“Look who I found,” my mother offered, but all I saw at the moment was my girl.
I bent just enough to wrap my arms around her waist and lifted her up off the ground, her body held firmly to my own. “I should kick your ass for making me worry the way you did,” I told her, only holding her even tighter.
“I’m sorry,” she whispered, her arms holding me firmly in return. “I just needed a little time to think. Some time to myself.”
“You good now?” I asked, feeling my heart race in my chest.
“I’m good,” she assured me, “your mom and I talked.”
I lowered her to the ground and looked between my mother and the woman I loved. “Why don’t you and AJ join us for dinner,” my mother said with a smile. “Reed’s gonna grill some steaks, and I got cheesecake.”
I laughed when AJ’s eyes lit up at the mention of cheesecake. The woman was a crazed fanatic when it came to sweets. “Give us just a little bit?” My mother nodded as I linked my fingers through AJ’s and began leading her toward my place.
The moment we were alone, I turned her around and pulled her body to mine once more, cupping her cheeks in my hands. “I love you.” Her eyes widened just a fraction. “I know I can’t fully understand what’s going on with you and your mother, but I’m here. I need you to lean on me, because being without you, it’s not an option.”
Her eyes filled with tears as she nodded.
I pressed my lips to hers in a soft, reassuring kiss and heard her mumble her own “I love you too” in return. I wanted AJ more than I’d wanted anything ever before in my life. Every day with her was only better than the last, even if she was struggling with an internal battle, I wanted her by my side. She was my everything.
“Let’s go take a shower,” I mumbled against her lips, “then we’ll go share dinner with my family.” Again, she nodded. “I think you should stay with me for a while,” I offered, because I felt a little time away from the one thing that had her so worked up was needed. But I was doing it for selfish reasons too. I needed her close; I could feel myself relying on her a little more each day as she continued to consume my heart piece by piece.
***
“Are these yours?” I looked up from beneath the hood of my truck to find Terrance standing at the bottom of the stairs that led up to my apartment above. Hanging from the end of his finger was a lacy pair of panties I recognized immediately. “Because I must say, Rhett, I’m not sure pink is your color.”
I moved toward him so fast his eyes widened, and he tossed them in the air as he hurried away.
Of course, about the time I leaned over to pick up AJ’s lacy thong, she walked in and I hurried to stuff them into the pocket of my jeans. “What are you boys up to?” she asked as she walked toward me holding a couple of shopping bags in hand.
“Just changing the oil in the truck.” Leaning in, I pressed a kiss to her lips. “Need help carrying anything up?”
“Nope.” Her smile spreading wide over her lips made my heart race. “I got it. Gonna get something started for dinner. Are the guys sticking around?”
“No.” There was no way I was sharing her with the assholes who were just scoping out her fucking underwear. “I’ll be up before too long.” We shared another kiss and she hurried up the stairs just as I turned my attention back to the guys, each one of them staring after her, and I could always visualize the things rolling around in their minds.
“If any of you value your lives, I would wipe the smiles off your faces.”
Damn perverts, and one in particular was lucky there was a lifted Chevy that separated us.
“You ever go riffling through my drawers again, I’m gonna break your legs.”
Terrance chuckled. “So feisty.”
Twenty minutes later, I found my way upstairs and went straight for the shower. As I passed the kitchen, I offered AJ a wink as she moved around like she’d lived here all her life. I was sure she knew where things were better than I did. She was, of course, the only one who’d actually cooked a real meal here. I was a microwave and eat it kinda guy. But I enjoyed having her here; it just felt right.
Freshly showered, I wrapped a towel around my waist and joined her in the kitchen. “You gonna eat wearing that?” she asked with a smirk.
“No,” I said, suddenly feeling very playful. “I thought I’d wear this.” I unhooked the towel and let it drop to my feet. Her eyes instantly dropped to my waist, and if the widening of her eyes wasn’t enough of an indication she liked what she saw, the way she bit her lower lip confirmed it. “I think naked dinners should be a must.”
“What if someone shows up?”
“They have to knock,” I took a step toward her, “or ring the bell. And even then we have the option to ignore.”
“Naked dinners?” she asked as she watched my hands gather the hem of her t-shirt and began to lift.
“Oh yes.” I lifted it higher and her arms followed, allowing me to pull it up and over her head. She wore the pale blue lacy bra I loved, the one that was sheer and see-through. I felt myself hardening at the sight of her. “You and I naked, together, is how I think we should always be when alone.”
I allowed my thumbs to trail over her nipples, feeling them harden beneath. “Rhett.” My
