The morning sun is poking just above the trees. I’ve been lying here for the last hour, watching its slow rise through the window of David’s bedroom. Scratch that, our bedroom. It’s hard to explain how I feel now that we’re finally moving forward in our relationship. It’s something I’ve always wanted, but I’ve foolishly let my insecurities hold me back. Hell, I don’t even know where they came from. I do that sometimes, get in my own head. I’m glad I opened up to my girls and they were able to get through to me. Sure, more than likely I would still be here in this bed, but it would be his bed, not ours. There’s a lightness in my chest from that simple fact alone.
He knows I’m ready, that I’m no longer going to hold back from what I want. I’m lucky as hell that he’s put up with me this long, but that’s David. He’s honest, kind, and has the patience of a saint. And he’s all mine.
“Morning, Livy,” he whispers, kissing my neck.
“Morning.” I lace my fingers through his hand that’s resting against my belly, holding me to him.
“This is our new normal. We wake up, go to work, and then you come home, to me. To our home.” He kisses my shoulder.
“So I’m not crazy thinking this all feels new?”
“It’s new for us. This is the beginning of forever. We both knew that’s where we were headed—at least, I think we did—but now we’re making it happen. I can’t tell you how happy I am that you’re living here with me. That this is our home.”
“I’m ready,” I whisper. David is a smart man. I’m sure he knows what I’m saying. Yes, I’m ready for the rest of our lives together, but I’m also ready to say yes. He just needs to ask me again. I know he’s trying to plan some elaborate proposal. That’s David, always trying to make things special for me. It’s not necessary, but I love him more for the thought alone.
“I called Aaron and Evan last night. I’m off the next two days. You think we can get you moved in, all the way, everything of yours and mine under this roof by then?” he asks.
I roll over and run my hands across his five-o’clock shadow. “Yeah, I think we can manage that. Look what we did in just a few hours yesterday.”
“Wanna know a secret?” he asks, kissing the corner of my mouth.
“Always.” I nod.
“I want to do it fast, for so many reasons. One is because this is what I’ve wanted since the day I put in the offer. You, living here with me, us making this place our home. I also don’t want to give you the chance to change your mind. Not that I think you’re going to. It’s just that I’ve wanted this, us, and you’ve been less than enthusiastic about us moving forward. I know you love me, but I wasn’t sure this would ever happen for us,” he confesses.
“I’m sorry, babe. I’m so damn lucky you’ve put up with me all this time. It was never you. It was never that I didn’t love you or want all the things we talked about. I was scared.”
“You’re not scared anymore?” I hear the worry in his voice.
“I’m not. Do you want to know why?” I ask, and he nods. “Because, David Harris, I know that no matter what life throws at us, you are going to be right there by my side. I know you will catch me when I fall, and if my job becomes an issue, we will work it out together. I know you are going to be the best husband and the best father a family could ask for.” I place my hand on his chest over his heart. “Because I know this beats for me just as mine beats for you. Nothing can break that.”
“I fucking love you,” he says, capturing my lips with his.
After a few sweet kisses, I reluctantly pull away. “We have packing to do.”
“We do, as soon as I make love to you in our bed.”
“Really?” I laugh, tilting my head to the side to allow his lips to roam. “It’s not like that’s never happened in this bed before.”
“It was never our bed before yesterday. We were exhausted last night, but today, today I’m ready to take you on every solid surface in this place. Our place,” he says, nipping at my ear.
“I think I can get on board with that, but then my house won’t get packed up, which will delay the realtor, which delays this being the only home I have.” I know my words will do the trick.
“Fine, not every surface, just the bed.” He reaches over and grabs a condom from the nightstand. “You ready to give these up yet?” he asks.
“Actually, yes.”
He freezes. He’s naked, sitting back on his knees between mine, staring down at me with a look of pure love and, right now, shock on his face. “Liv, baby, are you feeling okay?”
I can’t stop the smile from tilting my lips. “I let my fears control me for too long. They were irrational and unwarranted. If I were to have your baby, it would be the greatest blessing,” I tell him. “Besides, I’m on the pill.”
“Yeah, but that’s not changed since we’ve been together.”
“No, you’re right. But I have. I know it doesn’t matter what my career is. What I do for a living will not define me as a wife and mother. Working at Mike’s Tavern is not something to be ashamed of. Honestly, I’m embarrassed that I let my irrational worries keep us from moving forward.”
“You sure about this?” he asks, holding up the condom.
“I’ve never been more sure about anything. I don’t want anything between us the first time we make this bed ours,” I say, reaching out and gripping him.
He tosses the condom on the floor and pulls my hand away from him. “Just the thought of being inside you bare has me ready to lose my shit, Liv. I can’t have you touching my cock, not right now,” he says, gripping my hips and pulling me into him. “You sure?” he repeats, and I nod. I watch him as he grips his length and guides himself inside of me slowly, inch by delectable inch, until he’s fully seated. “Holy fuck,” he breathes. His eyes are closed tightly, his grip on my hips strong, almost painful, but the smile on his face? I can’t look away.
I can’t take my eyes off him as he bites down on his lip. It’s a heady feeling to know it’s me who’s causing this reaction from him. Lifting my hips, he slides in just a little deeper, and a moan falls from his lips.
“Dave, I need you to move.” I lift my hips again to prove my point.
His eyes open and lock on mine. “I love you, Olivia.” He pulls out and slowly dives back in. “You’re so hot wrapped around my cock.” He pulls out and thrusts back in a little faster this time. “So wet.” Again, faster with each stroke. “I can feel your pussy squeezing me, so fucking soft,” he murmurs as his thrusts grow faster.
All I can do is hang on for the ride. I slide my arms under his and sink my nails in his back, which seems to spur him on even further.
Leaning in, he captures my lips in a searing kiss, saying everything that neither one of us can find the words to express.
“I’m close,” he pants against my lips. “Are you with me, baby?”
“Y-yes,” I say, digging my nails a little deeper as I feel the rush of electricity flowing through my veins.
“Come with me,” he demands, and that’s all it takes for me to crash into a world of oblivion. It’s pure bliss as wave after wave of ecstasy rolls through me. When the final one hits, I wrap my arms around him, holding him to me, not ready to lose our connection just yet.
“Open those eyes, Livy. I need to see you.” With extreme effort, I force my lids open to find him watching me, his face hovering over mine. “There’s my girl,” he says, kissing me sweetly. “Life-altering, Liv.”
“For you too?” I ask.
He chuckles. “Making love to you always brings me to my knees, just being inside of you. But making love to you bare, that’s a whole other level.” He presses his lips to mine yet again. “I feel like I’m a part of you.”
“You are.” I cup his face. “You’re my heart, David, always have been. I’m sorry I’ve been distant and holding back. No more, I promise. I want everything we’ve talked about. Marriage, kids, the life we’ve dreamed, it’s going to come true. I’ll make sure of it.”
His reply is to bury his face in my neck. “I don’t want to pull out. I don’t want to lose this feeling.”
“I’m yours,” I tell him, running my fingers through his hair. “This is our new reality, babe.” We hold each other for what feels like hours, when actually it’s mere minutes. “We really need to shower and start packing up my stuff.”
“Yeah.” He lifts his head to look at me. “You go first, and I’ll make us some breakfast.”
“You’re not joining me?”
“Baby.” He smiles. “You and I both know that if I don’t pull myself away from you and walk downstairs, we won’t be leaving this house today. Go shower, and I’ll cook. Then tonight, we’re doing this again,” he says, kissing my lips and slowly easing out of me.
I can feel him, us. It’s messy but so worth it. “You get this,” I say, ignoring the mess we made, “for the rest of your life.”
“No sweeter words have ever been spoken.” He climbs off the bed and pulls on a pair of shorts.
“Aren’t you going to, you know, clean up?” I ask.
“Nope. I want you, us, all over me while I make you breakfast. Go”—he nods toward the bathroom—“before I change my mind and we stay in this bed all day.”
“We could do that, you know,” I offer, because that sounds like a damn good idea.
“We could, but I want you here. All of you, all of your stuff. And being buried balls deep inside you all day, no matter how appealing the thought of staying now, it won’t get me that result.” With that, he turns and exits the bedroom.
Making a mental note to wash the sheets, I climb out of bed and head toward the shower. Today feels like the first day of the rest of our lives. I can’t wait to see what the future holds.