Page 22 of Objection

“Ease up off me, princess,” I urged through my laugh as she giggled. “But let’s make a pact.”

“I’m listening.”

“Let’s expand our palates together. We’ll travel and become more cultured in all things—art, food, and ethnicities. New states, countries, and continents. I want to literally put the world at your feet.”

Her head shook as she looked up at me in awe. “I love you.” Her declaration caught me off guard. “Thank you for helping me turn into the best version of myself. Thank you for sharing your life with me.”

“You love me?” I echoed, wrapping my arms around her.

“Mhm. And I don’t want you to feel obligated to sa—”

“I love you too, princess. I have for a while now.”

“Why didn’t you say anything?” she asked sweetly with a warm smile.

“I didn’t want to push you away and make you think I was moving too fast. Hell, I had to take you to a whole different country just to get you to admit you like me.”

She laughed. “Oh stop, it wasn’t that bad. But I can admit the impromptu trip to Greece gave me the courage to be honest about how I felt for you.”

“Same. I’d take you across the world if it gives me access to your heart.”

“That’s not necessary, babe. You’re already locked tight inside. Please don’t make me have to release you.”

“Trust me . . . I won’t.”

Serenity

One Week Later

My smile had been a permanent fixture for the whole week. Kaos was right—he’d put together the perfect week for us. If this was how he celebrated us becoming an official couple, I couldn’t wait to see what he’d do to celebrate us when we got married. The past seven days had been spent blissfully traveling from Napa Valley and Las Vegas for wine and fine dining and gambling to the Hamptons and Dallas for shopping. I even got him to be brave enough to try sushi for the first time, and his expression was my favorite part of the trip.

I wanted to take a long, hot shower when we made it to his place, and since he didn’t need his water as hot, we showered separately. I wasted no time oiling myself down and spraying a few pumps of perfume before pulling my hair up in a bun and slipping into one of his T-shirts. By the time I was done, he was already in bed. I cuddled up next to him and sighed in contentment.

“You’re the first man I’ve never gotten annoyed by. Usually I get tired of spending so much time with a man, but that isn’t the case with you.”

He chuckled as he flipped through the streaming channels on his TV. “Thank you, princess. I feel the same way about you. I used to love spending time away from a woman. Not just because it helped me figure out how I felt about her but also because a woman that gave me too much access to her was a turn off. I can’t get enough of your ass, though. If I felt like you’d say yes, I’d ask you to move in with me.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. I want to wake up next to you and go to sleep next to you. You truly increase my happiness and peace.”

“You should ask,” I encouraged with a smile. “You never know what my answer will be.”

“Don’t play with me, woman,” he warned.

“I’m serious, baby. Ask.”

“Will you move in with me?”

“Yes,” I crooned, and the shock that covered his handsome face made me laugh.

He sat up. “Let’s go pack your things.”

“Babe!” I laughed as I pulled him back down on the bed. “I’m tired and I know you are too. We can do that later.”

“I’on want you changing your mind.”

“I won’t,” I assured him, running my fingers over his hair. It had grown in some and was longer than he’d usually keep it, allowing the few gray hairs he had to shine through. “Your hair is softer than I thought it would be. I was always told gray hair was coarse.”

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