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“I want us to be exclusive and for us to move in together.”
Oakley was quiet for a moment. “I have a two-bedroom condo that would not accommodate you, and your place isn’t much larger. We won’t fit. Besides, I’m near my practice, and you are near yours.”
“Okay, let’s get one somewhere between, and it won’t be more than fifteen minutes either way. I’ll sell my flat and find us a larger one. Then you can sell yours, and we will consolidate.”
She kissed his eager lips. “Exclusive, done. Can we wait a little on the moving in part?”
He lowered his forehead to hers. “Oakley Addison, I love you. If you want to wait, I’ll wait, but I’ll be at your place during the week, and you can be at my place on the weekend. I must be close to you every evening and send you off every morning. Say yes to that.”
“You love me? Already?”
Ryker nodded, then pulled her in close, kissing the top of her head, his arms wrapped around her. “I’ve loved you for a while, but I didn’t want to scare you off, and I wanted to sit with the realization for a bit. You are it for me, Oakley.”
“You’re it for me, too. I wasn’t sure it was long enough to have these feelings, but I’ve never connected to anyone like I do with you. I think the living arrangements you just described work for me right now.”
“Good.” Ryker kissed her sweetly. “We have been invited to my best friend’s house tomorrow evening. They are celebrating another good business year. I want to bring you to the fun.”
“Do you? Will they like me?”
“Oh, sweetheart, they will love you. Jac is already saying if I don’t bring you tomorrow, he and Sharlee, his wife, will crash any private party we have.”
“But he wouldn’t, right?”
“Oh yes. They both would and likely bring the gang and their significant others with them. Best to get it out of the way on our terms than theirs.”
“It rather seems it’s theirs, anyway.”
“Jac likes to get his way.”
***
OAKLEY’S GOOD FRIENDBella was included in the invitation, and Oakley drove Bella to Ryker’s place. Bella, a bubbly and vibrant woman with sparkling eyes and an infectious laugh had been Oakley’s friend since college. They had a few moments of alone time in the car on the way to Ryker’s.
“So I haven’t seen much of you lately. Is Ryker my competition now?”
Her friend laughed, but there were times that Oakley wasn’t sure whether she was serious. Bella had moved to Lexington when Oakley had decided to open her practice here, leaving a lucrative paralegal job with a large legal firm. Oakley had tried to talk her out of it, but Bella wouldn’t hear of it.
When Oakley had vetoed moving in together because she liked her privacy, Bella had been sullen for a while, but before long, she was living several streets over. Boyfriends came and went with Bella, and Oakley’s boyfriends were few, very few. Ryker was different.
“Yes, he is part of the reason why I’m busy, but not completely.”
Bella play pouted. “Guess I’ll need a boyfriend until you have finished with Ryker.”
“That’s just it, Bella. I think Ryker is my forever.”
“What?” Was that panic in her voice? “You’re too young. And you haven’t known him long enough.”
“This feels different, Bella. Very, very different.”
“You aren’t suddenly moving in or anything, are you? You love your condo.”
“No, we aren’t moving in yet. But we are having sleepovers. The workweek is at my place; the weekends and holidays are at his.”
“Oh, guess you don’t need me around if you have him, then.”
Oakley could hear the hurt in her friend’s voice and tried to alleviate the worry. “Sure I do. Ryker wanted me to invite you and a date tonight. He said if you were my best friend, then you should meet his best friends. No reason we can’t expand our friend circle.”
“Hmm. What do these people do again?”