Page 37 of Cinder & Secrets (Ink & Ashes #2)

Pulling my phone from my bag, I frown when I see I don’t have any calls or texts from River. Usually he calls me every day on his lunch break, so I thought maybe I had just missed it, but alas, nothing.

Dropping the device back into my bag, I push through the stairwell door before turning up the hallway, heading in the direction of my dorm room, which sits at the far end of the hallway.

It takes me longer than it should to realize there’s someone sitting outside my door, and even longer to realize who it is until I get close enough to see messy blond hair and then hunter-green eyes that find mine even in the distance.

“What the...” I pick up the pace, surprise and excitement making my feet move faster than normal in my attempt to get to him. “What are you doing here?” I throw my arms around River’s neck the instant I reach him, burying my face in his neck as I breathe in his incredible scent.

“Thought I’d surprise you,” his deep voice rumbles in my ear. “Are you surprised?” He pulls back to look at me.

“Very.” I take his face in my hands, pressing up on my toes to kiss him. “Why didn’t you tell me you were here? How long have you been waiting?” I let my hands fall away as I take a small step back.

“Not long. My sister intercepted you so that I could get here before you got home.”

“Lyric knew you were coming?”

He nods.

“That little liar.” I huff out a laugh.

“Don’t be angry with her. I wanted to surprise you by being here when you got home.”

“I’m not angry.” I shake my head. “But I thought you had to work.”

“I did. Just not at my job.”

“Huh?” My forehead crinkles in confusion.

“Don’t worry. It’ll all make sense shortly.”

“You’re being awfully cryptic,” I needlessly point out.

“I know.” He smiles, rocking back on his heels.

“Do you want to drop off your bag before we go?”

“We’re going somewhere?” I don’t try to hide my confusion.

“We are.”

“Um, yeah, okay.”

He steps out of the way to allow me space to unlock my door. I drop my bag just inside and then pull it closed, locking it back.

“Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be, I guess.” I study his face, trying to figure out what he’s up to, but he gives nothing away.

Ten minutes after he ushers me into his car, we pull up outside a large apartment complex just a short drive from campus. Pulling into an open spot, he kills the engine, unlatching his seat belt as he looks over at me.

“Ready?” He practically bounces with excitement, which only serves to confuse me further.

“For what? Do you know someone who lives here or something?” I hitch a brow.

“You could say that.” He pushes open the driver’s door. “Come.”

I blow out a slow breath before unlatching my own seat belt and exiting the car, meeting him on the sidewalk moments later.

Taking in the large, three-story brick building in front of us, I allow River to lead me to the front door, where he inputs a code into the keypad that unlocks it before steering me inside.

“Okay, so clearly you know someone ,” I grumble, following him down a long hallway before stopping at a set of elevators. “Why are we here, River?” I ask as we wait for the doors to slide open, which they do almost instantly.

“You’ll see.” He takes my hand, pulling me into the elevator with him.

We ride the car up to the third floor before stepping out into a hallway that looks nearly identical to the one we came in on. Shiny, white tile floors. Light gray walls. Dark wood accents. It’s a really nice building, whoever lives here.

“Here we are.” He stops at a door about halfway down the hall, this time using a key to gain entry.

I give him a look that I’m sure looks a lot like what the fuck is this before his hand finds the small of my back and he ushers me inside.

I blink once, twice, allowing my eyes to adjust to the bright room that has so much natural light pouring inside, it almost feels like you’re outside, standing beneath the sun.

“What is this place?” I ask, looking around the empty apartment. There’s nothing here. No furniture. No decorations. Not even a single curtain or blind.

The walls are a soft gray, similar to the ones in the hallway. The floors are hardwood, dark and shiny. It’s an open concept; the living room, kitchen, and dining room all basically one large room, with nothing more than a breakfast bar for separation.

I step farther into the room, not missing the wall of windows along the back wall that looks eerily similar to River’s apartment in North Carolina, minus the incredible view.

“This is my new home,” he says from behind me, and I turn to look at him, sure I’ve heard him wrong.

“What?”

“I’m moving to Virginia,” he says, taking a step closer to where I’m currently standing in the middle of the room. “I signed the lease to this place this morning.”

“You’re... You’re moving here?” I stare at him like I can’t decide if I want to scream at him for not discussing this with me first or jump into his arms and kiss him until my lips are painfully swollen and begging for reprieve.

He nods slowly, taking another step toward me.

“This is your new apartment.”

“ Our new apartment,” he corrects. “That is if you want to live here.”

“Wait...” I hold my arm out to steady myself, feeling suddenly off balance. “You want me to move in with you?”

“I do. But it’s okay if you don’t want to. There’s no pressure here. I just... I couldn’t take being so far away from you any longer.”

“How long have you been planning this?”

“A couple of months.”

“A couple of months...” I gape at him. “But your job... The remote position.” I answer my own question, knowing he’s been transitioning into a work-from-home position for a couple of weeks now.

He nods again, letting me piece it together on my own.

“So you requested a remote position so that you could stay with the company, but you wouldn’t have to stay in North Carolina.”

“Exactly.” He smiles.

“Because you want us to live together?”

“Yes.”

“Here?” I gesture around the space, trying to get my brain to catch up, but it seems sluggish and a little reluctant to do so.

“Here,” he confirms.

“You and me?” I probably sound like an idiot, but I’m fairly certain I’m in shock.

“You and me.” His smile widens.

“I...” I do a full three-sixty spin, taking in the relatively large space. “I don’t know what to say.”

“You can start by telling me how you feel.”

“About you moving here?” I force myself to meet his gaze, having not expected to find doubt swimming behind those incredible green eyes of his. “I’m...” I close the space between us in an instant. “I can’t believe you did this for me.”

“For us.” He tips my chin, tilting my face up to his. “Unless it’s too much. If it’s too much, I can—”

“It’s not too much,” I cut him off. “It’s... perfect.” I throw my arms around his neck, my feet leaving the floor seconds later as River lifts me off the ground, his arms wrapped around my back so tightly it’s almost hard to breathe, not that I mind.

Burying his face into my hair, he takes an audible breath.

“Is that a yes?” he asks after a long moment, lowering me to my feet.

“Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes,” I repeat, sliding my cheek against his before my lips find their mark at the corner of his mouth. “Yes. Yes. Yes,” I repeat, moving to cover his mouth fully with mine.

He deepens the kiss, his fingers splaying across my spine as he holds me firmly in place.

“Wait.” I pull back abruptly. “Lyric knew about this?” I don’t know why, but the realization takes much longer than it should to dawn on me.

“She did.” He sweeps his thumb over my bottom lip. “Who do you think helped me?”

“That brat.” I pout. “I can’t believe she didn’t say anything.”

“To be fair, I made her swear on her life not to tell you.”

“I can’t believe you did this.”

“But you’re happy I did?”

“Are you kidding me?” I stare up at him. “This is... Everything. When do you move in?”

“I signed the lease already, so technically, I can move in now if I want. Though, I do have some things to settle in North Carolina beforehand, so I’m thinking next week at the earliest. Though you’re welcome to move in today if you want.”

“Maisie’s going to kill me,” I say as I realize it. “First Lyric, now me. We’re abandoning her one after the other.”

“I think Maisie will enjoy a single room more than she’ll let on.”

I think on that for a moment, realizing he’s probably right, given the lack of privacy having a roommate gives you. Especially when said roommate basically locks you out every weekend when her out-of-town boyfriend comes to visit. Sorry, not sorry. I smile to myself.

“I think I’ll wait until you move in before I do. I don’t want to stay here by myself.”

“Okay. But will you at least stay here with me tonight?” His grip on me tightens. “We could order food. Set up a picnic on the floor. Spend the night christening every imaginable surface.” His lips brush against mine.

“I think I like the way you think, Mr. Parker.” I smile against his mouth.

“Is that a yes?”

“A thousand times, yes. To all of it.” My fingers once again find his hair, diving into the thick strands as anticipation lights up my body like a freaking Christmas tree.

“Fuck, I love you, Red,” he grumbles against my lips, deepening the kiss.

“I love you more.” I slide my tongue against his, desire pooling low in my belly.

“Not possible.”

“Very possible,” I disagree.

“Perhaps I should show you just how wrong you are.” River hoists me up and I instinctively wrap my legs around his waist as he carries me toward the wall of windows. “I think we’ll start here.”

I jump slightly when my back hits the window, the cold glass biting through the fabric of my sweater, cooling my too-warm skin.

It’s not lost on me that the first time we ever had sex, it was against the wall of windows in his apartment. Seems fitting that this is where we will kick off the next chapter of our lives together.

A life where we’re no longer separated by lies or secrets. Not by distance or time. A life where we can give ourselves fully to the other person with no barrier between us. And damn if it doesn’t feel right.

“What if someone sees?” I wonder aloud, not sure if these windows are tinted like the others were.

“Let them watch. At least then they’ll know.”

“Know what?” I gasp when he grinds into me, every nerve ending in my body firing on all cylinders.

“That I’m the luckiest fucking man on the planet.” His face dips, his lips finding the crook of my neck as he kisses and licks the sensitive skin just below my ear. I tilt my head back to give him better access.

“Is that so?” I smile, cupping the back of his hand as his lips continue to assault my skin in the best way possible.

“You. Are. Mine. Red.” He emphasizes each word. “About time the whole world knows it.” He draws back to look at me, dark green eyes hooded with desire.

“I. Am. Yours,” I confirm, taking his face in my hands. “For as long as you want me.”

“I’ll never not want you.”

“Then I’ll be yours forever.”

“Now that I can live with.” The smile that takes over his face steals the breath straight from my lungs.

“Me too,” I admit, pulling his lips back to mine. “Me too,” I repeat, having never meant anything more in my entire life.

I can’t predict the future. I’m not na?ve enough to believe that forever is a promise he can keep. But I will hold on to him with everything I have, for as long as I have. And for now, that will be enough.