Chapter 14
fourteen
Three Weeks Later
I look around Alek’s apartment in awe.
No less astonished now at how my life has unfolded than I was the moment I realized he lied about us being married. The reality is, none of my stuff is confined to boxes. Everything I own is interspersed with Alek’s things.
His apartment is our shared space.
Despite the crunchiness of the past few weeks after I began to reclaim my independence, things have settled down.
At least for me.
It took me a little while to process all of my life changes, but I see things clearly now.
The hosting gig at Gus has been a Godsend. It’s given me some autonomy, allowing me to be myself again.
Alek’s been nothing but supportive. He’s given me the space to find my footing. Our relationship has stalled because of the distance I inadvertently created in my quest for independence.
The truth is, life with him has blossomed into a vibrant and unexpected journey. There’s no question I want a future filled with shared dreams and the simple joy of waking up beside each other every morning.
I’m ready to bridge the gap once and for all and show Alek how I feel about him.
Earlier on our weekly phone call, Lissa sensed my determination and suggested a grand gesture. “Now, I haven’t met him but he seems like a unicorn. Why not surprise him with dinner? He’s taken care of you for months, turn the tables a bit.”
The spark of an idea turned into a whole thing.
I’m all in. Alek returned to the office this week and should be home soon.
My mom’s famous recipe for roast chicken is in the oven and the dining room table is set.
I’m excited to express my gratitude for his unwavering support and finally tell him how I feel.
I’m in the midst of preparing the mashed potatoes when I hear the door open. Alek steps in and the surprise I planned for him is nearly forgotten when I see he’s not empty-handed.
I’d recognize the worn, old case anywhere. My hands fly to my mouth when I realize he’s carrying my beloved guitar.
“I found it.” Alek’s voice is tinged with excitement and something deeper. More meaningful. “I’ve spent the past few months tracking it down and found it at a pawn shop in Tacoma. I know you miss your music and were planning on buying a new one, but I thought…”
Tears prick my eyes as I take in the sight of my long-lost companion. This guitar is more than an instrument. It’s a piece of my soul. The last remaining link to my mother.
Alek, in his quiet, thoughtful way, has managed to return the one piece of myself I feared was lost forever.
I melt into his arms. “I know I didn’t say it before but I love you. I really, really love you. You have no idea how much this means to me.”
Hiding his surprise, Alek’s warm, genuine smile is like a cozy blanket. “I love you too. No matter what, I want you to be happy. To see you whole again, with or without me.”
“With you.” The sentiment behind his words, the selflessness, only deepens my feelings for him. I press a kiss to his sweet lips. “Always with you.”
Dinner can wait; it’s the last thing on my mind. The space between us dissolves into a dance of happy tears, laughter, and soft touches. We’re whispering love and forever, our lips urgent and hungry. Our bodies press together, fitting perfectly.
Two puzzle pieces finally reunited.
I lead him to the bedroom, and tonight, everything is different. Alive. Electric. Almost as though our future is holding its breath, waiting.
The blankets are a tangled mess, threads of his warmth woven into mine, a tapestry of us. The scent of our skin rises in gentle spirals, mixing with the faded smell of my books, spines cracked from countless nights of him reading to soothe me.
Now, his shirt and my jeans are scattered across the rug, a breadcrumb trail of our desperation to be together fully.
His hands hover on my waist, fingers trembling in a familiar way making my heart flutter. There’s a flicker of uncertainty, a silent question hanging between us like smoke. Then he laughs, soft and raw, and my heart unlocks.
I press my cheek into his chest, inhaling the crisp sweetness of apples. His sweet scent envelops me and I can taste the anticipation of what comes next on my tongue.
Like the first rain after a drought.
He tugs my shirt over my head, fingers tracing the delicate arch of my collarbone before drifting lower, mapping the terrain of my ribs. My breath hitches as his mouth finds my nipple, warm and insistent. He sucks gently, then harder, sending jolts of electricity straight to my core.
He slides his jeans down his thighs and I take his hard, urgent cock in my hand, relishing how it pulses against my palm. Heat pools between my legs, a throbbing ache begging for release.
Alek lifts me effortlessly, his arms cradling me like I’m both fragile and fierce.
My legs wind tight around his waist as I guide him home.
The first inch of him stretches me open, and a raw, unfiltered gasp escapes when he thrusts deeper, filling me completely.
He pauses, breath trembling over my skin.
My nails score his shoulders, each line a testament to the thrill of being claimed.
Of being his.
He carries me to the mattress, the springs sighing beneath our weight. His cock slides in and out, each stroke a promise and a question. Our breaths melt together. Ragged. Molten. His hand curls between us, thumb brushing my clit, sending sparks of pleasure dancing behind my eyelids.
The world narrows to the point of Alek’s hips bucking his cock against my G-spot and the electric coil building in my core.
He knows when to slow, when to tease, when to drive me higher.
Inch by delicious inch, he pulls back almost to the brink.
Plunges in and I erupt in a rising wave crashing through every fiber of me. My name spills from his lips.
A prayer.
His mouth trails down my body, lips blazing a path to my pussy. He devours me, his tongue lapping at my clit, sucking, teasing, sending me spiraling into another orgasm. His cock is hard and insistent against my thigh, ready for more.
Alek flips me over, hands gripping my hips as he enters me from behind. His cock moves in and out, a relentless rhythm forcing me to clutch the sheets, white-knuckled. He leans over me, body covering mine, breath hot on my ear.
“I love you,” he whispers, a vow tattooed on my skin.
I reach back to grip the backs of his thighs as he pounds me into the sheets. For the first time since we started having sex, he lets loose and erupts, filling me with his release. We stay joined until he pulls out and drags his fingers through the come dripping out of me.
Then he laughs, wild and tender, burying his face in my hair.
We lie tangled in the aftermath, his heartbeat drumming against my chest, mine thudding in time. The city lights bleed through the window, casting us in shadow. With every ragged breath and every pulse of desire still echoing between us, we are utterly, gloriously one.
His cock twitches against me, ready for more.
I smile, knowing this is our new beginning.
Eventually, he wraps around me. He kisses my shoulder. Tucks my hair back and looks deeply into my eyes.
“You saved me,” I whisper against his lips before my voice breaks. “Even when I didn’t want it.”
His fingers trace patterns on my back. “You saved yourself. I was lucky to have a front-row seat.” A pause. “For a minute there, I was scared I lost you. Hopefully, never again.”
I press another kiss to his lips, hoping to assure him once and for all. “I’m not going anywhere.”
His exhale fills the room. “Good.”
We stay entwined. The radiator hisses. Our breathing syncs.
There’s no question in my mind.
Our love isn’t a shackle, it’s my foundation.