Hayden
“That was weird,” I say to Gaz as we leave his office. Rex and the cops left almost immediately. Once they had Trevor in custody, they were ready to hurry back to the planet. “Do you really think his odds are better on Orchid?”
“Going was the smart choice,” I tell her. “I wouldn’t tell anyone to refrain from representing Trevor, but they know my honor code. If I step away from a client, the other attorneys know it’s got to be a particularly impossible case. No one wants that kind of a loss on their record.”
“Will he be able to get an attorney on Orchid?”
“Of course. He’ll probably get a light sentence, too, but it’ll look good for Rex as he begins his reign as king. The people will see that he brought back a wanted criminal and they’ll view that as a show of loyalty. It’s kind of a win-win for everyone.”
“Except for you,” Hayden says quietly. “Except for the people he stole from.”
“The diamonds were insured,” Gaz says. “And I guarantee my brother will make things right with the people who were robbed. As for me,” he says. “Trevor is no loss to me. Besides, I’ve won the best prize of all.”
“What’s that?”
“You, Hayden.” He pulls me close and kisses me, right in front of his office. His hovercar appears behind him.
“Again?” I laugh, slipping out of his arms and into the car. He climbs in the driver’s side. “You know, it’s really not that hard to walk over to the car.”
“But this is so much more fun,” he says, laughing.
“I messaged my boss,” I tell him. “I’m taking the rest of the day. Personal emergency.”
“Is that right?” Gaz says. “You might be surprised to hear this, but I also have the rest of the day free.”
“Oh my,” I feign surprise. “Whatever will we do with ourselves?”
“I can think of a couple of things,” he says, but I fall quiet. I’m too excited to think straight. This is really, finally, actually happening.
Gaz and I are going to do this.
Finally.
After all of this time.
It’s strange to think about the magnitude of what we’re doing. I’m about to give myself over to someone for the first time willingly. Although I’m not a virgin, I basically am, and this is the first time I’ll have had any control over my sexuality. This is the first time I’ll have had a choice. This is the first time.
And I’m choosing Gaz.
I’m choosing his sweet spirit and his bravery and his smile.
I’m choosing his compassion.
I’m choosing his ferocity.
I’m choosing him.
And I will continue to choose him forever.
“Your place or mine?” He asks gently.
“Yours,” I say quickly. “Yours. Definitely.” I’ve been to his house before, but this is different. I’m filled with the knowledge that today, I’m going to give myself over to Gaz, and I’m both anxious and excited.
We arrive at his house and go inside. He pours us each a glass of petal juice and I down my quickly before handing it back.
“More?” He looks surprised.
“Just one more,” I say.
“Nervous?”
“A little.”
“You don’t have to be nervous,” he says. He hands me my glass and this time, I sip the petal juice slowly, taking my time to enjoy the way it warms my belly and my spirit.
“I know. It’s just…”
It’s just that I’ve wanted this for so long.
It’s just that I’ve dreamed of Gaz for an eternity.
It’s just that LeBlaie stole so much from me and today I’m getting that part of myself back.
Today I’m reclaiming what was lost so very long ago.
Today I’m standing up for myself and taking what is mine.
Gaz.
I set my glass down and kiss him deeply. He groans and pulls me closer to him, so our bodies are tightly pressed together. I can feel every inch of him and I know he can feel all of me, but I want more.
I need more.
I want all of him.
I run my hands through his hair and jump up into his arms. He holds me and I wrap my legs tightly around his waist.
“Hayden,” he groans. “We can take this slow, sweetie.” He keeps kissing me, and I grip his hair, holding him tightly.
“I don’t want slow, Gaz. I want you. Now. I need you. I need this.”
I’m practically a virgin.
I get it.
It’s normal that he would be scared of hurting me, of freaking me out, but I’m not scared, and I’m not hurting, and I’m definitely not worried.
I trust Gaz explicitly, but right now, I just want all of him. We’ve waited so long for this moment that I can’t wait another second. I need him now, and I know he needs me this same way.
He carries me through the house, bumping into things as we kiss. He pins me against the wall for just a moment, and slides his tongue over my lips.
“I love you,” he whispers. The words aren’t just words in this moment. They’re a promise. They’re everything I’ve ever hoped for, and everything I thought I would never be able to have. They’re an eternity. They’re endless.
They’re mine.
These are words he is offering to me, and I offer them right back.
“I love you, too,” I tell him. “With all of my heart, Gazley Oleandair.”
He chuckles at my use of his full name and keeps kissing me, and then Gaz carries me to the stairs. He kisses me the whole way up, never stopping or setting me down. I don’t even have a chance to look around because all I want is more.
More kissing.
More touching.
Just more.