Shit, Is This What Happily Ever After Felt Like?
Violet could barely move. Putting on her underwear that morning had been a nightmare. Gio had shown no mercy, and she hadn’t asked for any. The man always seemed so in control. For a minute in the kitchen, she’d been shocked by her boldness. She could fake confidence with the best of them, but she wasn’t as comfortable with her curves. Don’t get her wrong, she didn’t mind them, but she was fine with average men—ones who weren’t rocking eight ridges of muscle like some freak of nature.
He made her feel sexy, and she couldn’t deny he wanted her. She’d awakened that morning with him already buried deep and loving her slow and easy. He never seemed satisfied until she got off at least twice. He’d given her breakfast in bed, and then he walked her over to her place. When he’d kissed her, she hadn’t wanted to go inside without him, but he said he needed to get to work.
Gio wanted permanent—with her. She had to wonder about the man’s sanity. Finally, it was lunchtime, and she was sitting in the break room having her lunch leftovers from dinner last night.
“Violet, you have a visitor.” Heather, the receptionist, peeked into the room.
She couldn’t stand the bitch. She had one of those better than attitudes because Heather had zero body fat and a rich boyfriend. Women should be self-sufficient—able to handle their own shit.
“Yeah, who is it?” she asked as she looked longingly at her food.
“He claims to be your boyfriend.”
“Ain’t no claim about it,” Gio sounded irritated as he walked into the room. “Hey, baby girl.”
“What are you doing here?”
“I was hoping to grab you for lunch, but it looks like you already started.”
“You can join me.”
He hummed, and that sexy smirk pulled at one corner of his mouth. “Wasn’t exactly what I had in mind to eat.”
She snorted as Heather turned and left, she swore the woman muttered she never under her breath. He let out a booming laugh as he approached and kissed her before he sprawled onto a chair beside her.
“A little uptight, ain’t she?”
“Rich boyfriend, I think he’s old enough to be her father. Maybe he ain’t giving her the dick like he should.”
“Happy you don’t have that problem?”
“Looking for compliments?”
“Not in the least. Ma called and asked would we come out Sunday for dinner. I already arranged for the day off. My brother Gibson is visiting.”
“Where does he live?”
“Not far away, but he took over as Chief for a small station in some town called Powers. He loves it there, and he likes being the boss.”
“I guess I could be persuaded to attend since you’re not surprising me this time.”
“How many times do I have to apologize?”
“I think your fear over me poisoning your coffee was enough.”
He bowed his head as he leaned forward, then rested his forearms on his knees. “So glad my fear is such a turn-on for you.”
“We all have our things,” she whispered as she leaned in and gently brushed her lips to his.
“You okay today?”
“I’m fine. To be honest, I’m enjoying the reminders.”
She loved the way he smiled at her and the corners of his eyes crinkled. Up close, she started to notice fine threads of silver in his thick hair. She hummed. “I think I’m dating my own old man,” she raised her hand and traced the pale, shimmering hairs.
“Too old for you?”
“No, I think just about right.”
“Stay over at my place tonight. I don’t like when you’re not in my bed.”
Her stomach flipped at his softly spoken order. “I think I can do that.”
She didn’t know what was happening to her. She didn’t mind being away from him. She was used to her own space, but she had noticed this strange feeling of actually missing him when they were apart. Even if they couldn’t be together at night, she loved their conversations. The time Gio spent working didn’t mean they hadn’t spent a lot of time getting to know each other.
A day never passed where they didn’t speak or sneak in a few minutes for a cuddle. She hadn’t realized how starved she was for someone to want her with all her unattractive quirks.
“Hey, what’s the frown for?” Gio asked as he drew her onto his lap.
“It’s just weird that you like me.”
“I more than like you, Violet, I did talk about us working toward permanent.”
She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face against his neck. “I know, but I’m not used to all this shit. Two months ago, I was—”
“Just remember, I don’t want to change you, baby girl. I think you’re perfect as is. I love your attitude. Your curves. The way you don’t take my shit. I truly believe you were made for me.”
“I think you might be crazier than I am.”
“Possibly.”
She nipped at his throat, and he groaned, tightening his arms around her.
“I may be late getting home tonight, but I wanted to drop this off.”
She held on as he leaned back to dig in his pocket. He pulled something out and then opened his hand, a key rested on his palm.
“I had this made before I came to see you. I wanted to drop it off so you can come and go as you please.”
“I’ve never gotten a key before.”
“Well, I’d like my girl to start staying over at my place and not have to pick the lock to get in.”
She picked the key up and felt the warm metal between her fingertips.
“We all have our talents, Gio, some of mine just aren’t exactly legal.”
“And I love them all. So, be waiting at my place when I get home?”
“With my ducky slippers on.”
He growled as he kissed her. “Those fucking slippers are sexy as fuck especially when that’s all you’re wearing.”
“I think you might be a pervert.”
“But I’m your pervert, so be in bed with the slippers on. I have plans for you.”
“I look forward to them.”
He leaned in close to her ear. “You got any plugs in that toy box of yours?”
“I may.” She laughed as his guttural rumble.
His phone pinged in his pocket. “Dammit, breaks over. I’ll see you tonight.”
He kissed her hard, lingered before he seemed to force himself away from her. He gently eased her off his lap and back into her chair.
She didn’t care what she looked like as she watched his ass as he swaggered out of the room. She snarled as Heather stuck her head back in the room.
“He’s your boyfriend?”
“Yeah, what of it?”
“Nothing, nothing.” the woman visibly swallowed and disappeared.
She picked at the now barely warm lasagna as she stared at the key that rested in front of her. Was shit going too fast? Everything seemed so right when she was in Gio’s arms. He spoke of wanting her in his life for the long-term. He’d given her a key to his place. Loved what everyone else seemed to find abhorrent about her. She liked that she didn’t have to pretend she was something she wasn’t to make Gio happy.
He cared for her, but he also wanted to fuck her, that was a nice bonus. Because that man hit every one of her trigger buttons and some she didn’t even know she had.
Part of her hoped she was enough. She wasn’t delusional enough to think her past didn’t shape a lot of her habits. She’d always had to be the toughest. Crying was a weakness. She could throw down with men three times her size. All those things had been points of pride for her until she realized they had shaped her into something she didn’t really want to be. She loved her strength and her attitude, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t like someone to take care of her—like Gio did.
She just hoped she didn’t ruin it. She might not be ready to admit it to him, but she was falling in love—or what she thought love should feel like.