Page 23 of Yours To Keep
“What do you wanna be when you grow up, Magnolia Azalea?” Dalton asks, his fingers tracing lazy circles on my thighs as he rests his head across my knees.
“I think we’re both already kinda grown up,” I laugh, playing with the long hair at the nape of his neck. I’ve never felt so comfortable with anyone in my life as I do with Dalton. I’ve spent every second of my time on this earth feeling insecure about one thing or another. But laying in this bed in nothing but Dalton’s t-shirt, my kindle in one hand and the other tangled in his hair, I actually feel like I belong somewhere.
“I’ll never be grown up. Not if I can help it,” he grumbles, burying his face against my skin, peppering tiny kisses across my thighs.
“Why doesn’t that surprise me?” I giggle, loving the way it feels to just lay here with him like this. “Can I tell you something?”
“Anything, angel,” he says without hesitation or lifting his head.
“It’s not a huge secret. I mean, I’ve told the girls. But my parents don’t know,” I say, biting my lip nervously. Instinctively, I begin picking at my nails the way I always do when I’m nervous.
“You canalwaystell me anything, Magnolia,” he says, pulling my hands apart and threading his fingers through mine. The gesture seems so simple, but it grounds me like nothing even has before.
“I want to own Revamp someday. Actually, I’ve been going to college to get my business degree for almost four years now. I’m nearly done, and I still haven’t told my parents,” I say softly, gnawing on the sensitive flesh of my bottom lip. He bounces upright, nearly knocking me over.
“What?! That’s so cool! Why wouldn’t you tell anyone that? And why do you take so much shit from Malcom when you couldask for a better position? Fuck, you could take his job and go so much further than he has, angel.” He asks, prying my teeth from my lip.
“When I was younger, my mother always told me a good wife doesn’t need to work. All she needs is a wealthy man to take care of her, and a full social calendar. Even though it’s not exactly how I dreamt it would be, I’m proud of how hard I work at Revamp. I could have turned into a spoiled trust-fund baby. Lord knows my mother would have been happier. But I didn’t, and I’m so proud of myself for that.” He rolls his eyes when I talk about my mother, and I smirk, knowing exactly how he feels about her ideals.
“Well, that’s the dumbest shit I’ve ever heard. I’m telling everyone we know. That’s incredible, Magnolia. The fact that you’ve heard that kind of bullshit from her and still did everything you could to make your dreams come true, just for yourself, is amazing. You should be so proud,” he says, and a small smile splits my lips. I am proud. And honestly, I know my dad would be proud, too. Probably pissed about the fact that I have a trust fund, yet I still took out thousands in student loans to avoid telling anyone why I needed the money. But proud regardless.
“So what would you do to make Revamp exactly what you dream, Miss Monroe? Tell me it’s you walking around in one of those business skirts with no panties and you’ll be a fuckin’ dream come true, I swear,” I laugh loudly at his ability to turn anything sexual. He’s forever a teenage boy.
“No,” I say, rolling my eyes with a smile. I never seem to stop smiling around this man. “Actually, my degree is in Business Management. I want to make Revamp the kind of place where anyone, no matter your size or style, feels comfortable shopping. It sounds kind of frivolous, but building that confidence insomeone is so…I don’t know. It’s important to me, I guess.” He stares so deeply into my eyes, a wide, goofy grin on his face.
“You’re telling me you’re a sexy virgin business lady? I’m gonna fucking DIE, angel. I swear. I dreamed this, I promise you I did. I must have done something damn good in a previous life to deserve this.” He blows out a dramatic breath, staring up at the ceiling like he’s talking to God.
Smacking his chest, he captures my hand in his, falling backwards and taking me with him. Pulling my body on top of his, I rest my head against his bare chest, running my fingers over his smooth skin. He lifts my chin until his crystal blue eyes meet mine. He kisses me softly, barely touching my lips with his. I don’t think I’ve ever felt so much peace before in my life as I do when he’s kissing me. Using one hand to move my head wherever he wants me and the other to cup my ass cheek, gripping my body tightly to his, he devours me. We kiss for an eternity, or maybe only seconds. Either way, I’m breathless when he finally breaks away, kissing my forehead as I curl into his chest.
“You’re not what I expected,” I whisper, hoping he doesn’t take it the wrong way.
“Yeah, I hear that a lot. Usually it’s not a good thing,” he laughs and I just shake my head.
“I’m glad. I don’t think I wouldn’t have liked the fake version of you. I like this one much better,” I say, placing a kiss above his heart.
“Well, since we’re sharing secrets here, I guess I can tell you one,” he says, and I look up at him, not willing to move from his arms. “This is the best birthday I’ve had in a really long time, Magnolia.”
His words don’t register with me at first. I’m too distracted by the feeling of his callused fingers stroking up and downmy spine. But when they do, my eyes shoot open wide. His birthday?!?
“What?!” I screech, and he pulls a guilty face. “What do you mean it’s your birthday?!”
“Caught that, did ya?” He says, laughing softly. I try to sit up, but he holds me to him tightly.
“Why didn’t you tell me, Dalton? I would have done…something!” I say, throwing my hands up. He’s always so busy worrying about making everyone else smile, he never takes the time to do the same for himself.
“Magnolia, didn’t you hear what I just said? This is the best day I’ve had in a long,longtime. I’m exactly where I want to be,” he says, kissing my hair softly. “Tá tú cad ba mhaith liom, aingeal, go deo.”
“The only part of that I understood was angel,” I tell him, and he laughs.
“It’s not important, Mags,” he tells me, and I almost believe him. If I’m really gonna make something of this relationship, I’m gonna have to learn Gaelic.
“Everything you say is important to me.” Snuggling tighter into his chest, I breathe in his woodsy scent, committing this moment to memory.
“There is one thing you could do for me tonight,” he says, twirling a rogue curl around his finger.
“Name it. You get anything you want on your birthday,” I say, walking my fingers slowly down his chest, toying with the waistband of his boxer briefs.
“I’ll never say no to anything that you’re thinking right now, angel. But my request has nothing to do with my dick,” he says, and I pout. Apparently, he’s turned me into some sex-starved, horny teenager overnight. But I won’t complain.
