I stretched my limbs along the crusted sheets of Kylie’s bed. I loved waking up to her curves wrapped around me. She nuzzled into my neck and sighed as her leg locked tighter around my waist. I brushed through her hair, ridding it of the knots I’d created the night before. Staring up at her ceiling gave me time to think about a lot of things, especially since the two of us had made up the night before.

Her apartment really was the pits, and mine wasn’t any more decent. She deserved something better than a studio apartment, something better than five hundred square feet of space. I pulled Kylie closer into my body and closed my eyes. I felt her heart beating against my side as the rhythm of mine matched with hers. Waking up to her was one of the most amazing feelings in the world, and I could have that every morning if I moved in with her. I could wrap myself around her and pull her close every night. We could share dinners together and make love against every surface of our place every fucking weekend.

I turned my gaze down and watched her sleep, observing the marks I’d left behind on her body.

Fuck me, she looked incredible in my artwork.

It wasn't just the great sex that made up my mind, though. It was so much more. I didn’t know where my life was going, but I did know I wanted it to be with Kylie. I wanted her at my side, and by stalling a decision like this, I was pushing her further and further away. Which I didn’t want. Dad was right. If I wanted to keep a woman like her at my side, I had to keep progressing forward. I had to compromise. Not on what I wanted from my future, but other things. I didn’t know what I wanted in the long term, but that didn’t mean we couldn't move in together and figure it out alongside each other instead of apart most of the damn time.

“Morning.”

Kylie’s voice pulled me from my thoughts, and I smiled down at her.

“I was thinking we could go look at apartments today,” I said.

She bolted upright as a look of shock washed over her face.

“You mean today today?” she asked.

“Is there any other definition of today I should be aware of?”

“You really want to go looking at apartments?” she asked.

“I really do. Why don’t we get cleaned up and I’ll take you to breakfast? We can go from there,” I said.

“Just think: In a new place, we won’t have to shower alone.”

I chuckled at her before I covered her lips with mine. She slid away from my body and walked to the bathroom, her hips swaying deeper than I’d seen them sway in a long time. I loved it when she walked away from me. I loved the way her curves bounced and her back stayed straight. I flopped back down on the bed and closed my eyes, listening as the shower started up in the corner.

It all felt good, doing this with her, which I figured was a step in the right direction.

After getting cleaned up and out the door, Kylie and I hopped into my car. We drove to the diner we frequented after nights like that—a diner that hadn’t seen us in weeks due to our recent fight. I bought us breakfast while we sat side by side, scrolling through apartment complexes in the area. Kylie called to set up a couple appointments at places we both really like, my hand massaging her knee the entire time.

“Come on,” she said. “Let’s go find our new home.”

I tried not to bristle too hard at the word.

The first complex really was nice. It was in the middle of downtown and only five minutes away from the office if she drove, fifteen if she walked. And it gave me great access to a lot of filming areas for future projects already running through my mind. That was what a night with Kylie always did. It unlocked my creative juices and got my artistic side flowing again. I typed up notes in my phone while she walked off and looked around the apartment, gawking and gasping at the beauty of it all.

“What do you think of this one?” she asked.

I whipped my head up from my phone before I put it away in my pocket.

“I like it,” I said. “It’s close to the park too, which is prime filming space. We always have trouble finding places to park ther, but being close to it means everyone could come here first before heading down there.”

“And it’s a great distance from my office,” she said.

“There’s a nice pool and decent gym downstairs too. We could go swimming.”

“And there’s a hot tub,” the woman from the complex said.

“A hot tub?” Kylie asked.

“Oh, you just snagged us as applicants,” I said with a grin.

“How big are the showers?” Kylie asked.

I bit down on the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. Kylie had always had a penchant for water and sex. It was a kink about her I had enjoyed on several occasions. I followed her and the other woman through the two-bedroom apartment and saw Kylie’s eyes practically light up at the walk-in shower and the garden tub, in both bedrooms.

“Settle down now,” I said as I slipped my arm around her waist. “We still have to apply.”

“I really like this place, Adam,” she said as she turned those innocent eyes up to mine.

“I do too,” I said.

And it wasn’t a lie. I really did enjoy the place. The location, the amenities, the price—all of it seemed a little too perfect to be anything other than meant to be. Maybe this was the universe’s way of showing me I was making the right decision, even if I didn’t have a plan for my life. I listened as the lady ran down the application for Kylie before we started filling out our portion of it. Then we handed it off along with the application fee both of us needed.

I was surprised when Kylie got a call back two hours later.

“Hello?” she asked.

Her eyes widened before she put the call on speaker.

“Hello, Miss Palmer! I’m calling about your rental application you put in this afternoon.”

“Yes, hi. Adam’s here as well,” she said.

“Hello,” I said.

“Hello, Mr. Tucker. So, the two of you have been approved, but the particular unit we want to put you in isn’t available for another month.”

“That’s fine,” Kylie said. “What do we need to do to secure it?”

“The security deposit is the equivalent of one month of rent, plus we’ll need half of your first month’s rent up front.”

“So one and a half times rent,” I said.

“Exactly. That secures the apartment in your name, meaning the two of you can come by anytime and sign the lease. You can even wait until your move-in day to sign it if you wish.”

“That sounds good. Can you give us a second to talk about it?” Kylie asked.

“Of course. I’ll be right here.”

Kylie pressed the mute button.

“I’ve got a bit of money in my savings, but I’ll have to wait until my next check comes in to get the rest,” she said.

“I could pull out a bit of money from my savings, but you know it isn’t much,” I said.

“I’ve been throwing every extra bundle of cash I get at my student loans to chisel away at them.”

“Kylie, it’s fine. I get it. I know that debt stresses you out,” I said. “Will you let me try something?”

She nodded vigorously before I slid my phone out of my pocket. I scrolled through my contacts and pulled up my father’s number, then tapped my screen and held the phone to my ear.

“This is Ryan.”

“You really should look at your phone more, Dad.”

“Hey there, Adam. Is everything okay?” he asked.

I watched Kylie furrow her brow deep as a grin slid across my cheeks. I knew he would help if I asked, especially with how insistent he’d been about Kylie and I taking the next step.

“Everything’s fine. So, I did what you asked,” I said.

“And…?”

“Kylie and I went to look at apartments today and found one that suits both of us really well.”

“Adam, that’s wonderful. Where is it?”

“Downtown. That apartment complex is about five minutes up from your headquarters.”

“The one by the park?”

“That’s the one,” I said. “We’ve been approved via our application, but the security deposit and the required amount of money to secure the apartment for us is a little beyond us right now.”

“Tell me what you need and I’ll make it happen.”

“Close to four thousand dollars,” I said. “Between Kylie and me, we can front—”

“When do they need the check by?” he asked.

“All Kylie and I are asking for is what we can’t bring to the table ourselves.”

“Consider it a congratulations gift. When do they need the check by?”

“My father’s asking when they need the check,” I said to Kylie.

She unmuted the phone call on her end as a broad smile crossed her cheeks.

“When do you need the check by?” Kylie asked.

“As soon as you can get it to me,” the woman said.

“ASAP, Dad,” I said.

“Consider it done. Tell them to expect a check from Ryan Tucker within the hour for an amount totaling four thousand dollars.”

“I can’t thank you enough,” I said.

“Yes, you can. Treat that young girl with the respect and care she deserves. Stop getting in your own way and you’ll do just fine, Son.”

“I’ll remember that, Dad. Thanks.”

I hung up my phone and stuffed it back into my pocket.

“Ma’am?” I asked.

“Adam! So, have we come to a conclusion?” the woman asked.

“A check from Ryan Tucker will be sent your way within the hour covering the required deposit. Will you call us back and let us know when you have it in your possession?” I asked.

“I will do, sir. And welcome to Osprey Heights.”

Kylie shut down the phone call before squealing and tossing her arms around me. She was so happy, and I was glad to have her happiness at the forefront instead of her anger. I wrapped her in my arms and picked her up, swinging her around her stupid little studio apartment.

I had no fucking clue where my life was going. I didn’t know what I wanted out of it besides the success of my production company. What I did know was that I couldn't lose Kylie. She was my inspiration, my muse, a beautiful angel sent into my life to help me get to the top. I peppered her neck with kisses as I set her back down on her feet, her hands dropping to the button of my pants.

“I think a celebration is in order,” she said with a grin.

I cupped her cheek and slid my thumb across her skin. I loved Kylie. I loved the woman she was becoming. I loved her zest for life and her need for me and her desire for my body. She slid my pants around the globe of my ass while I guided my lips to hers. The second they connected, I knew I was done.

I had no idea what the hell I wanted out of my personal future, but as long as it held Kylie, I could figure the rest out as it came.