I wake up with one leg hanging off the edge of the mattress. While Sophie is a bombshell in bed, as soon as she’s asleep, she’s a nightmare. She’s managed to nudge me within an inch of the edge. I kiss her neck to wake her.

She makes a little whimper and sighs. “Mmm?”

“You’ve pushed me to the edge of the bed again.”

Lifting myself on one elbow, I see her lips curving into a mischievous smile, even though she doesn’t open her eyes. She murmurs, “I wouldn’t have to chase you if you didn’t keep squirming away.”

“You’re like a campfire, Sophie. It’s unbelievable how much heat you produce.”

She scooches towards the middle of the bed, all without opening her eyes. She throws an arm out behind her, blindly searching for me. Her fingers close around my wrist and pull my arm around her. Then she backs up her whole body against mine so that we’re spooning. Her cheeky smile becomes one of contentment. She finally opens her eyes, then blinks a few times to wake herself up.

“Good morning.”

“Morning, trouble. Considering how tired you said you were, you were fidgeting like hell in your sleep. Were you dreaming you were in the Olympics?”

“No. I did dream I was a goldfish, though. I fell out of my bowl and couldn’t breathe, but then it started raining, and I swam down the street, and it turned out to be pretty great. Turns out goldfish get pretty claustrophobic.”

“Ah, so you were swimming, then.”

“Must have been.”

I grin and press my fingers into her ribcage, tickling her until she squirms, screams with giggles, and kicks out her legs. “That’s a pretty accurate impression of how you slept last night.”

She rolls toward me and buries her head in my chest. “I’m sorry! When I get overtired, I don’t sleep well.”

I wrap my arms around her and kiss the top of her head. “Is waiting up for me all the time getting a bit much?”

Sophie cranes her neck back to look at me. There are dark circles under her eyes. “I want to wait up for you. You work practically every weekend, so if I can’t hold out in the evenings, I’d hardly ever see you.”

“I know it’s tough, but it’s better than before, isn’t it?”

“A hundred times better than before. At least you’re in the same country, and I know where you are and when you’re coming home. You can tell me ahead of time what your plans are. I’m not afraid you’re going to vanish last minute because something came up. It’s great. I just wish I could see more of you. I feel like we have lost time to make up for.”

I hold her close to me. Her hair smells like coconuts. Her cold feet press between my shins; she snuggles closer into my arms, her hands in little fists up by her chin, her forehead against my chest. She’s finally staying still.

Everything is hectic at work; movement, dancing, and bright lights. There are people everywhere, and I move between them like a shadow; present, but not really a part of the day. Here, with Sophie, it’s the opposite. We share something calm and consistent. When she’s in my arms, I feel completely present. I wish I could have more time with her, too.

“I feel the same,” I tell her. “We’re missing out on those little moments. There’s a rush to come and a rush to go. I don’t want it to be like that. I want to cherish every single second of time we can get together.”

“Mmm.” Sophie lets out a wistful sigh, wrapping her arms around my torso. “That would be nice.”

I adjust my position to face her. She looks up.

“I know it’s a bit soon, but you’re right: we’ve got lost time to make up for. What would you say to moving in together?”

Sophie sits up in surprise. “Already?”

I sit up, too. “You’re not ready for that?”

She tucks her hair behind her ear, and her eyebrows draw together. “I haven’t thought about it. I didn’t think that would be something on your mind so quickly.”

“Because I’m a flight-risk?”

Sophie gives me a playful pat on the chest. “That’s not what I’m saying.”

“But maybe you’re a bit worried that I’m not taking this seriously—that I won’t stick around?”

She bows her head, her hair falling in a tousled sheet down to her shoulders. She nods. “Maybe a little.”

“I won’t.” I take both her hands in mine and catch her eyes. “I promise you.”

Her frown breaks and turns into a grin. “You mean it?”

“One hundred percent.”

She bounces onto her knees and launches herself into my arms with a delighted laugh. “Then, yes! Let’s do it!”

“My place or here?”

“I don’t care.”

I chuckle. “Really? You want to do this?”

She pulls back, keeping her arms wrapped around my neck. She looks me in the eye. “I want to be with you every second of every day. If I’m in this thing, I’m all in.”

“What will Lena say?”

Sophie puts on Lena’s voice. “What are you thinking, Soph? You’ve only gotten back together for three months. Give yourself a chance! What will your dad say?”

“About time, son! She’s always been your better half. Tie that girl down.”

She throws back her head and laughs. “At the end of the day, it’s all up to us, right?”

“You got it.”

“I say that I’ve had enough of waiting for everything to fall into place. I’m going to wedge things into place like a stubborn toddler with a mallet.”

“Makes it sound like we’re not a good fit!”

“You know what I mean. I don’t want to wait. I want to be reckless again, like the day I met you and let you take me on an adventure across the world. When you know, you know—and I think I know.”

“Then let’s do it. I’ll move here.”

Sophie’s eyes widen. “You’d leave your apartment? But it’s so much nicer than mine!”

“It’s just four walls. Besides, my work is mobile. You need to stay close to the bank. I know how much you love this place.”

“I do,” Sophie confesses. “It’s so close to Lena, and we have all our favorite haunts around here, like Latte Latte. It’s a stupid reason to hold onto an apartment, but I love that place. It’s where I get to hang out with Lena.”

“I get it. No arguments from me. It’s my turn to follow you if you’ll have me.”

“Of course, I will!”

She jumps out of bed and heads to her closet. She pulls open the door, takes out an armful of clothes and hangers, and throws them on the floor. She gestures to the empty space. “I’ve already made room.”

I laugh. She’s got her hands on her hips in a determined pose, but I can’t take her seriously because she’s still completely nuts.

I hold out my arms to beckon her back to bed. She comes to me, and I cuddle her tightly, kissing the back of her neck. “As long as I have room for my camera, and there’s a spot for me in this bed, I have everything I need.”

“I’ll take those silly cheap canvases off the wall. We’ll put your headlines up.”

I shake my head. “No. We’ll put mine away, where they belong. Going forward, you’re my focus.”

Sophie’s eyes fill with tears. “I can’t believe how much has changed. This is everything I ever wanted.”

“I believe we’re going to make each other really happy.” I hold her close, and we talk about moving plans and arrangements. I don’t feel nervous or impetuous at all. I can’t wait to be with her all the time.

“Me, too. We’ll get to do this every morning.”

“We’ll get to cuddle every night.”

Sophie laughs. “I don’t remember you being such a romantic guy.”

“I’ve mellowed.”

She presses her lips against mine with deep affection. “I’m glad. I like this new Cole. I feel like you’re really mine.”

“I am—all yours.”