Page 98 of Saving You

I shake my head. “Nothing.”

“We should talk.” Those three words have my entire body on edge. We should talk are not words anyone wants to hear.

I hold the blanket to my chest as I sit up and lean against the couch, and Caleb follows suit.

“Okay. What do you want to talk about?”

“First, I want to talk about your place.”

My eyes search his face for any clues about what he’s going to say, but I can’t find anything.

“If you want to sell it, I support you. I don’t want you and Charlie to move out, though. I thought I was showing you that, but I guess I need to say it too. I want you and Charlie to move in permanently. What you do with your place is your choice. If you want to list it, I’ll help you find a realtor. If you want to rent it, I’ll help you find a property management company so you don’t have to be super hands on if you don’t want. If you want to renovate it, I’ll be there with you every day doing everything I can.” He reaches for my hand and squeezes it. “I want to go back and grab all of your things so you and Charlie are properly moved in.”

I move and straddle his lap, taking his face in both hands. I lean forward and kiss him softly. “Of course we’ll move in Caleb.”

His arms wrap around me.

“Second?” I ask.

Removing a hand from my waist, he tucks a piece of stray hair behind my ear. “How do you feel when Charlie calls me dad? This isn’t just about how I feel. You’re her mom and have a say in this. If you don’t want her to call me that, then I’ll sit down and have a talk with her, but I meant what I said earlier. I like it. I will always be there to love and protect her. If she wants to call me dad, then she’s more than welcome to. But if it makes you uncomfortable, then we’ll stop it.”

I run my hands through his hair, feeling the strands between my fingers before moving my hands down the sides of his face and across the hard muscles of his chest. He looks at mequizzically as I continue to move my hands, trying to confirm that this magnificent man in front of me is real. Leaving my left hand on his chest, I move my right to pinch myself. His brows furrow.

“Baby, what are you doing?” he asks as he takes my hand in his, kissing the top before holding it.

“Making sure you’re real and I’m awake because how in the world did I manage to get this lucky? I went from being in an abusive relationship I had to fight my way out of, to managing being on my own and a single mother, to finding you. A perfect supportive man who loves my daughter as fiercely as I do. You have brought us into your family and friend group, all of them accepting us.” I take a deep breath, hoping to hold back the tears that are fighting their way to the surface. “I fall in love with you more and more every day, Caleb Sutton. I don’t know how you’re still single.”

“Baby, we both have baggage. You are so unbelievably strong and resilient. You saved and protected yourself and your daughter. You then came into my life and saved me without even trying. Having you in my life is a privilege I will spend the rest of my life working to earn, and I’m not single. I’m very much taken by a stunning, strong, intelligent blonde woman who surprises me every day.”

He leans forward, his lips dusting over my cheek then my forehead. I close my eyes, savouring his gentle touch. His lips move over each eyelid, my nose, and other cheek before he pulls away. I open my eyes, meeting his. The look in them takes my breath away. If his words weren’t enough, which they were, the look in his eyes would be.

They’re full of love.

“You never answered my question,” he says with a small smirk.

“If that’s the relationship you want with her, I’m not going to stop it. Charlie has decided she wants that with you. Youhave done nothing but love and care for her since we bulldozed into your life. You are an amazing role model for her. I can’t think of a better person for her to call dad.”

I watch the tears gather behind his eyes. One slips free and makes its way down his cheek. I kiss it away and take a deep breath.

“Aren’t we just a mess?” I say on a laugh.

He smiles at me softly. “There’s no one in this world I’d rather be a mess with than you.”

He wraps his arms around me and pulls me into his chest, and I inhale the smell of him. I’m just about asleep wrapped in his arms when his chest moves as a light laugh escapes him.

“Baby, as much I love holding you like this, I need to get up. My ass is starting to fall asleep.”

I laugh and move to get off him, taking the blanket with me and exposing him. My eyes devour him, and he groans.

“I would really love to fuck you senseless again, but I really need a shower,” he says as he pushes off the floor, offering me a hand. I take it and he pulls me up until my body is flush with his. Heat radiates off him as he stares at me. After a few seconds, he takes a step back. Still holding my hand, he leads me upstairs and into the en-suite washroom, starting the shower. He tests the temperature with his hand before bringing me in with him. I allow the water to wash away the craziness of the day.

When we leave the washroom and head into the bedroom, Caleb asks, “Do you need to head back to Lily’s? I can give you a ride.”

I shake my head. “No, Lily offered to take Charlie for the rest of the night and she’ll drop her off tomorrow.”

“So you and me, curled up on the couch with dinner and a movie?”

I smile. “That sounds perfect.”

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