Adley laughs. “I can go with you.”
“I’d like that a lot.”
“Move in with me,” she says, hope blooming in her eyes. “This can be our first home. We can save up, and one of these days we’ll buy our forever home.”
“Are you ready to take that step?”
“I’ve never been more ready for anything in my life.”
I pull Adley in for a kiss. She sighs against my mouth, and everything about this moment feels perfect.
“You breathed life back into my world,” I tell her. “You brought color to the darkness. You. And I’m never letting you go again.”
“Please don’t. I was so afraid you’d moved on, that you’d taken two weeks and realized how much better off you were without me. I was scared I’d missed my chance. I had no idea how I was going to watch you be a part of our son or daughter’s life, but not a part of mine.”
“You don’t ever have to worry about that. You and me…we created this.” I press my hand to her belly. “I was never going to let you go. I was just giving you space because I thought it was what you wanted. Trust me, I was plotting against you.”
“Oh yeah?” She laughs and gives me the slightest hint of a smile.
“Yeah.” Brushing a stray hair out of her face, I tuck it behind her ear. “I was prepared to pull out the big guns. If moving here didn’t work, I was prepared to charm you and woo you until you had no choice but to fall in love with me again.”
“There is no again, because I never fell out of love with you. In fact, every time you smile or laugh or do something sweet—like paint the baby’s room—I fall more in love with you. My love for you consumes me. You’re all I think about, all I dream about. I just want to be yours again, Lincoln.”
“You are mine, Adley, and I am yours. Forever.”
Forever never sounded so good.
“Will you kiss me now?”
“There’s nothing in this world I would rather do than kiss you.” With her porcelain skin cradled in the palm of my hand, I lower my mouth to hers. Her brown eyes stay locked on mine until our lips touch, and then they flutter closed.
Home.
33
Lincoln
“I need you.” Adley reaches for my shirt, pulling it over my head.
I stop her when she goes for the pants. It’s been two long, lonely weeks, and no way am I letting her rush through this.
Lifting her into my arms, I carry her to her bedroom and set her on her feet. Tonight, I don’t need to sit down and plot ways to get her back. I don’t need to crunch numbers and figure out where I’m going to live. Because tonight, I’ve got the girl. And tonight, I’m going to worship her and show her how much I love her.
“Arms up.”
Lifting her arms, Adley allows me to pull her sleep shirt over her head. Her hair is still wet from her shower, and when it falls against her back, she shivers.
“Are you cold?”
Biting her lip, she shakes her head. I don’t need her to say more, because I get it. It’s the adrenaline, the excitement of us coming together. I feel the same the way. Pushing my jeans and boxers off, I kick them to the side.
“Can you get on the bed f
or me?”
She situates herself, and with a knee on the bed, I reach for her panties. Adley lifts her hips, allowing me to pull them off.
“You’re an angel,” I say, admiring her perfect body laid out in front of me.