Page 129 of Take My Love

“Wanna take a bath?” I ask, wanting to hold her for as long as I can.

“Together?”

“Yeah, love.” I kiss her forehead. “I’ll get it started, then come get you.”

“Sounds perfect.” Her voice is muffled from her face pressingagainst the comforter, and I laugh at how adorably wrecked she looks.

“So…” she prompts, leaning against my chest as my hands roam over her body with bubbles all around us.

“Yes?”

“Gonna tell me what your ex wanted?”

“Ah, yes…that.”

“She wants you back, doesn’t she?”

“Yes, but I told her it wasn’t gonna happen ’cause I’m beyond happy with someone else who accepts me for who I am.”

“What’d she say to that?”

“She asked if it was serious and if I had feelings for her anymore. I said yes, it’s serious and no, my feelings for her are gone.”

“Even though you two were engaged a month ago?”

“Like I’ve said, I think I checked out long before that and hadn’t realized how horribly she treated me or that I deserved better. I thought it was what I wanted, but after the initial heartbreak, I could see we never would’ve worked out long-term. She viewed me like an accessory. Someone to tag along with her as a prized possession, not a partner.”

“How’d she take it?”

“Not great but it ain’t my problem. She’ll learn to live with it and her choices that brought us here. I told her to stop reachin’out to me and that if she comes onto the property again without permission, I’ll call the sheriff and have her removed. Shereallydidn’t like that.”

“Wow…look at you.” She grins over her shoulder. “Finally grew a backbone.”

“Hey, I’ve always had one…just didn’t always use it.”

She chuckles, wrapping my arms around her tighter. “Her loss is my gain. Even if you weretechnicallymine first.”

“Well,technicallyspeakin’…we were each other’s firsts. Shoulda stayed that way.” I brush my fingers over her cheek. “My biggest regret is lettin’ you walk away from me.”

“I think it had to happen that way. We went out and experienced life, realized what we want and don’t want, and now there’s no lingerin’ doubt we want each other.”

“That’s a nice way to see it.”

“Now I just hope your family does too.”

“Do you think Warren knows?”

“I haven’t told him or Maisie, although she was on board for it, but not sure what he’ll think. Though I don’t think he’ll be surprised either after tellin’ him what happened years ago.”

“If you get this job, we can tell everyone. Rip off the Band-Aid and announce it.”

“Whatever you wanna do, love.” I press my lips to her temple before making my way down to her ear.

“And then I get to kiss you at goat yoga in front of everyone so they know you’re mine,” she demands.

“Mm…I like this possessive side of you.” I palm her breasts and tease the nipples. “Claim me all you want, mama. I’m yours.”

chapter twenty-three