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“Do you need to clean up?” I asked and she nodded. “No worries.” She shuffled off to the bathroom and came back a little while later.

“Well, I wasn’t expecting that to happen,” she said, sitting back down on the bed.

“Me neither. But I liked it. Even though it was unexpected. Sometimes the unexpected things in life are the best.” I got up and kissed her softly.

“It was amazing. You felt amazing.”

“So did you.” She caressed the back of my neck. “Can I take a picture of you like this? You’re glowing.” I didn’t see why not. I got back on the bed and she arranged me again and snapped a few shots.

“You really are astonishingly gorgeous.”

“So are you.”

Nine

Once we both came down from orgasm high, we realized we were starving. I put my regular clothes back on and we headed to Zukos for pizza. We both consumed way too much melted cheese and practically had to waddle back to her room at the inn.

“So, I have a question for you,” she said as I lay on the couch and moaned about eating too much.

“Fire away,” I said, putting my hand on my stomach.

“What would you think . . . about me not leaving in a week?” I sat up and stared at her.

“Are you serious?” She bit her lip and nodded.

“I know that we’re not even technically doing anything and I wouldn’t be staying just for you. I like it here. I’ve found a peace that I haven’t witnessed anywhere else. I want to see what it would be like to stay in one place and I’d like this to be the place. Or at least give it a try.” My mouth dropped open.

“Are you serious?” I said again, getting up from the couch and walking toward her.

“Yes.”

I tackled her onto the bed and kissed the shit out of her.

“Yes, I totally want you to say, are you kidding? I was going to try and get up the courage to ask you, but I thought that was totally selfish, but I wanted to give it a shot and I’m rambling and I don’t even care. Yes. I want you to stay, Lacey Cole. I want to find out what we could be. And I want you to be where you feel happy. And if it’s here, then that would be amazing. But I don’t want you to feel obligated.” She put her finger against my lips.

“I’m not obligated. Honored. Stunned that you’d want me to stick around.” I shook my head.

“You’re ridiculous.”

“Only sometimes.” We kissed again, but she pulled back.

“Oh, I have a question. Can Murder stay with you until I find another place?” I laughed.

“Of course. Your cat is my cat.” Her eyes narrowed.

“Don’t you dare steal him. He’s mine.”

I pretended to be offended by the notion.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Liar.”

I stopped her protestations with another kiss.

Epilogue

“He loves me more,” I said, as Murder perched on top of a stack of boxes that we had yet to unpack. Lacey had sent for the last of her things from storage and we were moving her into her new apartment. Our new apartment.