Page 222 of Becoming Us

Now, he’d just let me love him completely. Trusted me. Let himself need me too.

I was so sure now. And it felt like he was too.

We were starting the rest of our lives.

When he came back in, fresh from a quick shower, my heart swelled with a love so big it pressed against every bone.

“Stay.”

His eyes flicked to mine. “I thought you wanted us to go to your house.”

“Yes.” A pause. “But I want you to stay.”

He looked confused, and something in my chest pulled tight.

“Forever,” I added.

His expression shifted, softening with slow realization. “Are you asking me to move in with you?”

“Yes. I know we said we’d take it slow this time, but…it already feels like we’ve waited years. So yes, move in with me. I want to start and end all my days with you.”

His lips curved into a smile, and something in me unlocked.

“Okay, yeah. Let’s move in together.”

I crashed into him, arms wrapping around his back as he hugged me tightly.

“I love you.”

“I love you too,” he said, cupping my face and kissing me like it was easy. Like he meant it.

I had the wild urge to drop to one knee right then and there, but Atty started shaking his head—still smiling.

“Don’t.”

“How do you even know…?”

“I can see it in your face.”

“Well, I got bad news for you, buddy, because you’re probably going to have to physically restrain me from doing so every single day of our lives until you actually say yes.”

He shrugged, amused. “Yeah. That checks.” He pressed a kiss to my temple, and we started gathering his things.

This was happening.

This was my life now.

He was coming home with me.

And I’d be damned if I ever let him leave.

It was a beautiful day.

The sun was shining, birds were chirping, and the most beautiful man in the world was lying inourbed. Inourroom.

We’d slept through most of the morning, so it wasn’t technically breakfast time—but still. It was practically tradition.

I moved through the usual motions: setting the table, getting the coffee going, tossing the toast into the toaster. Last came the eggs.