Tears spring to her eyes, and she shakes her head. “No, but everyone’s going to think you’re crazy, Lucas.”
I smirk. “I don’t give a fuck what people say or think. All I care about is you.”
“God,” she whispers. “Lucas,” she breathes. “Make love to me.”
I lift her into my arms, the papers falling to the floor as I do so. She releases a squeal as we move through the house and toward the bedroom.
Happy doesn’t even cover what I feel right now. She’s everything I’ve ever wanted and so fucking much more.
ChapterEleven
Chapter Ten
Cassie
“How did you know that you loved, Easton?” I ask my best friend Becky. We’re sitting in the kitchen and catching up on everything.
Dinner was a complete success, everyone got along like a house on fire, and they all loved Lucas which made me relax. Knowing that the people that I care and respect most, like the man that I’m dating, the man that I see myself spending the rest of my life with means the world.
“I just knew, but Cass, you and I are different. I've been surrounded by love my entire life, so I didn’t even bat an eye when those feelings for Easton came, but for you, you’ve been let down by the people who we’re supposed to protect and care for you.”
I sigh, she’s right. My parents were useless. They only cared about themselves, and as a result I was neglected.
“But how do I know?”
She shakes her head. “I don’t really know how to explain it. You have a powerful connection to them, like I feel safe with Easton, I know without complete certainty that he was the one for me. If I’m honest, I knew when I met him that Halloween party, our very first night. I could be happy just sitting beside him.”
That’s everything I feel when I’m with Lucas. God, I’m in love with him. My heart pounds and fills with warmth. Almost as though it’s telling me that it’s known all along. This is how I’ve felt about Lucas since almost the first moment I saw him. “Oh,” I mumble, unable to believe that I didn’t know.
Becky laughs. “You just realized that you loved him, huh?”
I bite my lip and nod. “How stupid?”
She shakes her head. “Not stupid at all. Sometimes we can’t see what’s right in front of our faces.” She reaches out and takes my hand, giving it a squeeze. “I’m so very happy for you, Cass, you deserve all the happiness in the world, and I know that Lucas really loves you, you can see it, he watches you, whenever you enter the room, his gaze immediately goes to you, he wants to make sure you’re okay.”
My heart stutters at her words. He does that. I’ve noticed that he’s done that since the very first moment we met. “We’re both lucky,” I whisper. We both found men that make us happy, no matter how it started between us.
“We really are. Now we’d better go and make an appearance, no doubt Lucas is itching to see you.”
I laugh but get to my feet. I watch as she presses a hand against her stomach, she’s pregnant, I get a pang of jealousy. God, that’s what I want. I wish I were pregnant, I want to give my kids everything my parents never gave me.
The second we walk into the living room, Lucas’ gaze comes to me. My breath catches at the heated lust-filled look. He holds out his hand for me to take, and I don’t hesitate, I walk over to him, he takes my hand and pulls me onto his lap. “Are you okay, baby?” he asks softly as I get comfortable.
“I’m so happy, Lucas,” I tell him as I rest my head against his shoulder. “Look at how at ease our family is.”
Hazel is seated on the corner of the couch while her mom and dad are seated beside her, they’re talking to Grant who’s sat on the armchair while both Lucas and I along with Easton and Becky are sat on the two loveseats that we have.
“Yeah,” he says as his arms tighten around me and he goes back to talking to Mama and Papa Absyth.
Today has been the best day of my life. I never thought I’d have the perfect Christmas and yet, here we are.
* * *
I laugh as Lucas spins me around as we dance. Everyone has gone home, and it’s just the two of us. “Today has been perfect,” I whisper. “Thank you for giving me this.”
His eyes darken. “Never thank me for giving you the basics, baby,” he says low. “This is what every year is going to be like.”
I press against him. Loving how easy this is.