Unlikely You (Sapph in the City #5)

Chapter 30

Chapter Thirty

Bren

I gave up trying not to pay attention to Honey. It was futile. When I wasn’t staring at her, I was thinking about her.

Thinking about last night.

I was still basking in the glow of my first orgasm and trying to figure out just how it had happened, but not coming up with any concrete answers. All I wanted to do was drag Honey home with me and get her naked so we could try again. And again.

I’d also promised to make her climax until she cried, and I was more than ready for that.

I officially had my first girlfriend and I was surprised when I looked down and found my feet touching the floor because my entire body felt like it was floating.

There was a warmth and a peace that I’d never experienced, and it wasn’t just her. It was…comfort. It was safety.

I’d trusted Honey and she’d cradled that trust in her hands and cherished it like a fragile gift.

This was all still new, but I did trust her completely. When was the last time I’d given anyone my trust? Hardly ever. And those who had come before her had mostly wrecked it. My parents, my old friends, one of my closest online friends.

Honey was different and I was different with her. I smiled more and laughed more and wasn’t constantly expecting doom and gloom around every corner.

There was color in my life now and Honey had helped bring it to me, both as herself and as Melliferal. We were still keeping up the chat and I got giddy every time I had a new message from her.

This was new and scary, but I was going to trust it. I was going to grab onto this feeling and this woman with both hands and not let go.

I wished today was Sunday so I could have Honey without the pressure of the marketplace the next day, but I’d have to wait. She was still coming over tonight anyway, but after dinner, since she wanted to eat with her family.

I understood that and respected it, but I also wanted to hoard all her extra time for myself. My priorities had changed so much in the past few days.

Throughout the day, she’d come over to check on me and even give me little kisses that tasted sweet and made my knees weak.

I’d never counted down the hours to the end of the day with more excitement before.

“Finally,” I said when the doors were closed, and the customers were gone and I got to put everything away for the night.

Honey was busy wrangling her crew and I was done so I walked over and asked, “can I help?”

Every single one of the Holloways stared at me.

Honey recovered first. “Yeah, sure. If you could toss these cups in the recycling.” I went and did that, coming back to find Honey giving orders.

“Anything else?” I asked.

“No, I think we’ve got it.” Her cheeks were adorably pink right now and I couldn’t help but kiss one of them.

“Introduce me,” I whispered in her ear.

“They already know you.”

“But not as your girlfriend, they don’t. I want to make a good impression on your parents.”

Honey’s eyes flew wide.

“Really?”

I nodded, and she still appeared skeptical.

“Mom, Dad, this is Bren. Who you already know, but I guess she wanted to officially meet you.”

“Hello. I thought we should do this more formally since you’re going to be seeing a lot of me.” I couldn’t even believe the words coming out of my mouth. Who was I? Honey had to hide her shock, too.

I shook Bill’s hand and then Sharon pulled me into a hug.

“Oh, darling Bren. We’re so happy you’re joining our family.”

Honey gasped. “Whoa, Mom. Let’s pump the brakes. Bren and I literally just started dating.”

Sharon released me and smiled in a way that reminded me so much of Honey.

I said hello to the other kids, and Ellie clasped me in a hug.

“I get to have another sister!”

“Slow your roll,” Ember said, rolling her eyes. “They’re not getting married. Yet.”

She smirked when she added that last word.

“My dear, do you know any folk songs?” Sharon asked me.

“I don’t sing,” I said, but she just laughed.

“Oh, we’ll change that.”

Less than an hour later, I found myself standing next to Honey at the stove of the Holloway home and not even sure how it had happened. I’d been invited to dinner and I hadn’t said no.

The house was warm and filled with pictures and noise and love. So much love here.

Honey managed the chaos effortlessly as I watched and tried to help. I’d been awkward at first, but soon I relaxed and discovered that I liked being here. The singing was still a bit much, but they were a family in every sense of the word. They enjoyed spending time together. Their camaraderie made me ache to be a part of their circle. To join in with my offkey voice.

Who could have imagined?

Dinner was as noisy and chaotic as I thought it would be, but I got through it and it wasn’t so bad. Honey finally dragged me around and gave me a tour, complete with meeting the bees and helping me get into one of the bee outfits.

“How do I look?” I asked, posing as she took a few pics on her phone.

She lifted the veil and kissed me, driving her tongue into my mouth.

“Hot as fuck.”

I laughed at the absurdity of the situation. “I love you.”

The words had slipped out without me even realizing. I slapped my hand to my mouth as if I could hold them in.

“Oh my god, I didn’t mean that.”

Honey’s grip on me tightened and her blue gaze became intense.

“Didn’t you?”

I dropped my hand. “I mean…yes? No. Fuck.”

Honey smiled slowly. “It’s okay if you didn’t mean to say it yet, but you should know that I’m saying it now and I mean it. I love you, Bren.”

Oh. Fucking hell.

“I know it’s soon to say it, but I couldn’t just hold onto it. I say it when I feel it, which hasn’t worked out in the past, but I don’t care. You don’t have to say it back.”

She seemed flustered, her blush covering her cheeks and moving down to her chest as she held onto both my arms with an iron grip.

I thought about those three words. About what they meant, for me and for both of us.

No. I didn’t want to take them back.

Leaning forward, I kissed her lips. “I.” A second kiss. “Love.” And a third. “You.”

“Really?!” Honey squealed. “You do?”

I nodded. “Yes. I do.”

She flung herself into my arms and I managed to catch her, both of us laughing.

“Did you hear that? She loves me! I’m so glad the bees were here when you told me.”

They buzzed softly around both of our heads as Honey kissed me and kissed me, before she dragged me upstairs to her apartment to have her way with me. Again. And again.