Chapter 20 #2
“I’m trying to be that for you,” I said as I wiggled out of his hold and stood.
Placing my hands on the armrests of his chair, I leaned forward and brushed my lips against his.
“Finish whatever you need to finish. I’ll go visit with Savanna quickly, and if you still need time when I get back, I’ll find some way to keep myself busy on the couch over there. ”
He chuckled. “I’ll never get any work done if you’re on the couch.”
“Then you better work hard while I’m out of this office.”
I gave him a soft kiss, allowing my lips to linger just a touch longer than was reasonable. Then I stood, grabbed my bag off the desk, and strutted to the door.
I could feel Taj’s eyes on me the whole way there.
Two hours later, we were back at Taj’s place. Since he’d intended to cook both breakfast and dinner for me, we’d decided to spend last night and tonight here. It didn’t matter to me. I loved his home.
We’d arrived a while ago, but we’d decided to shower together, which led to other activities.
I didn’t mind. Not only had we left Blackman Boards earlier than usual to start our celebration, but this was also the best Valentine’s Day I’d ever had.
I was thrilled to commemorate the occasion with the guy I’d fallen so hopelessly in love with however he deemed appropriate.
After that distraction, we finally made our way down to the kitchen.
Taj immediately got to work on dinner while I prepped the dessert.
I’d been thoroughly impressed to learn he intended to make filet mignon, scalloped potatoes, and asparagus.
He was quickly proving that he was a man of many talents.
By the time I’d finished making the truffles and cleaning up the mess I’d made, Taj had gotten the filet and the potatoes in the oven. Evidently, he was using a reverse sear method for the filet and would pop them in a skillet for just a few minutes after they were done cooking in the oven.
“Now what?” I asked.
“We’ve got about an hour and fifteen minutes until dinner’s ready,” he said.
Moving close to him, I slid my arms around his waist and nuzzled my face against his neck. “Whatever will we do with all that time?”
I’d suspected he would find a way to strip me out of my clothes, but Taj just kept the surprises coming. “Would you like to dance?”
“Dance?”
Taj took me by the hand, led me into the family room, and hit a few buttons on the television remote. A moment later, soft music filled the room as he pulled me close and swayed to the melody.
My heart was practically bursting with love for him. He’d been so great to me from the moment I met him and had gotten progressively better as time went on. If I had to make a list of all the things I loved about him, it would’ve had no less than two or three dozen things on it.
As we danced, I tipped my chin up to look at him and said, “I never thought I’d ever have this.”
“I feel the same.”
“If someone had told me that just a few weeks before Christmas I’d run out of my wedding and skip town only to wind up in a small town months later in the arms of another man on Valentine’s Day, I’d have laughed in their face.
If they had told me I’d be the happiest I’d ever been in my whole life, I wouldn’t have believed them.
And I would’ve been wrong. You’ve made me so happy, Taj. ”
“I certainly never thought I’d approach a woman in her wedding dress with the hopes that I’d be dancing around my family room with her two and a half months later. But I’m so glad I didn’t look the other way that night.”
My lips curved into a smile. “Me, too. What do you like?”
“What do I like for what? Food?”
I shook my head. “What do you like best about our relationship?”
His eyes rounded. “You expect me to pick one thing?”
I loved that response. I liked knowing that he had so many things he liked about our relationship that he felt he’d have a difficult time choosing just one. “I know it’s going to be challenging to narrow down, but what’s that one thing that makes it so special for you?”
Taj considered my question a moment, the first song ending and fading right into the next. We continued to move while Taj thought about his answer. And finally, he said, “I think it’s the ease of it.”
There were at least half a dozen things I thought he might say, but that hadn’t been one of them. “The ease of it?”
He nodded. “Yes. Because everything just feels easy with you. Talking to and laughing with you is so simple. Deciding on things to do is a walk in the park, because you’re up for just about everything.
Connecting with you physically isn’t something that has to be forced.
It all comes naturally for me. But honestly, if I had to narrow it down, I’d say the thing I like best about our relationship is how easy it is to love you. ”
I blinked in surprise, my lips parting. “What?”
Taj lifted a hand to the side of my face and drove his fingers into my hair.
“I’ve been feeling something strong for you for a long time now, and I don’t want to hold back how I’m feeling any longer.
I fell in love with you, Olivia. And the sweet, happy, and stunning woman you are made it impossibly easy. ”
Tears filled my eyes. “You love me?”
His chin dipped slightly. “I love you.”
“For a few weeks now, it’s been hitting me, and I had the thought several times throughout the day today. I’m so utterly ruined for the rest of my life because I can’t make it through a single hour without thinking of you.”
Taj held my stare, our bodies only just barely swaying.
“I fell in love with you, too, Taj. I fell in love with you, and I don’t ever want to stop.”
His hand cupped the back of my head, applied gentle pressure, and the next thing I knew, he’d captured my mouth in a claiming kiss. His tongue swept in, exploring, tasting, and devouring every inch. My fingertips gripped him firmly, wave after wave of heat and desire rushing forward.
With those admissions in the open, we both lost control. And just as I’d suspected was going to happen earlier before he asked me to dance, Taj urged me toward the couch where he stripped me out of my clothes before giving me the opportunity to get him out of his.
Then he was inside me, making slow, sweet love to me. He took his time building us both up. I felt every kiss, every stroke, every soft caress as if it was the first time. On and on, it continued. He’d bring me to the edge and pull back before starting all over again.
For nearly a whole hour, Taj delighted in me as I did him. And it was only a matter of minutes after we’d finished making love to one another that dinner was ready.