Page 107 of More For Me

I smooth her hair back, loving the way her eyes drift close at my touch, how she leans into my palm when I cup the side of her face.

“It’s okay to freak out,” I tell her. “This is a pretty big deal.”

“But a good big deal, right?” Her eyes drift to my lips and it’s all I can do not to kiss her. I hold back because I want her to feel fully comfortable with this before I do that, and I’m pretty sure once we start, we won’t stop. I don’t want to cover whatever concerns she has with more sex, as tempting as that might be.

“Very good,” I tell her.

She grins, looking shy. But she holds my gaze and I know in that moment that we’re going to be just fine. “I think it’s good, too,” she murmurs. “So, um, we’re doing this, huh?”

“Doing what, exactly?” I run my thumb along the side of her cheek.

She shivers a little at my touch, her eyelids fluttering. “This. Dating. And, you know. The rest.”

It’s hard not to laugh, but I don’t want to make her feel any more awkward. “Can I tell you what I want?”

“Of course.”

I pull her down again, tucking her head under my chin. “I want to go on more dates like last night. And I want to wake up like this with you as much as humanly possible. And I also want to sit around in our sweats having epic romantic movie showdowns. And to hang out with our friends. And go dancing. I want to joke around and be silly with you but I also want to kiss you whenever I feel like it. I want things to be like they were before, but better.”

She sighs happily. “I can get on board with all that.”

“Thank fuck,” I mutter, and she giggles.

“Can I tell you something I want?”

Does she not get that I would walk through fire for her? “Anything.”

“I want you to call meloveagain.”

“Um, okay? Gotta admit, I was hoping you’d ask for something a little less G-rated, but sure, I can call you love.”

She laughs into my chest. “Ilikeit. I’ve never heard you call anyone else love. And when you say it to me…your voice is different.”

I’m pretty sure I’m going to die if I don’t kiss her right now, so I tilt her chin up toward me. “You’re the best girl I know. You get that, right?”

She studies my face for a long moment before she nods, a radiant smile spreading across her face. “You’re the best guy I know.”

“Thank you, love.”

Then I kiss her again. And I don’t stop for a long, long time.

* * *

We stayin bed all morning. Everly even calls down to the front desk to get a late check out. We debate if we should just book the hotel for another night, but we both have work in the morning. I’m a little bit afraid to leave the room. I have this irrational fear that she might change her mind once we leave this little bubble. What if being back at the house or around her too-curious cousins makes her rethink things?

I push those thoughts away and force myself to just enjoy the morning. We order ridiculous amounts of room service and eat it in bed. We wrap up in the fluffy hotel robes and raid the mini-bar while mindlessly flipping through the cable channels. We try out the jetted tub in the bathroom—together.

And it feels like us. Being excited about a swanky hotel room, acting silly, watching bad TV. But also kissing. So much kissing. And amazing sex. And Everly sighing happily when she cuddles into me.

It’s the best morning of my life, hands down.

We completely ignore our silenced phones until we’re getting our things together to leave. Everly takes one look at her screen and lets out a groan.

“What’s wrong?”

“I promised Vega I would test her new brownie recipe at lunch today.” My stomach drops, and I wish we could just hole up in this room forever. As much as I love her family, I really don’t want to go back to reality. I’m not ready to let the magic of the last thirty-six hours go.

She must be feeling the same way, because she chews on her lower lip as she studies the phone. “I’m going to cancel. I can help her another time.”