Page 118 of Bid For Me

“I’m glad you like the room,” I say, my voice more playful than before. I can’t help but enjoy the satisfaction of seeing her smile. “But that’s not all I got you, Elle.”

Her eyebrows shoot up in surprise. “Wait, there’s more?”

I give her a wicked grin, walking toward the small table I’ve set up in the corner of the room. There’s a black box, the kind you’d expect for a necklace or a small trinket, but when I open it, it’s something completely different.

She blinks, looking at the contents. Inside, there’s a leather-bound journal, with intricate detailing on the cover, along with a set of sleek, black pens beside it. It’s personal. Intimate, in a way.

“I thought you might want somewhere to write,” I say, a smirk tugging at my lips. “But not just any journal. This one’s for whatever you need it to be – whether it’s for your thoughts, your fantasies, your goals…anything.”

Elle looks up at me, her eyes soft with appreciation. “You really do listen, don’t you?” she says quietly, a little smile playing on her lips.

“I told you,” I tease, “I’m not clueless.”

She chuckles, shaking her head in mock disbelief before she takes the journal in her hands, running her fingers over the smooth leather. “I don’t even know what to say.”

“You don’t have to say anything,” I reply, stepping closer again, the playful edge in my voice still there, but tempered by something deeper. “Just use it when you’re ready.”

I can feel her glance at me, studying me like she’s reading a book, as if she’s trying to figure out what exactly I’m getting at. She’s been getting better at that – knowing when there’s something more I’m not saying. And right now, I can tell she’s wondering whether I’m talking about the journal, or something else entirely.

There’s a beat of silence before she says, her voice quieter this time, “You know, I’ve been thinking…”

I raise an eyebrow, giving her my full attention. “What about?”

She hesitates for a second, her eyes flicking to the journal in her hands, then back to me. “You’ve been so understanding about...everything. About us, and about how...new all this is for me. But I have questions. I’ve been thinking about things. About...other stuff. Maybe stuff I didn’t even know I wanted.”

I pause, my chest tightening slightly as I try to process her words. I know what she’s getting at. The way she’s talking now, it’s different. More open. And my heart races in anticipation, because I’ve been waiting for her to bring this up. Waiting for her to ask questions about whatwecould explore – together.

“Ask me anything,” I say, my voice steady but my pulse quickening. “You know you can.”

Her lips curl into a small, uncertain smile. “Maybe I’ll start with something simple. I’m curious...how do you know so much about all this stuff?” She gestures to the journal, to the room, to everything, as if trying to understand the man in front of her.

I think for a moment before answering. “I guess I’ve always believed in going after what you want. And learning along the way. I’m not perfect, Elle, but I know what makes me tick. And if I can help you figure that out too...well, I’ll be there every step of the way.”

Her gaze softens, and she leans in again, pressing a quick kiss to my lips. “I think I’m ready to figure some of that out with you,” she says, her voice low and inviting.

My heart skips a beat as I hold her close, letting the weight of her words sink in. I smile against her lips, feeling more connected to her than ever before.

“Then let’s take our time,” I murmur, kissing her again, this time slower, savoring the intimacy, knowing we’re both on the same page. “We’ve got all the time in the world. But I was thinking maybe we could go out tonight. Do something fun.”

She grins, setting the journal down on the table beside her. “What did you have in mind?”

I chuckle. “You’ll see. I’m just...I’m happy, Elle. And I want to keep showing you how much I appreciate you.”

Her eyes soften, and I can see the warmth spreading across her face. “You don’t need to do that. You already do.”

But I do. I need to.

Because I know how precious this is.

And I don’t ever want to take it for granted.

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX

Elle

It’s beentwo weeks since I moved in with Seb, and everything still feels surreal. I can’t believe how easily we’ve fallen into this new rhythm – waking up under the same roof (I’m still sleeping in the guest room), making breakfast together, spending our days in the comfort of each other’s company. But even with how easy it feels, there’s always that small flutter of excitement whenever we head out together. Our dates, our adventures, they’ve been the highlight of the past few weeks.

We started simple enough, just walking my old neighbour’s dogs at the park, a casual outing that turned into hours of wandering and laughing and sampling a plethora of street food. I’d forgotten how much fun it could be, not needing a plan, just following the dogs and letting the world unfold around us.

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