck, angel, of course I love you. You’re my salvation.” My heart stuttered at his words and then his lips were on mine, preventing any further conversation.
Adam loved me, I loved him, any other problems we’d work through them, together.
36
GAGE
“Up there, too.” I pointed to the porcelain chicken that was on top of the cabinets in Mia’s small kitchen.
Grumbling, she grabbed a chair and dragged it over to the counter. When it was in place she climbed on top and stood on her tiptoes, trying and failing to reach the chicken. Setting down the bowl of Fruit Loops I’d been eating, I walked over, curled one arm around her stomach and held her still so she didn’t break her neck. Then I reached up with my other arm and grabbed the ugly bird statue.
Placing Mia on her feet but not bothering to release her, I handed her the chicken, placing a kiss on her frowning face. She examined it for a few seconds before turning it upside down and a small black device landed in her open palm.
“The kitchen chicken, too? Is nothing sacred with you?”
“Kitchen chicken?” I snorted a laugh as I plucked the camera out of her hand and dropped it on the table with the others.
After our discussion last night where Mia had told me she loved me, something I still couldn’t believe, we’d fallen asleep together on the couch. To my great relief, I hadn’t dreamed at all and when I woke, my body was still curved around Mia’s while she drooled all over my chest that she’d been using as a pillow.
This morning had been light and playful. We’d joked and touched while I helped her do chores around the house. Having never been in a relationship, I couldn’t believe something as mundane as dusting and vacuuming could be so enjoyable.
She’d asked me lighthearted questions, like my favorite colors and foods. When she asked me if there was anything I wanted to know about her, I’d told her there was no point, that I already knew everything. She scoffed and started to quiz me, growing more and more frustrated when I got every answer correct.
When she’d jokingly asked me if I knew so much about her because I had cameras in the house, I’d choked on a Fruit Loop, unable to school my features quick enough. Ever since, she’d been tearing apart her place, trying to find all of them. With a few hints from me, she’d found about half of the cameras I’d installed. Now that things were good between us, I planned on being with her as much as possible. Still, if a few cameras went undiscovered that would be fine with me.
“Kitchen chicken. You know, the chicken you keep in your kitchen and it moves with you from place to place.” She picked up one of the cameras and was inspecting it while she spoke like this was a well-known fact.
“Whatever you say, angel. But for the record, there is no chicken in my kitchen.” I picked up my forgotten bowl of cereal and began eating again.
“How sad, all those beautiful renovations and no chicken. We need to remedy this problem, immediately.” Mia was teasing but I couldn’t help but picture that same chicken on my counter while we made dinner together. In fact, I could picture all of Mia’s things in my house.
“I agree. You get the chicken, I can have the rest of y’all’s stuff packed and in my house by dinner.”
Her mouth dropped open and I continued to eat, never taking my eyes off her. “You’re teasing me,” she placed her hands on her hips and gave me a disapproving look.
“Absolutely not. It’d be a hell of a lot easier to keep an eye on you if you were in my house. My cameras are much better, I’ve even got a set of keys.” I washed my bowl in the sink and set it in the drying rack on the counter. Then I kissed her on the temple before going to shower. My girl was speechless and I couldn’t help but enjoy being the one that made her that way.
* * *
“Are you my mom’s boyfriend?”
Kicking the mulch with the toe of my boot, I took tried to steel my nerves before answering. “I’d like to be, how do you feel about that?”
After I’d finished my shower in Mia’s bathroom this morning, I’d come out to find Miles at the breakfast table, looking much better than he had yesterday, while Mia made him pancakes. Seeing him struggle to breathe had been more terrifying than any combat situation I’d been involved in and I hadn’t realized how much I needed to see for myself that he was okay.
He’d been quiet while he ate breakfast, looking at me out of the corner of his eyes but never questioning why I was there. I knew I’d lost his trust, that I’d hurt him by leaving, just like I’d hurt Mia. When I’d suggested that we go to the park and hang out for a while, he’d agreed and Mia had looked relieved. I owed Miles an explanation and he deserved to be consulted on my relationship with his mom.
He shrugged his shoulders and kicked the mulch beneath him like I had, his toes barely reaching the ground from the swings we were sitting on. This shit was hard, I had no idea how parents did this all day without worrying they were somehow traumatizing their kids. I didn’t have any experience with children, outside of Grey and Kane’s where I got to be the fun uncle. That’s not what I wanted with Miles, I wanted the three of us to be a family. And that started with me making things right.
“Did you know I was raised by my grandmother?” He shook his head but gave me his full attention. “She did it all. I never knew my parents but it didn’t matter because I had her. My Gram was awesome, she would’ve loved you. I bet she would’ve snuck you candy before dinner like she did for me.” I gently nudged his shoulder, making him smile.
