“Okay,” I agree, melting at his words. Anytime he mentions wanting to take care of me I fall a bit more in love with him. Which is both scary and exciting. If love is what I’m feeling, it isn’t something I’m used to.
“You have English Lit first with Professor Warlo?”
“Yeah. You stalking me or something?”
“Yes,” he says with no shame before he kisses me. “You don’t have a major picked or it hasn't been updated.”
“I don’t know what I want to do yet.” I shrug before picking up my milk and taking a sip. Reese’s life is all together and stable. I worry he’s going to figure out I’m a bit of a mess. One that he doesn't want to deal with. “I thought I would do the basics and something might come to me.”
“There’s nothing wrong with that.”
I turn my head to face him. He always says what I need to hear. “I’ve been a bit lost,” I admit.
“You’re not lost anymore,” he says before he kisses me again.
He’s right. I want to cling to him and never let go, but I know not all relationships work out, and we’re still so new. He’ll probably think I’m crazy if I admit I’m pretty sure I am in love with him already.
He finishes feeding me breakfast before taking me upstairs to soak in the tub. I try for a quickie, but all he does is go down on me and make me get ready. He told me I need to rest my pussy, which was bossy and demanding. But since he has my best interests at heart, I didn’t mind so much.
I was a bit tender after last night because we couldn’t keep our hands off each other. He’d spent most of last night inside of me, and clearly we were both making up for our lack of sex before now. Reese made it clear with his sweet words he’d whispered into my ear that he had no regrets. He was right: It was worth the wait. It made what we have so much more special and gives me hope that this could be a forever thing for us. Even if I’m still young.
“Mae?” I come to a stop when I enter the closet with Reese’s robe wrapped around me. “What are you doing?”
“Helping unpack.” She’s got some of my clothes on hangers already as she moves some of Reese's clothes around.
“In here?” I worry my bottom lip between my teeth.
“Of course, in here.”
“Maybe I should talk to Reese. I mean—”
She cuts me off. “I already spoke with him.” She holds up a flowy dress. “This is adorable. You should wear it today.” She hands it to me, changing the subject. I grab a pair of flats that go with it and get dressed.
I know Reese put me in his room the first night, but I didn’t know it would be permanent. I can’t help but smile. I need to stop thinking that all of this could end at any second. Reese is showing me what he wants for us, and that means more than any words he could give me. Okay, except maybe I love you.
I finish getting ready and grab my bag. My phone chimes with a text from Reese letting me know the driver is pulling up. The doorbell sounds a second later, and my heart drops when I open the front door and see my father standing there.
“Heidi.” I open and close my mouth, but no words come out. I can’t believe he’s here. “How much?” His face shows no emotion as he asks the question.
“How much?” I repeat, confused.
“Don’t play games with me. It didn’t work for your mother, it won’t work for you. How much for you to leave? A million?”
“A million?” What am I, a freaking parrot now? I can’t find a voice. Is this really happening right now?
“Fine. Fine, but I better never see your face in this state again.” He pulls a piece of paper out from the inside of his suit jacket and shoves it at me. I have no choice but to take it. What a fucking asshole.
“Stay away from me,” I hiss as I step around him and run toward the SUV waiting in the driveaway. My father calls after me, but I ignore him.
“Everything okay?” the driver asks when I get in.
“Fine,” I lie. He looks at me in the rearview mirror. “I don’t want to be late.” He nods and pulls out. It’s not until we’re almost to campus that I finally look at the paper my father shoved at me. It’s a blank check with his signature already written out to me.
I shove it into my bag in disgust. He’s worried I’m going to mess up his perfect family or something. Fuck him. Reese is the closest thing to love I’ve ever had. There’s no price on that. I’m not my mother, and I’m not going anywhere. I might not have a clue what I want to do in my life, but I know I want to be with Reese.