Page 60 of Forever Fallen

Sophie looked up from where her head rested on his chest and met his eyes. He was so gentle in these moments that it was humbling. Most of the time he was calm and collected – or acted arrogant and cold… but when his heart shone?

It was breathtakingly beautiful to behold.

She could see it in his eyes, there, now, before her.

Ryan cared.

No matter how much he tried to deny it or pushed at her sometimes… he truly cared and the realization of just how far she was falling for him the other day at Valkyrie’s house?

Seeing that emotion before her was heady.

“My personal effects… and yours?” she whispered softly, searching his eyes. “I mean, you know, for at least five years or so… you should put up some of your things, too, so it feels like home for both of us.”

“I can just stack my stuff in the corner.”

“Or you could actually move in…husband.”

He drew in his breath at her words, his eyes searching hers.

“Are you sure?”

“No…” she laughed tearfully, being brutally honest with him and was touched to see his smile at her candid words. “I’m scared, Ryan, and very confused. I’m a little spooked at the unknown, but I suppose we can always put a wall of pillows between us and be adults about things. Right?”

“Exactly,” he replied, his eyes shiny with emotion as he gazed at her. “I’ve not had a place to call home in forever, unless it’s my footlocker… and if you really don’t mind? I would love to put a few things here.”

“And you should,” she urged softly. “I would like us to be the best of friends, the ideal of what a marriage should be like, and I truly appreciate that you’ve allowed me to be myself. We are just taking time to get to know each other.”

“I never pictured myself as married,” Ryan said openly, looking at her. “At least not until some woman inspired me to wildly offer to marry her. If you ever change your mind, just say the word, and I’ll put my things in storage again. It doesn’t bother me.”

“This is your home, too, Ryan… for at least the next five years.”

“Or so…” he amended, smiling.

“Or so…” she grinned, “And I want the side of the bed furthest from the window so I can sleep in.”

“That’s the beauty of putting it here on this wall,” he teased lightly. “It’s even and there’s no difference in the sides of the bed.”

“Then I suppose we’ll go with your suggestion…” she sighed mockingly.

“It’s about time you quit arguing with me,wife…”

There was something in his voice that touched her – and Sophie immediately leaned up to kiss him gently. Her lips brushed against his, infinitely tender, just needing the connection.

“What was that for?”

“Just because I felt like it…” she whispered.

“So, it’s okay to chuck rule number five?” he teased softly. “I have to kiss you within three minutes of crying… is now ‘we can kiss whenever we feel the urge to do so’ rule? I like this much better.”

“I wouldn’t say it’s ‘chucking’ rule number five, but rather more of an amendment or clarification.”

“Duly noted, Mrs. Merrick,” he chuckled, slipping his hand into hers and lacing their fingers together. “Let’s finish putting together our room and making it our own.”

Sophie busied herself hanging her clothing in the closet, putting away her shoes, and moving her unmentionables into a drawer. She saw Ryan had one of his boxes on the bed, opening it, and was slowly pulling out a few picture frames and a single photo album, putting it on the bookshelf.

She felt tears sting her eyes as she realized he didn’t have much regarding his own personal effects – but what he had in those two lone boxes were very personal and private memories he could never replace.

There was a picture of him as a boy in Cub Scouts with his mother pinning an award on his vest… and that look of pride she’d seen before so many times since she’d met him.

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