Chapter 28
twenty-eight
It’s our last full day at the cabin.
Tomorrow morning we start our drive back to the city since the Monarchs have a night game.
Daisy thinks we’re already cutting it close by not showing up today for practice, but I wasn’t having any of it when she suggested we head down sooner.
I’m going to be selfish and soak up every second I can get alone with Daisy without feeling an ounce of guilt about it.
I was worried about opening up about my past. It’s dark and not easy for me to talk about with even my therapist on the best of days. I was scared as hell that reopening those wounds in front of Daisy would have her running for the hills.
But she didn’t.
She stayed.
And when I woke up this morning, I felt lighter than I have in years.
I know the pain I carry will never fully go away. It’s somehow shaped me into the person I am. But I’m hoping that with Daisy by my side, I can work a little harder to make sure it doesn’t consume me more than it already has.
Because when you have someone like Daisy Stonehaven believe in you so wholly, it’s hard not to believe in yourself as well.
She got the email confirmation yesterday evening that she got the apartment, and like I promised, a full bedroom set was delivered before we went to sleep.
I won’t tell her exactly how I knew that apartment would be hers in a heartbeat. She’ll come to learn of that soon enough, but my Daisy needed a win, and I’m glad I could have a hand in helping her get it, even if it means keeping her in the dark for a little bit.
We’ve been lying in bed since we finished breakfast, enjoying the view of the lake and trees in the midday breeze.
Daisy traces the tattoos on my chest. The sensation usually does wonders in lulling me to sleep, but she feels tense in my arms, and I swear I can hear the cogs turning in her head as her fingers glide over my skin.
“Can you stop thinking so hard? I’m trying to enjoy my last midday nap with my girlfriend,” I mumble into her hair.
“Sorry about that. Was thinking about… everything that’s to come.”
I pull her in closer, fully spooning her now. “Anything I can do to help?”
She shrugs. “Feed me pizza and tell me I’m pretty?”
“Now that I can do.” I roll her over, pinning her under my body, my hair falling over my eyes as I look down at her.
“You, Daisy Stonehaven, are the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.
And your physical beauty.” My fingers trace her cheeks.
“These eyes. Those lips.” I lower and place a quick peck over them, then push back up to continue tracing my hand down her side, over her hip and waist. “This body, every last inch of you. And yes, I mean every last inch.” I wag my eyebrows playfully and she erupts into a fit of giggles at my silliness.
“Only pales in comparison to the beauty you hold in that heart of yours that I hope I’m making a home in.
’Cause you sure as hell have made the place yours in mine. ”
“Luke.” She raises my hand to my cheek.
I turn my head and kiss the center of her palm. “So how’d I do?” I smile expectantly.
She tilts her head side to side. “Meh, would have been better with pizza.”
I tsk. “Knew I was taking a gamble walking into that empty-handed. My apologies. It won’t happen again.”
“Apology accepted.” I’m off her and heading for the kitchen, grabbing a discarded henley and throwing it on, then preheating the oven.
Daisy meets me by the refrigerator, handing me the sealed pizza dough we’ve been meaning to use, along with shredded cheese, sauce, and a couple of Italian meats. “Let’s try to use as much of this stuff as possible before we leave tomorrow.”
I chuckle. “Don’t need to tell me twice.” I pop a slice of pepperoni into my mouth.
She tinkers with her phone until it connects to the built-in speakers around the house.
Her favorite Aventura song comes on, and I raise the volume substantially, filling the house with some pretty inappropriate Spanish lyrics. “Remember, I said you could be as loud as you want here,” I rumble into her ear so she can hear me.
I don’t miss the shiver that runs down her spine and smirk when I notice her cheeks have started to turn that pretty shade of pink I’m so addicted to.
Daisy and I have fucked more times than I can count, and trust me, I’ve been fucking counting, but she never seems to lose that special brand of innocence that only she could pull off.
Like when she asks me to fuck her harder or acts like a brat, only to seem genuinely surprised when I give her exactly what she’s been after.
She points a less than threatening finger at my face. “The oven is on and we’re not burning this place down, so keep your thoughts PG until we’ve at least taken our pizzas out of the oven.”
I take a pepperoni off the individual pizza she started making for herself. “Oh yeah? Or what?”
“Hey! Get your own.” She rearranges the pepperoni on her pizza, reaching for the last one in the pack, but I snag that one too and toss it into my mouth unapologetically.
With more speed than I knew was humanly possible, she grabs the dish rag off the counter, revs it up, and whips it out, hitting me right over my left nipple.
I almost jump out of my skin at the jolt of pain, gaping at my vicious little pizza maker. She keeps on, feigning as though nothing’s happened, even while she keeps a vigilant eye on me.
“Oh, you’re going to pay for that, Daze.” I slowly stalk toward her, already imagining her bent over my knee as she slowly starts to back away with her hands up.
“In my defense, you started it.”
“Keep talking if you want. It ain’t gonna help you out in the slightest when I get my hands on you.” She puts the kitchen island between us, creating a false sense of safety.
“Luke, let’s be rational about this.”
I make it to the oven, keeping my eyes on her as I turn it off.
The chime works like a bullet at the commencement of a race, because she makes a run for it.
It’s not the first time I’ve chased her around the cabin. It’s how I ended up fucking her from behind against the maple tree in my backyard.
I dive right so I can catch up to her quicker when she makes a run for the back sliding door.
But that’s when I realize I’ve made a mistake.
Because she seems to have learned well from our wicked games.
She grins back at me as she runs up to the front door, turns the handle, and runs out.
I panic and run after her.
This isn’t how I planned for her to find out, and I hope she doesn’t keep running for the hills once she sees what’s out there.
I brace myself against the front porch.
She’s standing in the middle of my driveway, catching her breath, still oblivious. I decide to keep a safe distance until I know how she’ll respond.
What I didn’t anticipate was my own reaction to seeing the woman I love standing before me with a breathtaking smile.
While standing in a sea of daisies.