Page 57 of Overachiever

“Hey. Watching a man sleep is a little creepy. Just so you know.”

“Good thing you slept through the fondling then.”

She cuddles against me, and I run my fingers through her hair. “How long have you been awake?”

“A while. I needed some quiet time to think.”

I’ve said what I needed to say and our future is in her hands now, but it’s hard not to try to convince her.

She slides her hand up to my cheek and looks me in the eye. “I might be confused about a lot, but I know one thing. I’m in love with you, too.”

Hope rushes in, and I try not to let it. I’m thrilled to have her love, but that doesn’t mean she wants to be with me. I roll onto my side and pull her into my arms, holding her tight.

“I’m afraid,” she confesses.

“I know.”

“Not just of changing my plan. I’ve never been in a real relationship. What if I do something wrong?”

“We’re both going to make mistakes, baby. That’s just life. We’ll talk and work things out.”

There’s a hesitance in her silence. “You won’t…leave?”

“Because we have an argument or a disagreement? Of course not. Why would you think that?”

With a sigh, she starts to explain her worries. Her way of thinking makes a lot more sense as she tells me about parents who allowed no mistakes, a father who abandoned her, and the sister who was tossed aside, driving home the lessons already put in her head. In her mind, one wrong move can lead to tragedy and loss. No wonder she’s so paranoid of screwing up.

“My sister threw everything away for a guy who didn’t even stick around long enough to see the baby. I was determined that wasn’t going to happen to me. I was going to do everything perfect. Stick to my plan. I’m just starting to understand that maybe it doesn’t have to be that way.” She grins up at me. “I got to see Rachel yesterday. She’s happy. And I have a four year old nephew who’s adorable. She may have made a mistake getting pregnant so young and by the wrong man, but it didn’t ruin her life. She has a beautiful son.”

Remee sits up, and I scoot up beside her. “I don’t want to set those limitations on myself anymore. I don’t want to be alone and miserable because I’m afraid to take a risk.” Her hand slides into mine. “If you still want to take a chance on me.”

“You want to be my girlfriend?”

“More than anything.”

“Thank fuck,” I breathe, kissing her. She lies back, and it feels amazing to have her body under mine again. Like I’m home.

“Does this mean you’ll put out again?” she teases.

“Absolutely.” I reach under her and squeeze her ass. “Boyfriends get back door access, right?”

“We’ll talk about it.”

Her giggles fade while we rid one another of our clothes and spend the next hour making up for three weeks of longing for each other. When we finish, and I lie beside her, all I can think is how lucky I am. How happy she makes me, and how happy I’m going to make her.

“Are you close to your family?” she asks.

“I am. I don’t get to see enough of them.”

“All those boys,” she chuckles. “Your poor mom.” Most people are surprised to find out I’m one of six kids. All boys. “We’re perfect angels.”

“Ha! I bet.” Her phone rings, and she answers it, scooting out of bed. After talking for a few minutes, she turns to me.

“You can absolutely say no if you aren’t ready to meet my family, but my sister wants to know if we’d like to meet them for an early dinner at a pizza place and arcade.”

Sitting up, I hold up my index finger. “Just answer one question. It’s absolutely vital. Is there a ball pit?”

Her lips crease at the edges. “Yes, there is.”