Page 157 of Pretty Obsessed

It had been the best month of my life. Chicago would always be home, and with where his place was in the city, I could walk to anything I wanted. Iris spent most of the time with us, which shockingly eased the rumors about Emory and me dating. I don't think anyone could figure out what was up with the three of us and I preferred it that way. But he'd left a week ago when an opportunity to sit in some writing sessions came up.

"I didn't ask. I just assumed we'd see them when they got here."

"How are we the first?"

I shrugged. "With as anal as Lowe is about time, I'm honestly surprised he didn't beat us all here."

"We should enjoy it." He kept walking towards the tree coverage.

"We not going inside?"

"Is there someone we need to check in with?" he asked, turning around to walk backward and taking my hand in both of his as he did.

"No… Alexander will do all that when he gets here." I tilted my head, not sure what Emory was up to.

"So let's go explore." He made eyes at me that I felt it all the way to my groin.

"Do you have a nefarious design, boyfriend?"

"I may— Wait, ‘boyfriend?’" The smile spreading over his mouth told me he didn't object.

"Is it not an apt description of what we are?" I bought our joined hands to my lips, brushing them over his knuckles.

"I…guess so, but we kind of skipped it and went from friends with benefits to living together. I don't think we did the dating thing." He brushed his fingers over my hip when I got close but didn't stop walking.

How he weaved around the trees without looking, I'll never know. It was a bit impressive.

"Do you think we should date?" The idea amused me. "Should I plan extravagant outings and kiss you under lampposts?"

"Did all your ideas of dating come from black and white movies? Because if so, I'm even more in love with you than I thought I was."

"You're in love with me?" I stopped, forcing him to do the same, tightening my grip on his hands.

He took a step towards me, into my space only our joined hands separating our chests. "Could you not tell?"

"I had my suspicions, but you've never said it." My heart missed a beat I was sure of it.

"I know."

"Is there a reason for that?" I asked carefully, feeling like I couldn't exhale.

"I wanted things to settle and make sure you still felt the same. That it wasn't…" He shook his head and lowered his eyes.

"That it wasn't wanting something I couldn't have?"

"Maybe a little."

"It's not that. I'm happier than I've ever been. Chicago was—"

"Perfect," he finished for me.

"For the first time in years I felt like I could slow down and relax, and I wasn't going to the next thing and the next thing. It felt like home."

"Home. I like the sound of that."

I released his hands, setting mine on the side of his neck. "I don't want to change who I am or what I do, but I want the quiet moments, too. The downtime. The home life. I want it all."

"I love you, River." He leaned up on his toes to press his lips to mine.

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