Page 67 of Accidentally Falling
“Shh…I can love you and still make you sleep in the guest room.”
“Yeah, we’ll see about that.”
“Mm-hmm…”
“Hey, Tennessee?”
“Yeah?”
“I love you too.”
36
ARDEN
“What the hell do you think you’re doing?” I bark, my voice filled with disbelief as I watch Jude toss the contents of my sock drawer onto the bed.
He doesn’t even yell at Dez when the little menace steals aneatlymatched pair and sprints from the room.
Dammit, I liked those socks!
“Jude!”
“I’m makin’ room,” he growls, spinning around with his hands on his hips, his eyes sparkling with mischief.
Wejustexchanged I love yous and now he thinks he can just take over the place? No way.
At least not without a fight.
“No. We arenotlivin’ together,” I tell him, keeping my expression as annoyed as possible.
He narrows his eyes. “Pretty sure that’s exactly what we’re doing, darlin’, because we sure as hell aren’t roommates, and I ain’t living out of a duffle bag anymore.”
“There’s a perfectly good andemptydresser in the guest room,” I fire back, crossing my arms under my chest, his eyesnever leaving mine which is quite the feat because I know how much he loves my boobs.
“Yeah, Tennessee, there is, but that’s not where I’m sleeping every night, is it?”
“Sex is different than sleeping,” I hiss and he grins.
“It is.” He takes a step toward me, and I have to lean back to meet his gaze. The rich, woodsy scent of his cologne permeates the air around us, and I hate how good he smells. “But that doesn’t stop you from wakin’ me up in the middle of the night for another orgasm, does it? Or when you pull my arm around you because you like being weighed down.”
“Ugh,” I huff, ignoring how immature I sound. “We are not”—I wave my hands around in the air—“doing this right now. This is real relationship stuff and?—”
“Oh, we’re definitely doing this right now.”
“Hmm, I don’t know,” I tease, but I’m not so sure Jude is playing anymore.
“Arden, we’re ready for this and we need this.Ineed this. You don’t want some bullshit girlfriend/boyfriend label? Fine. I’m probably too old for that anyway. You don’t want to get married? I’m a patient man. But this?” He motions between us. “I don’t want to pretend that this is anything but me loving you and wanting to build a life with you. Not because you’re carrying my child and not because I feel like Ihaveto be here.”
“Then what?” Stepping right into his space, I tilt my head back so I can see his face, so he can see I’m not backing down.
“I told you that day in the parking lot. You’re the only one that sees me, and hell, maybe you’re the only one Iletsee me. I love you. I want to be here and I want to be with you, so don’t cheapen it and make excuses. We’re doing this and I’m taking a fucking drawer.”
I gape at him because no one in my entire life has ever talked to me like that.
No one’s even dared.
But Jude’s hulking form is one I’ll run toward.
