Tyler
Igroan and reach my arm behind me, expecting to feel Brooklyn’s warm, naked body, but instead I’m met with a pile of cold sheets.
I roll over and squint at the sunlight streaming through the parted curtains. The smell of coffee hits my nostrils, and instinctively, I toss the covers off and pull on my pajama bottoms to walk down to the kitchen.
“Mornin’. Now that’s a sight I could get used to.”
Brooklyn’s hair is piled high on her head, my T-shirt just covering her ass and the tops of her thighs.
“Morning to you too.” She turns and looks at me over her shoulder, a coy little smirk on her face.
I stretch my arms overhead and come up to stand behind her, sliding my arms around her waist and burying my face in her neck.
“You smell so good,” I murmur, nuzzling her. “How are you feeling?” I drop my hand from her waist down to her lower belly. “Hope I didn’t work you over too hard.”
“I’m okay . . . a little sore.”
“Mmm, good. I like knowing you’ll be feeling me all day.”
I pour myself a cup of coffee and lean against the counter as she goes back to whipping the eggs in the bowl in front of her.
Watching her move around my kitchen does something to me. It’s nothing grand—it’s just a simple, everyday activity that I realize no other woman has done in this kitchen. I’ve also never gone camping with a woman or agreed to do anything remotely close to a bachelor auction. I smile into my cup when I think about how easy it was for her to talk me into anything.
“I love you.”
I don’t have to think twice about saying it. I know I’ve felt it for a while now and was just too scared to say it back. But this right here . . . waking up together and realizing that she makes me not want to get out of bed and start my day if she’s lying next to me . . . makes me want to experience all the mundane things together that make up our days. She makes me want it all: the happily ever after I’ve been searching for.
She drops the whisk and it clangs against the ceramic bowl as her head whips around. “I love you too.” She smiles and I nod my head slowly, taking another sip of my coffee.
“Glad we cleared the air on that.”
She giggles at my comment.
“Get over here,” I say, placing my cup on the counter just as she takes two big steps and jumps into my arms, her legs wrapping around my waist.
“Took you long enough.”
I hold her in my arms for several minutes before placing her on the counter and stepping between her thighs.
“Hey.” I know I owe her an explanation for last night, and while I’m tempted to just use the whiskey as a cop-out, I know that’s unfair to her. “I, uh, about last night . . . I’m sorry if I scared you or pushed you toward something you’re not ready for. I just—you’re the first woman I’ve ever wanted those things with.”
“It was a little shocking. It’s not that I don’t want those things with you—I do—I just don’t think I’m ready.”
“I understand completely.” I try to hide my disappointment as best I can, but I know she can see it on my face. She places a hand on either side of my face.
“I’m in love with you, deeply. I want time to experience life with you. I promise you, Tyler, I’m not going to run away. I’m not going to break your heart. Colorado is my home now.”
I feel relief, but it still feels so foreign to just jump in with both feet like this, especially after only a few short months. “Does this feel strange to you?”
She tilts her head. “Strange? No. Vulnerable? Yes. I realize we’ve only known each other a short time, but that doesn’t mean it’s not real. People always say when you know, you know. Maybe this is one of those times when we both just know.”
I wrap my arms around her and hold her in my arms. Even if we get this all wrong and I end up brokenhearted, I can’t see myself ever regretting loving her.
“You just gonna stand inthe corner all night and leer at her?”
Trent sidles up beside me as I finish off my beer. Tonight is our annual board and executive dinner at the Loveland Maple.
“I’m not leering. I’m giving her some space and just admiring her.”