Page 36 of My Ex-Military Biker

Both eyes open now. She's fully awake. "Are you asking me to stay or asking if I'm planning to leave?"

"Telling you I want you to stay."

"Then yes. I'm planning on being here enough mornings that your terrible schedule becomes my problem too."

Something in my chest that's been tight since I woke up loosens.

"Good," I say.

We look at each other for a moment. Then she shifts slightly and winces.

"Sore?" I ask.

"Very."

"I'll get you something for that."

"In a minute." She reaches out, puts her hand on my chest. Just rests it there. "Just lie here with me first."

I lie there. Her hand warm on my chest. Neither of us speaking. Just breathing together in the gray predawn light.

After a while she speaks quietly. "I've never done that before."

"I know."

"Not just the sex. I mean... I've never chosen something just because I wanted it. Never let myself want something that much. It's always been about what I should want, what makes sense, what other people expect."

I don't respond. Just listen.

"And now I'm lying in your bed covered in marks you left and I'm sore everywhere and I should probably be freaking out about how fast this happened. But I'm not. I'm just... here. And I want to be here. And that's enough."

She pauses. Her hand moves slightly on my chest. "Is that crazy?"

"No."

"You sure?"

"I don't do crazy. If it was crazy I'd tell you."

Small laugh. "You would, wouldn't you."

"Yeah."

More silence. Comfortable. Her hand stays on my chest. I can feel her pulse through her palm.

"I need to tell you something," I say eventually.

"Okay."

"I don't do this. Don't bring people into my space. Don't let people stay. Built my life specifically so I didn't need anyone for anything."

"I know."

"You being here changes that."

"I know that too."

"And I'm keeping you anyway."