Page 45 of Room to Spare (The Fixer Upper #2)

TWENTY

As promised, Keaton found the first opportunity he could to make their excuses after dinner.

Jules’s cheeks flushed a bright red, worried everyone knew why they were in a hurry to leave.

It was eerily quiet when Keaton pulled into the parking lot, and Jules was suddenly second-guessing their decision to move in while the rest of the building was empty.

But their arrangement had been for them to stay with Keaton until their place was ready, so there wasn’t any legitimate reason to delay.

The weight of the day pressed down on them as Keaton led them upstairs, but it was the thought of sleeping alone for the first time in years that made their chest tighten.

Once safely inside Jules’s apartment, neither of them seemed in a hurry.

The long day was catching up with them, and the mattress was still wrapped in plastic.

Jules wasn’t even going to think about assembling the frame tonight. That could wait until morning.

“Did you want to get the TV hooked up and logged into your streaming services?” Keaton asked. Jules shook their head, giving a shy jerk of the head toward the bedroom. Why it was so difficult to come right out and say they wanted to get naked was beyond them.

Keaton pulled out his pocket knife and handed it to Jules. “I have to take a leak. Why don’t you start unwrapping the mattress so we can get some sheets on it?”

“Sounds like a plan.” Jules yawned wide enough to pop their jaw. If Keaton didn’t hurry, there was a good chance they’d be asleep within the next five minutes.

They glanced around the room, trying to imagine how it would feel to wake up here, without the familiar sounds of Keaton moving around the apartment. The idea was both exhilarating and terrifying.

Keaton appeared in the doorway, his presence a solid comfort in the chaos. He leaned against the doorframe, his gaze soft and understanding. “You okay?” he asked, his voice low and gentle.

Jules shrugged, their hands resting on their hips. “Yeah, just trying to wrap my head around everything,” they said, gesturing to the boxes scattered around the room. “It’s strange, you know? I’ve never really been on my own like this before.”

Keaton nodded, his eyes never leaving Jules. “It’s a big change,” he agreed. “But I think you’re right that it’ll be good for you. This place will be amazing once you’re all settled in.”

Jules let out a shaky breath, their fingers fidgeting with the hem of their shirt.

“I know,” they said, their voice barely more than a whisper.

“It’s just… I’m not used to being alone.

I don’t know if I’ll be able to sleep here by myself, especially until at least someone else moves in.

It’s…just a bit creepy. I know that’s stupid since it’s a great neighborhood and all, but when we were walking in, I couldn’t help but imagine someone squatting in one of the empty units, hoping you wouldn’t notice. ”

Keaton hesitated, his brows furrowing slightly as he considered his words.

“You know, I could stay tonight,” he offered, his voice cautious.

“If you want. Whatever makes you feel comfortable. I know you were going on about needing some time to yourself, and I respect that. But I don’t want you tossing and turning, listening for every little sound either. ”

Jules’s heart skipped a beat at the suggestion.

They wanted to prove their independence, to show themself they could do this alone.

But the thought of spending their first night here without Keaton felt overwhelming.

They looked at Keaton, their eyes searching his face for any sign of expectation or judgment.

All they saw was warmth and understanding.

“Yeah,” Jules said, their voice steady despite the flutter of nerves in their chest. “I’d like that. Maybe tomorrow, I’ll feel more settled.”

Keaton smiled, a soft, genuine smile that reached his eyes. “There’s no rush,” he said, stepping into the room. “Let’s get this bed set up then.”

Together, they unfolded the sheets, the crisp cotton snapping as they shook them out.

Jules was grateful Keaton had insisted on shopping for soft goods earlier this week, so they’d been able to wash everything.

They worked in silence, their movements synchronized as they tucked in the corners and smoothed out the wrinkles.

Keaton grabbed the pillows, fluffing them before placing them at the head of the bed.

Jules watched him, their heart swelling with a mix of gratitude and love.

It felt right for them to work in concert like this, as if they’d been doing it forever.

It was stupid that this, of all things, was what made Jules second-guess whether it was truly necessary for them to move out of a place they loved to be, coexisting with the man they loved.

When the bed was made, they stood back, admiring their handiwork. The room felt different now, more lived-in, more theirs. Jules turned to Keaton, their eyes meeting his in a quiet moment of understanding.

“Thank you,” Jules said, their voice soft. “For everything. For being here.”

Keaton reached out, his fingers gently brushing a strand of hair from Jules’s face. “Always,” he said, his voice rough with emotion. “I’ll always be here for you, Jules. No matter what.”

Jules leaned into his touch, their eyes fluttering closed for a moment. When they opened them again, they found Keaton watching them, his gaze filled with tenderness and desire. They stepped closer, their hands reaching for the hem of Keaton’s shirt.

“May I?” Jules asked, their fingers tracing the edge of the fabric.

Keaton nodded, his breath hitching slightly as Jules lifted his shirt, revealing the planes of his chest. They took their time, their fingers lingering on his skin, tracing the lines of his muscles. Keaton shivered under their touch, his breath coming in shallow gasps.

Jules leaned in, pressing a soft kiss to Keaton’s chest, their lips lingering on his skin.

They could feel his heartbeat, steady and strong beneath their touch.

They moved higher, their lips trailing a path up his chest, their fingers working to unbutton his shirt.

Keaton groaned softly, his hands finding Jules’s hips, pulling them closer.

Their breaths mingled as Jules finally reached Keaton’s lips, their kiss slow and measured, a promise of more.

Keaton’s hands slid under Jules’s shirt, his fingers tracing the curve of their spine, sending shivers of pleasure down their back.

They broke the kiss, their breaths ragged as they stared into each other’s eyes.

Keaton captured Jules’s lips in a searing kiss, his hands roaming over their body, exploring every curve and line. They fell onto the bed together, their bodies pressed tightly against each other, their breaths coming in ragged gasps.

Keaton’s hands found the hem of Jules’s shirt, pulling it up and over their head, revealing their smooth skin. He trailed kisses down their neck, his teeth grazing their collarbone, drawing a moan from deep within Jules. They arched into his touch, their body aching for more.

Jules’s hands worked feverishly at Keaton’s belt, their fingers clumsy in their haste. Keaton chuckled, a low, rumbling sound that sent shivers down Jules’s spine. He helped them, his hands steady as he undid the belt, his eyes never leaving Jules’s face.

They undressed each other slowly, their touches lingering, their kisses deep and passionate. When they were finally naked, their bodies pressed tightly against each other, they paused, their breaths mingling in the quiet of the room.

“I love you,” Keaton whispered, his voice rough with emotion. “I’m going to miss the hell out of you. Now that I’m used to having you in the bed next to me, it’s going to be impossible to sleep alone.”

Jules’s heart swelled with love, their eyes filling with tears. It was nice to hear Keaton was having some of the same thoughts they were. It made them wonder again why they were going through with this.

“I love you too,” they said, their voice choked with emotion.

It felt freeing to finally say they words they’d been holding back for a while now.

There’d been no doubt this was a love like they’d never felt before, but they’d worried it was too soon for such declarations.

Hearing Keaton say the words first felt like a huge weight off their chest. “So much. And there’s nothing to say we can’t still have sleepovers. ”

“Very true. When you put it that way, it sounds fun.” Keaton chuckled, shaking his head. “What in the hell have you done to me? I used to want nothing more than peace and quiet, but now, I’d do just about anything to spend more time with you.”

“I’m just that entertaining, I guess.” Jules’s eyes were bright with a confidence that hadn’t been there earlier in the day. “And right now, I plan on entertaining the hell out of you.”

Keaton’s breath caught as Jules pressed against him. His hands found Jules’s waist, thumbs brushing over their narrow hips. The touch sent a visible shiver through Jules.

“Is that so?” Keaton’s voice dropped to a rough whisper, the kind that always made Jules’s skin prickle with anticipation. He leaned down, lips hovering just above theirs, not quite touching. “I think I like the sound of that.”

Jules’s hands slid across the warm plane of his stomach, feeling the muscles tense beneath their touch. “I’ve been thinking about this all day,” they admitted, voice soft and a little unsteady. “Even when I was worried about everything else, I kept thinking about having you here with me tonight.”

The confession hung between them, more intimate than any touch. Keaton’s expression softened, the hunger in his eyes tempered by something deeper. He cradled Jules’s face between his palms, his thumbs tracing the curve of their cheekbones with a reverence that made Jules’s chest ache.