Page 31 of You Are My Every Reason

“Thank you. You have no idea what it means for me to have found you that day on the dock.”

“Pretty sure I found you.” He’s teasing me again.

“How about I found you and you saved me?”

“Nah, you definitely saved me, dollface.” I try to argue with him, but he pushes up, getting off the bed in one swift movement. “Shower time.” Rich plucks me right out of the bed. “Then I need to feed you and talk to West and King.”

“Can I go too?” I ask when he puts me back onto my feet. “To talk with everyone?”

“If you want.” He flips on the shower. I do want to. I brought this all here to their doorstep, and it’s time to tell everyone my story of how I’d gotten here. None of them have pushed for information. If I dodged a question, they let me without giving me a hard time.

"I love showers with you." I sigh when he pulls me under the water with him.

"That bath last night wasn't bad." Rich had woken me at some point. I really don't recall falling asleep, but when I woke up, I was in his arms, and he was carrying me to the bathroom and sitting me down into a warm bath. He said my body needed it, cupping my sex as he slipped into the bath behind me.

“It was divine,” I admit. “All my future baths will now pale in comparison. You’ve ruined solo baths for me.”

“Good.” He cups my sex. “How are you feeling?” There is a hint of regret in his eyes, and I know it’s because after our bath I lured him into sex again.

He said I was sore and we needed to wait at least a day. Rich tried to distract me with his mouth, which worked for one orgasm. Then I was asking him to make love to me again. My giant everyone calls an asshole crumbled, giving in to me.

“I’m fine,” I reassure him.

“I should check.” I let him check with his fingers, then his mouth. It’s not long before Rich is deep inside of me, not stopping until we’re both coming in ecstasy. I had no idea these kinds of pleasure existed before him.

“You’ve ruined solo showers for me now too.” I let out a pretend annoyed huff. The man even dries me off and brushes my hair. Really he’s ruined life as a whole if he’s not with me.

“Hoodie?” he asks when I’m sliding panties up my legs. Rich doesn’t wait for a response before he’s shimmying it over my head. The question is more rhetorical than anything. I pull on some black stretchy pants and thick socks. “Clothes are coming for you. This island can take some time to get shit.”

“I’m fine.” I shrug.

“I know, but I want you to have your own stuff too. Things you pick.”

“It might be fun to go to a store,” I admit. “But my father and so many people together give me anxiety.”

“After everything is handled, I’ll take us to the city and shut down a whole store for you.”

“Rich!” I gasp. “That’s insane.”

“They don’t call me Rich for nothing.” He winks at me.

I shake my head at him. This man will do anything for me.

“I’m teasing; why are you giving me watery eyes?” Rich lifts me by my hips, sitting me down on the island in the center of the closet.

“Happy.” I lick my lips. “And sad that I have nothing to give you in return. You do everything, and I’m just here.” Rich throws back his head and laughs. It’s deep and sexy. I should be annoyed that he’s laughing, but it makes me happy to see him this way. Teddy and Willa have told me about how cold and distant he can be.

“You’re laughing at me.” I poke one of his many abs.

“I’m sorry,” he says while still laughing.

“You can’t say sorry and then laugh.”

“It's just ridiculous. I’d give up everything to only have you.” His hands drop to either side of me. Rich moves in closer, his body making my thighs spread to give him room, and believe me, the man takes up a lot. “You make me want to live. To think about tomorrow. I swear I lost myself for a long time. My father fucked with my head so damn much, in the end I became numb, and if I wasn’t numb, I was angry.” Rich drops his forehead to mine.

“We have many things in common.” That first night I never would have thought that.

“We do,” Rich agrees. “And in other ways, we’re polar opposites. We offset each other.We work.I felt it that first night. I knew you were the purpose I was searching for. The darkness had been taking over, and you so easily lit up my life.”

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