Total pages in book: 77
Estimated words: 74256 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 74256 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 371(@200wpm)___ 297(@250wpm)___ 248(@300wpm)
“Best Christmas present ever.” She grins.
Not able to stand it a second longer, I lean in and press my lips to hers. My tongue glides along her lips, taking my fill. She opens for me, and I don’t hesitate to taste her fully, allowing our tongues to dance. I lose track of time as we continue to kiss. My hands roam over every single part of her that I can reach. When she rocks her hips, we both moan in pleasure. I need to slow this down. I want to see the home she’s made for us.
“Show me what you’ve done to the place.” I don’t want to stop. However, I know we need to talk. I need her to know that when I tell her that I love her, it’s not only because she’s my best friend. I can’t let us get sidetracked before we have that conversation. I don’t want to go to bed another night without this incredible woman knowing what she means to me.
“Okay. Just know that I can change anything you don’t like.”
“Baby, I’m sure it’s fine. Let me grab my bag from the porch and then I want the tour.” I kiss her again, because I can. Because she’s here in my arms where she belongs. I have a few years left, and in that time, I’m probably going to have to leave her again. I hope like hell by some miracle I don’t.
I do know that once my time is up, I’m done. That’s something else I need to talk to her about. However, first, I need to see the home she created for us.
She stands and takes my hand, walking with me to the door to grab my things. I leave them inside on the floor and give my wife my full attention.
“This is the living room.” She smiles softly.
I let my eyes roam around the room and stop when they land on an enlarged wedding photo of us. “That”—I point to the photo—“is my favorite part.”
She squeezes my hand, resting her head on my shoulder from her spot next to me. “Yeah, that’s my favorite too.”
We continue on to each room. I see her touch in every single one of them. What I also see is me. She has my PlayStation set up in the living room. There are pictures of us everywhere. My running shoes are next to the front door beside hers, and she has a framed photo of her on my side of the bed on the nightstand. In the bathroom, there are his and hers sinks, and all my products are organized neatly. She was just waiting for me to come home.
Emotion wells in my throat. I force myself to swallow over the lump.
It feels so fucking good to be home.
“Well?” Faith asks. She’s peering up at me as she bites down on her bottom lip. She’s worried I won’t like what she’s done with the place. What she doesn’t understand is that as long as she’s living here, I couldn’t care less what she does with it. If she’s in that bed next to me every single night, she can paint our room hot pink with purple polka dots for all I care.
“You did great, baby.” I bend to place my lips on hers.
Now that I’ve had the tour, we need to have that talk. Our bed is calling my name, and I’m not going to sleep until I know that she’s going with me every night for the rest of our lives.
“We need to talk,” I tell her. Instantly, her body stiffens.
“Right.” She nods. “It’s fine, really. I have the guest room all set up as you saw, so I can move in there until I find a place.” She tries to pull away, but my hold on her is firm.
It takes me a few moments to register what she just said. “Wait. What?” I ask her. She tries to step away again, but I’m faster, keeping a tight grip on her hand, and pulling her into my chest. I wrap my other arm around her waist, keeping her close. “Faith?”
“It doesn’t have to be complicated.”
She won’t look at me.
“What are you talking about?”
“You’re home now. This—” she waves her hand between us in the little space that’s left “—was temporary. I should move to my own room.” Her eyes are locked on my chest.
“Fuck that.”
She stills, and her breath hitches. I place my hand beneath her chin so that her eyes meet mine.
“Is that what you want? Do you want to move out of our room?”
“It’s your room, Chad. I’m a guest here.”
“The hell you are.” I scoop her up in my arms and carry her to the bed. I place her down gently and climb above her. My hands rest beside her head, and I’m nestled between her thighs where I belong. “You are not a guest here. This is your home. Our home.”