“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
