“Definitely lovers… probably more,” Ana says. “The man took you on your dream date. He’s done everything to make you feel at home—”
“Any good roommate would do that,” Prue interjects.
Ana levels a hard look at her. “You’re not helping.”
Prue just shrugs. I decide to ignore her because I’m definitely liking where Ana is going with things a lot better than Prue’s pessimistic outlook on love.
“Anyway… he’s Torin. You’ve known him forever. I don’t think it’s unreasonable to think his feelings run deeper. What if he’s thinking the same thing you are? What if he’s scared to say anything in case you think it’s rushing?”
I chew my lip, weighing her words. Is it possible that he’s on the same page as me and just afraid to say anything because it hasn’t been long? I’m kicking my own ass for wasting my liquid courage last night. I should’ve stopped drinking before drunk happened so I could’ve confessed my love and had alcohol to blame later if he didn’t reciprocate.
That’s a total copout, I know, but it would be better than pouring my heart out and being denied without an out. I don’t know that he would’ve believed me if I had told him I was just drunk, but it would’ve at least been an option to try. I hate lying but saving face when you’re being rejected seems like a darn good reason to do it.
We clean for a couple hours before the girls leave. Margo hugs me at the door and tells me not to be an idiot like her. She looks me in the eye and practically begs me to be brave. I wonder if she wants me and Torin to work so that she can find her own bravery. That right there is almost enough encouragement to take the leap.
I clean for another hour before taking a quick shower. If missing Torin isn’t enough to make me not want to move out of his place, losing his shower would definitely be a close second. I never realized how crappy my water pressure is, nor did I truly appreciate the whole multiple showerheads thing. I wonder if he would believe me if I told him I didn’t want to move out because I love his shower?
After my lackluster shower, I grab my bag and head into work. Thankfully, today is new stock day. I have box upon box of brand-new books to unpack. Most of which are never released titles, which means I get to set up new displays. I love setting up my displays. Unfortunately, my mood means I don’t find my usual joy in the task.
I let out a sigh at the less than fantastic display. Definitely not my most inspired work. Next, my day is filled with busy work. Checking in the inventory in my point of sale system. Doing some accounting work. Helping customers.
Before I know it, the store is closed, and I’m walking home to Torin’s.
Home.
A bittersweet feeling of longing scrapes over my insides. I do my best to push it away, but it’s a futile effort. I make a pledge to myself that I’m not going to stress anymore about what happens once I’m back in my apartment. I’m going to enjoy every minute of being with Torin and come what may.
After talking with my friends, I do have a firmer belief that Torin and I won’t be over when I move. They’re right that this isn’t some temporary fling. Things are more serious than that for sure. I have a renewed faith that our relationship will continue. Now that I’m not in full doom and gloom mode, I know in my heart we will figure it out. We may not live together, but what new couple does? We moved at the speed of light. Maybe that’s why he hasn’t declared what he wants yet.
I know things are going to change. I won’t fall asleep in his arms every night and wake up warm and snuggled against his chest. I’m definitely not ready to lose those things. But people have sleepovers all the time, right?
Torin is home when I get there. I’m a little surprised because he was supposed to stay at the station. “You’re home,” I say with a shy smile. Lord, I feel awkward as heck. I really need to move on from that. He’s going to think I don’t want to be here with him.
“Yeah… I traded with Morgan so we could spend some time together before…”
My smile brightens, and my heart feels like it could sprout wings and fly away. He traded shifts just to spend more time with me before I move? That definitely says things aren’t going to end.
“I ordered pizza,” he says. “I figured we could watch a movie or something… if you want.”
“I would love that,” I say with another shy smile. “You get to pick this time though.”
Torin laughs. “Okay, beautiful.”
He picks some action flick called Expendables. Despite action movies not really being my thing, it’s not bad… I mean, it does have Jason Statham… if any actor can get me to watch an action movie, it’s him. I don’t tell Torin that though.
We eat our pizza and watch the movie. When it’s over, neither of us seems to be ready to call it a night, so he insists I pick a movie. Not wanting to bore him to tears, I choose Jaws; I think every guy on earth likes that movie.
Halfway through, I feel my eyes begin to droop. The emotional turmoil has caught up with me, and exhaustion is setting in. I don’t want to miss out on this time with Torin, though, so I try to force myself to stay awake. Sometime later, I’m woken up by him lifting me from the couch. Instead of making a move to have him put me down, I snuggle into his chest.
When we get to his bedroom, he slowly undresses me. He kisses me reverently before putting me into bed. He pulls the covers over me, then strips out of his own clothes, and lays in the bed beside me. He pulls me against him, spooning my much smaller body against his muscular one. It doesn’t take long before I’m falling into a peaceful sleep.
16
Torin
Lani looked so sad when she came home yesterday. Her mood greatly improved when I suggested we watch a movie together. Thankfully, she melted right into me and eventually fell asleep while watching the second movie we turned on since neither of us seemed to want the night to end.
I carried her to bed and carefully stripped her clothes. Once she was tucked in, I quickly undressed and curled my body around hers and held her through the night. I slept fitfully, wondering exactly what she’s thinking. She seemed happy that I had changed shifts so we could spend time together, but didn’t actually say anything about it…
“Good morning, beautiful.”
“Mornin’,” Lani mumbles. “Tea?”
I give her a wide smile. “Someone is grumpy today.”
“I’m not grumpy.” She pouts but takes the mug of tea I pass her way. “Thanks.”
“What has you grumpy this morning?”
“I woke up alone…” She gasps, and her eyes widening as if she didn’t mean to reveal that little tidbit.
“I’m sorry, love,” I say, stalking towards her. “I couldn’t sleep and went for a run.” I grab her up and kiss her soundly. “I won’t let it happen again.”
“Good. I don’t like it. I’m addicted to sleeping in your bed.”
I’m ridiculously happy to hear that. I want her to be addicted to me. I want her to be addicted to waking up with me and going to sleep in my arms. I press another kiss to her lips. “You never have to sleep alone again, if you don’t want to.”
She sighs into my lips, kissing me sweet and slow.
“I don’t want to,” she murmurs.
It’s on the tip of my tongue to ask her to stay, but then she tells me she’s going to spend a couple hours cleaning the apartment before opening the bookstore this afternoon. When I offer to help, she quickly rejects my offer, telling me I should spend my day off doing something fun.
“Being with you is fun,” I say, attempting to change her mind. It doesn’t work because she just shakes her head and tells me not to be silly.
“No one actually volunteers to clean, especially on their day off. You really should go do something fun. It’s not every day that you get a Saturday off.”
I decide that arguing just isn’t the answer right now, so I agree with her. I drop her off at the apartment and head over to the diner.
“You look like shit, man,” Amos says when
he sees me.
I snort. “Yeah, thanks.”
“I thought things with you and Lani were going good?”
I rub the back of my neck. “Her apartment is ready to move into again. She’s only staying with me until she gets it cleaned up after the smoke damage.”
Amos sucks in a breath. “Hard break. Why don’t you just ask her to move in?”
“I don’t want to rush her. Hell, our relationship went from barely friends to everything overnight. If I push too hard, I could lose her.”
He shakes his head. “Or you could get everything you’ve ever wanted.”
“Since when are you mister optimistic?”
“Sometimes, things change.” He shrugs then looks out the diner window towards the bakery across the street.
“Things progressing with your little baker?” I ask.
“Not yet… but they will. Soon.”
I raise a brow. “Do you have a plan?”
Amos gives me an almost feral smile and a single nod.
“Amos, that damn sink is backed up again,” someone calls out from the kitchen.
“Fuck, duty calls. Don’t let her slip through your fingers now that you have her. Not that I’m the bro type, but as they say, lock that shit down.”
With that, I throw back my head and laugh. “I’ll do my best.”
17
Lani
It took a week to get my apartment clean… mostly because I took my dear sweet time. It smells like my favorite apple pie scented candle again. Everything is completely restored, and I hate it. This apartment no longer feels like home. Torin’s house is home.
Torin is my home.
There’s a quick knock on the door before the man himself pushes inside. My two duffels and Mr. Grey’s carrier in his hands. “The place looks nice. All that smoke smell is gone. You did a great job. It isn’t easy to get that smell out of things.”
He sets the bags and Mr. Grey down. The cat meows, and Torin opens his cage, letting him out. Mr. Grey looks around and sticks his tail up showing me his butthole before winding around Torin’s legs. It’s almost like he understands what’s happening, and he’s not one bit happy about losing his window seats.
The cat lays across his feet and purrs so loudly it sounds like a chainsaw. Tears fill my eyes. Not only am I miserable, but so is my cat. I am so stupid. My prickly cat can show how he feels for Torin, and here I am letting the best thing to happen to me walk out the door.
“Hey, now,” he says, crossing the room to me. He cups my cheeks and looks into my eyes, searching for something. “What’re these tears for?”
I shake my head quickly, choking back my words.
“You do know that you being back home doesn’t mean this thing with us is done, right?”
I nod. “I know.”
“Good because you’re mine, and I’m not letting you go. Ever. And when the time is right, I’m going to ask you to move in with me. This isn’t the end of us.”
“Promise?”
“Of course.”
When the time is right…
What will it take for it to be the right time? If it were up to me, now would be the time… Why can’t it be up to me? Isn’t this what I’ve been fighting with myself about? All I have to do is ask Torin for what I want. Be brave and finally tell him exactly how I feel.
“I guess I should let you get settled…” His words trail off like he doesn’t really want to leave me at all.
He feels the same way I do. He has to.
Doesn’t he?
He turns to walk away, and my heart thunders in my chest. Am I seriously going to take the leap?
Hell, yeah I am.
“Torin?”
He turns to face me just in time to catch me as I fling myself at him. “I don’t want you to leave. I know we will still be together… but I don’t want that. Well, not just that…” I ramble on… “I want to wake up with you and go to sleep with you. I want to be able to cook dinner and watch movies with you. I don’t want it part-time, though…” I take a deep breath, fortifying myself for the next bit. “I love you. I can’t imagine being separated like this. Please, please tell me the time is right. Please ask.” I look at him pleadingly, praying that he feels the same as I do and that I didn’t just ruin everything.
His whole face lights up, and a gray cloud I didn’t realize was hovering over him the last several days seems to disappear into the ether in a moment. “Lani, love, will you move in with me? Please, put me out of my misery and stay with me for always. I’ve been so afraid of scaring you off by rushing you.”
He threads his fingers through my hair and tips my head back so he can kiss me deeply. “I fucking love you, Lani Smith. I’m going to love you for the rest of my days. And when the time is right, I’m going to get down on my knees and beg you to be my wife.”
“Yes. Yes, to everything. I love you so much, Torin. I think I’ve always loved you. Ever since you first moved into the house next door.”
His lips crush to mine again. He kisses me like he thought he’d never kiss me again. It’s wild and raw. When he lifts me up, I wrap my legs around his waist, moaning at the feel of his hard cock against my pussy. I’m instantly wet and ready. Our clothes are gone in a flash, and he’s carrying me naked through my apartment to the bedroom. My breath rushes out on a giggle when he tosses me down on the bed.
Torin grabs my ankles and pulls me to the edge of the bed until my ass is almost hanging off. He falls to his knees in front of me, spreading my legs wide with his broad shoulders. I shiver at the hungry look on his face.
“Look at all this honey. Is it all for me?” Torin growls.
“Yes… You. Only you,” I gasp.
“Good. I’m a selfish bastard and want to own every bit of you.” His fingers trace lightly over my mound. “Especially this.”
I nod frantically.
He seems pleased with my confirmation because the next second, he’s got his face buried in my pussy, licking and sucking my clit until I’m screaming. Just when one orgasm explodes through me, Torin thrusts two thick fingers into my aching core, pushing me right into another.
“Oh, God! Torin…”
He looks up at me, his mouth still suctioned to my clit, fingers still working me over. The look in his eyes is enough to send me hurtling to a third, and even more powerful release. Lights flicker behind my eyes, my throat is raw from screaming, and my heart is racing.
“You’re so pretty when you come. All flushed, needy woman. My woman.” He crawls up my body, nipping at my stomach then each breast before finding my lips with his. I taste myself on him, but instead of being turned off, a dark and dirty part of me finds it exciting. Maybe a little taboo.
I expect Torin to thrust himself inside me hard and fast... To take me with as much ferocious need as he ate my pussy with, but that’s not what happens. No, he enters me slowly, with infinite care. My muscles clench around him, and he groans but doesn’t pick up his pace. He rolls his hips in a way that tells me he’s savoring each stroke of his cock inside me.
He kisses me with the same exquisite slowness. Our tongues slicking against each other, dancing to the same tune as our hips. My orgasm comes from out of nowhere. I arch my back, letting out a keening moan. Torin pulls out and thrusts fast and hard twice, driving my release ever higher while chasing his own. His cock throbs as he spills his warmth deep inside my pussy.
“I love you,” he whispers against my lips.
I kiss him, just a bare whisper of a kiss. “I love you too.”
18
Torin
Things can change in an instant. One minute I was helping Lani move her things back to her newly cleaned apartment. The next, I’m helping her pack up more of her things to move them into my—no, not mine—our house.
“Lani, love, you don’t have to take it all today,” I say with a laugh as she tries to stuff more into her bag.
“I know, I just—”
I pull her against me. “You ju
st what?”
“It’s silly.”
“Nothing you say is silly,” I say, shaking my head.
She chews on her lower lip. “It’s just that the faster I move in, the less time you have to change your mind.”
I throw my head back and laugh. “You are always trying to prove me wrong, aren’t you? Because that right there is ridiculous. I will never change my mind about having you with me. My house is just a building without you. You’re what makes it a home.”
“Logically, I know you’re not changing your mind. I just want to be extra sure.”
“I’ll tell you what. Let’s take your bags and Mr. Grey home, then we will go get some moving boxes and start packing you up. I have the next three days off. We can get you moved in.”
“Really?” she asks excitedly.
“Of course. I have to get you moved in quick before you change your mind.”
She throws her head back and laughs.
Life is going to be damned good with Lani as my woman.
It’s been five weeks since Lani officially moved in. Today she’s unpacking the final box. It’s not entirely her fault it has taken so long for her to get settled. Every time I see her putting her stuff alongside mine, I lose my head.
Who knew unpacking boxes could be an aphrodisiac?
She starts unpacking, and my cock gets hard, then before I know it, I’ve got her bent over the nearest surface fucking her like I never want to leave her tight heat. Which isn’t far from the truth. Even though I’m turned the hell on right now, I’m keeping myself under control because tonight’s the night.
Tonight, I will put my ring on Lani’s finger. As Amos said in his bro-down moment, I’m about to lock her down.
Chasing His Forever (Sweet Somethings Book 1) Page 8