Page 89 of My Three Hometown Alphas

I gently grip her hip, pulling her even closer. It isn’t sexual. There’s just an unwavering need coursing through me to have her nearby.

“What would your dream day look like?” I find myself asking her. I lace my fingers through hers, resting them on the mattress between us.

Her forehead scrunches together as she thinks about my question. “Waking up without an alarm. A cup of really good coffee. Sitting outside on a gorgeous day, reading a book I don’t want to put down until it’s finished.”

She hesitates for a second, biting her lip. Her eyes dart away.

“Then, spending the rest of the day kind of like today.”

Today? Eating frozen lasagna and family movie night?

“Movie night?” I ask.

She gives a small shrug. “Partially.”

I lay there, waiting patiently for her to continue.

“More so the people I did it with,” she says, a blush creeping over her cheeks. “I think I’d be happy doing just about anything with all of you.”

My heart starts pounding painfully hard against my ribcage, chills racing across my skin.

“Whenever I’m with all of you, I’m happy. It doesn’t matter what we’re doing,” she says. There’s a wistful tone to her voice.

That’s what her dream day really looks like? That’s what makes her happy?

I was fully expecting her to say something about her upcoming internship or even something that would remind her of her dad.

Now I don’t know what to say because her answer doesn’t fit into everything I thought she wanted in this world.

“What about you?” she asks, squeezing my hand to bring me back to reality.

I don’t even think before saying, “Waking up without an alarm with you in my arms. Bringing you a really good cup of coffee. Going for a run and coming back home to find you reading outside. Spending the rest of the day doing anything where the five of us could be together.”

Her eyes flutter closed. There might have been a tear slide out of the corner of her eye, but it’s dark in here so I can’t really say for sure.

She moves even closer, until her head is pressed against my chest. Our clasped hands are trapped between us.

I’ve never felt like this before. It’s borderline painful how much I care about her.

Well, that’s a gross understatement. I don’tjustcare about her. I love her. I’minlove with her.

I love Avery.

Her breathing evens out after a few quiet minutes of us just breathing each other in, both lost in our own thoughts.

It takes far longer for my mind to shut off enough to get any sleep. I can’t stop thinking about how she described her perfect day, and what that means.

Does it really mean anything? Change anything?

Even more than thinking, I find myself just watching her sleep and soaking up the feeling of having her here next to me.

It’s with my face buried against her almond-and-cherry-scented hair that I finally relax enough to fall asleep with the woman I’m madly in love with right where I wish she could be every night.

Forever…

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

Avery