Page 56 of Bond Strength

The past few years had brought changes, which were usually the bane of my existence.

Ollie’s wife leaving the picture and Liam entering. Felix joining the fray with Cor. And now Noah sitting in a spot I’d believed deep down would forever remain empty. After all, I struggled enough to find people who accepted me outside my family as is, and finding someone who loved me felt like an unrealistic goal.

Except Noah just did. We complemented each other in the most perfect way, and I didn’t think I’d find that again in this lifetime.

Which meant I had to keep him.

However, the shifts had also let me view other areas in my life where I could grow and change. And if Noah could find a new and better career, I could too. Because I hadn’t been lying when I’d told him we were in this together.

“So, out of all the people out there, why Noah?” Aislin asked me, keeping her voice lower. “You’ve never brought anyone home before.”

I shrugged and glanced at him for a second. He was in the middle of a conversation with Cor, his blue eyes bright, his hands outspread, and a massive grin on his face, the same one that used to irritate me. He paused for a second, and our gazes met. The softness in his eyes, the intensity—I’d never found it with another soul.

Fuck, I loved him.

I looked back at Aislin. “He sees all of me. It’s as simple as that.”

And truly, it was.

Chapter twenty-two

Noah

Today was the day.

Declan and I had only been dating a month, but we were going to test-run living together. He didn’t care about his home per se, apart from it being functional to house him and his belongings, and I’d been crafting mine into a dream home for me and…I’d say future partner, but it was always him.

So when we had the discussion, he’d easily capitulated about moving in, but he’d wanted to keep his house until we’d tried living together for a spell, and then he’d sell.

And today he was going to start bringing boxes over. He’d been sleeping over most nights already, so I didn’t expect us to face any massive changes with the shift. However, Declan had stated his needs, and I was too happy to meet them.

My phone buzzed, and I glanced down. My mom was texting.

Do you and Declan want to come over for dinner this week?

A grin spread on my face. We’d already gone over a few times, and my mom was over the moon. We both fell into our patterns a bit too easily of not being direct with what we wanted, but now, I had Declan by my side. A few times, when my mom had made excuses to call me to come over to fix a leaky sink when I hit at my limit for the week, Declan had told her the truth and offered a different timeframe.

Fuck, he was such a genius.

And I wasn’t as burned out as before now that I worked with Brannon Contractors. Ollie and Cor made Brandon look like a nightmare boss from hell with how relaxed and positive they were, and maybe he had been. All I knew was I got to do the job I dug with great people, and it didn’t hurt that I got to see more of my future in-laws all the time. Because I was definitely going to marry Declan someday.

Before I could respond to my mom’s text, keys jangled outside my door. I’d been pretty much pacing back and forth in front of it. My pulse spiked, and I stood still.

The door swung open, and Declan stood in the center.

He’d dressed down into weathered jeans and a beat-up shirt with the life cycle of a star he’d had since high school. His hair was still neatly combed in place, the dark strands richer in the sun, and when he smiled my way, my heart skipped a beat.

That feeling would never stop.

I already knew because he’d been the one who unlocked it.

“So.” He leaned against the side of the door. “I have a proposition for you.”

“Yeah?” I licked my lips. “Does it involve you and I getting naked in our bed?”

Declan glanced behind him. “Not quite. More like another roommate.”

Wait, what?

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