Page 23 of Everything In Between

She sets down the cookies, dusting the crumbs from her fingers on a kitchen towel.

“There’s not much to tell. The songs I record and put out with the albums are exclusively written by other artists.

Callum picks them out, decides they’ll match the brand he’s trying to create for me, and then I record them. ”

“What about the ones you write?”

“They never see the light of day,” she says sadly. “I still write them because it’s therapeutic for me. I have an old notebook I carry around with me full of songs. But I never get to record the ones I write. It’s not part of the deal with my label.”

“How do you write them?” I ask, leaning toward her as the curiosity builds inside of me.

“Depends on the song.” She shrugs and reaches for another Oreo before settling back against me again. “Most of the time it starts with a melody, but other times certain lyrics hit me and then I can’t rest until the rest of the lyrics come together.”

“Sounds like putting a puzzle together.”

She grins and nods. “Exactly like that. In those cases, the melody comes later, once the story is complete with the words.”

“You’re a diamond in the rough,” I murmur, pressing a kiss to her neck. She tilts her head to the side, giving me more access to the delicate curve of her neck.

“I don’t know about that.” She sounds breathless, which makes me smile against her skin and press another kiss to the divot behind her ear. These sensitive areas of her body are quickly becoming my favorite places to pay extra attention.

“You are. I hate that they are exploiting you for it, not letting you shine to your fullest potential.”

“I hate it too,” she whispers. Her hand traces up my arm around her middle as she resumes her humming. I rest my chin against her shoulder and close my eyes as I listen to the melodious sound of her voice. I could listen to her sing, or hum, or anything, all day long if she’d let me.

Periwinkle trots into the kitchen to investigate what’s happening.

“Oh my gosh, is this Peri?”

I step away from her, instantly missing the warmth of her against me. She bends down once Peri comes up to greet her and scratches her behind the ears, running one finger over the hem of her purple sweater. “She’s so cute. Look at her little sweater!”

“She’s something,” I say with a grin, crossing my arms over my chest and leaning my hip against the counter.

“How long have you had her?” Jersey peeks up at me.

“About eight years. She was a puppy when I found her at an adoption day at the pet store.”

“Have you always been a small dog person?”

“Not necessarily. But she stole my heart right away. She was all alone in her little cage, shivering relentlessly.” I crouch down next to Jersey so I can pet Peri too. “The minute I saw this little smooshed face and holier-than-thou glint in her eyes, I knew she had to be mine.”

“That’s actually so sweet,” she says softly.

“We’ve been a team ever since.” Peri’s expression tells me she whole-heartedly agrees with the sentiment, then looks back to Jersey, who’s still giving her all the attention.

A warm affection overcomes me as I study this beautiful woman currently loving on my dog and conclude that I’m in such deep shit when it comes to her. I can’t even find it in myself to be concerned about it.

“So, what do you want to do tonight?” I ask her, at a loss for any grand ideas myself. “Do you want me to make a dinner reservation somewhere? Or we can go drive around the city?”

She shrugs and peeks up at me from the floor. “Could we stay in tonight? We can do all that another time. There’s no rush.”

“Of course.” I nod, perfectly happy to get the chance to have her all to myself.

“Maybe we can watch a movie? Order some food in?”

“Truly a much better idea.” I open my food delivery app and hand my phone to her. “Here, order whatever you want. I’ll feed Peri, then we can figure out what to watch.”

Not long later, we have a table full of takeout in front of us and a classic action movie on the TV.

Jersey snuggles right into my side as soon as she’s finished with her dinner, making herself at home. Peri stands on her hind legs and places her paws on the cushions. I scoop her up, letting her onto the couch with us before looking back to the TV.

The images move across the screen, but I can’t be bothered to follow along.

As the minutes tick by, she gets more and more comfortable, resting her head against my shoulder first and then scooting in until she’s draped across my chest. I’ve never been more content than I am with her pressed against me like this.

It feels like she was always meant to be here with me.

I don’t know when it happens, but the combination of a full travel day and a hearty dinner does her in. Before the movie’s halfway through, she’s fallen asleep against my chest. Her soft, comfortable snores fill a chasm of my heart that I never knew was empty.

Letting myself bask in the few quiet moments I have with this beautiful girl, I don’t disturb her. My hands smooth over her hair, weaving in and out of the silky strands.

Time flies too quickly, and the movie we’re watching ends. The screen returns to the home page of the streaming service and I decide it’s time to call it a night. Gently, I shake Jersey’s elbow, enough to jostle her from her slumber.

“Hayes?” she murmurs against my chest.

“Hmm,” I rumble back, still stroking my hand up and down her arm.

“Will you take me to bed?” Her voice is quiet as she asks her question. “I’m sleepy.”

My chest aches, and I wrap my arm around her, leaning my head down to kiss the crown of her head. “Yeah, baby. Let’s get you to bed.”

She makes a soft, snoozy sound in thanks and settles back against me.

Not long later, I scoop her into my arms, carrying her up the stairs.

I pull back the covers on the side of the bed that’s always empty, and I set her down on the edge of the bed.

She wastes no time curling up against the pillows and looking at me through thick, dark lashes.

“I should change into my pajamas,” she says, eyes darting to the drawer where she unpacked her clothes. “I don’t want to sleep in these since I traveled today, but I don’t want to get up.”

Pausing for a moment, I cross the bed’s perimeter, pulling my shirt off, leaving me in only my sweatpants, and hand it to her. She takes it readily, sitting up in the bed and reaching for the hem of her shirt. I avert my gaze, giving her some privacy.

When I hear her own clothes hit the floor, I figure it’s safe and look up again.

She’s nestled in the bedding again, looking up at me with sleepy brown eyes.

I was right earlier when I assumed she’d be sexy as fuck in anything—but even I wasn’t prepared for the sight of her in my clothes.

That does something to a man. Unable to stay away from her any longer, I flip off the lights and crawl under the covers beside her, reaching for her and drawing her close to my body, leaving only a little space between us.

Jersey flips around, so she’s facing me.

I tenderly stroke the smooth skin of her face with my thumb. “I’m glad you’re here,” I whisper into the darkness.

“Me too,” she whispers back. Her small hand wraps around my wrist. It’s such a simple action, but still so intimate. Jersey’s eyes study my face, and then she scoots closer to me on the bed until she’s flush against me and hikes one leg over my hip.

We’re a breath away, but that doesn’t faze her. She tilts her chin up, and her lips brush against mine, like a feather.

I can’t help the satisfied sigh that leaves my lips, and it seems to spur her on because next, she’s pressing her body languidly against mine and locking our lips together.

I respond fervently, dropping my hand from her cheek down to her waist so I can clutch her to me. She arches her pelvis against mine, rubbing her warm center against the length of my steadily hardening cock.

Fuck, she’s perfect. She’s everything.

My hand traces the curve of her hip, the band of her panties, and then trails up her torso until I’m cupping her breast underneath my shirt she’s wearing.

The mental image of her in my clothes and the feel of her delicate skin underneath my palm sends primal desire crashing through me and I need her in a way I haven’t needed anyone before.

I rub my fingers over her breast, flicking my thumb over the nipple until she’s quivering beneath me.

The small bud hardens under my touch, and Jersey whimpers against my lips.

There’s nothing more that I want than to rip the shirt over her head and lap at those pretty nipples.

Though we both spent plenty of time learning each other’s bodies while I was in LA, we haven’t crossed the finish line.

I’m yearning to know what it feels like to be buried deep inside of her, but I’m holding back, wanting to make sure she knows that she means more to me than the physical chemistry between us.

Ignoring the raging need I have for her, I pull away, returning my hand to her hip and putting some distance between us so we can both breathe.

“What’s wrong?” Jersey whimpers, and then leans her face into my neck, inhaling deeply.

“Nothing.” I stroke my hand from her hip up the length of her back to the nape of her neck, where I hold her to me tightly. “You’ve had a long day. You’re exhausted. Just let me hold you tonight.”

She exhales and her breath tickles my skin. “I’m so happy I’m here.”

“Me too. Goodnight, honey,” I say, my voice low.

She nuzzles against me, the tender action tugging on my heartstrings. “Goodnight, MVP.”