Domestic Bliss
KALLIE
Evren: Hey, Doll. How about we grill tonight? I’m thinking chicken and veggies with a salad
Ismile down at the message, the familiar feeling of happiness fluttering around my chest.
Me: Hey, Honey. That sounds great. Can I pick anything up? My place or yours?
Evren: Do you have a grill?
Evren: I don’t recall seeing one on the patio when we were out there the other night…
Evren: Although I was too busy making sure the neighbors knew who you belonged to to notice anything else
I can feel my cheeks heating as flashes of last weekend rush through my mind.
Me: Um, I seem to recall someone bellowing “KALLLLLLLLIEEEE” in the air and loud enough for Mrs. Ramos two houses down to yell at us from her second-floor window
Me: (Laughing emoji)
Me: And no, I don’t have a grill. Well, not an outdoor one. I think I have a grill pan
Evren: Fair’s fair, Doll. The neighbors needed to know who I belong to, too
His words steal my breath. I’m his, and he’s mine. This is what love feels like. Before I can think too much on that thought, another text pings.
Evren: My place it is. 6:30? I’ll take care of the food. You just bring your beautiful self…and maybe a bottle of wine (wink emoji)
The flutter in my chest grows as does the smile on my face. It’s been a constant since Evren and I started dating a few weeks ago. The more time I spend with him, the deeper my feelings for him grow. We spend nearly every night together. I can’t remember ever being this happy.
Me: Sounds good. See you at 6:30
“What’s got you looking like a walking heart eye emoji?” My employee, Grey, asks. I can feel the smile on my face grow to goofy proportions.
“I don’t know what you're talking about,” I try and fail to say nonchalantly while grabbing a vase. Grey chuckles, grabbing a few more vases to set on the counter.
“Uh-huh. That sexy demon texting you again?”
“Grey!” I exclaim, ducking my head.
He fills a few vases with water and brings them over to the counter, bumping my hip playfully.
“Honeychild, I’ve seen that hunk of demon delight. He’s a spicy popsicle I’d like to lick. Ain’t no shame in basking in that sinful, sexed-up glow.”
He makes a good point.
“I mean, you’re not wrong.”
“Of course I’m not, girl. Not with the way you light up when he’s around or the way he looks at you like you’re the center of the universe. And good for you. You deserve it after that ass hat.”
“Mel keeps telling me the same thing,” I say as I begin stripping the thorns off roses for the arrangements I need to make for the grocery stores.
“I’m just waiting for the other shoe to drop, ya know?
Like I found this amazing guy who treats me like a queen, but the paranoid part of me is just waiting for something bad to happen. ” I sigh, moving onto the greenery.
“I’m gonna stop you right there, boss lady. We call that manifesting negative energy and projecting bad juju for the universe to gobble up and spit back out to you,” Grey says, turning to face me with the most serious expression I’ve ever seen.
I nod chastely. “Okay. No more doom projection.”
He gives a curt nod and then relaxes. We spend the next few hours making arrangements and taking care of a few customers who pop in to pick things up. Since I’m headed to the store anyway, I have Grey help me load the arrangements for the store into my car, and we say our goodbyes.
Once I hand off all the flowers to the store manager, I grab a bottle of wine and a loaf of cheesy garlic bread fresh from the bakery, and head over to Evrens.
I use the keypad code to let myself in and set my purse on the end table near the door.
Walking through to the kitchen, I stop by the fridge, place the wine inside to chill, and toss the bread into the oven to stay warm.
The back door leading to the patio is open, delicious scents drifting in and making me drool.
Out of the deck, Evren is dressed casually in gray sweatpants that should be illegal with how sexy they make his ass look and a snug t-shirt that accentuates his biceps.
I take a minute to just… drink in the view.
As if sensing me, he looks over his shoulder and gives me a devastating grin that turns my panties into a slip and slide and makes my pulse race.
“Hey, Doll.”
“Hey, Honey.”
“You gonna stand there and stare, or are you gonna walk that fine ass over here and kiss me?”
I giggle and walk towards him at a deliberately slow pace. “Such attitude.”
When I get close enough, Evren reaches out and snatches me into his arms, growling softly.
“Mmm. What can I say? I missed you.”
I melt a little as he leans down to capture my lips in a slow, sensual kiss. When we break apart, he presses his forehead to mine and sighs happily.
“I missed you too,” I say, wrapping my arms around his neck and pressing myself closer to him. “How was your day?”
Evren pulls back and kisses my forehead before taking my hand and turning back to the grill. There are several cuts of chicken and vegetable kabobs sizzling away and making my stomach grumble.
“Long,” Evren replies, turning over the kebabs. “Merger came to a halt.”
“Oh, Honey, what happened?” I exclaim, shifting my focus from the mouthwatering food to Evren. “You’ve been ironing that out since before we bumped into each other at the grocery store.”
He shrugs nonchalantly, grabbing the tongs and flipping the chicken over, but I can see the tension in his shoulders.
“Red flag popped up. Our forensic accountants found a document buried in the financials. Massive tax debt that wasn’t disclosed.”
I drop his hand and wrap my arms around his waist. “I’m sorry. I know this was a big deal for you. Is there any hope of salvaging it?”
He wraps an arm around me, bringing with it his smoky scent mixed with the meal he’s cooking, and gives me a gentle squeeze.
“Honestly, I don’t know. The tax debt could have been addressed during negotiations.
Would it have made things a bit more difficult?
Sure, but we’ve negotiated those terms before.
It’s the fact that they hid it from us that doesn’t sit well with me.
Because if they were willing to hide that, what else are they hiding, ya know? ”
I blow out a frustrated breath. I can certainly empathize with Evren's situation. If hiding financials could be a profession, Matt would have been a certified pro. He knew exactly just how much information to give me so that I could bail him out or finance his next “guaranteed” business venture.
“Hey, Doll, where’d you go just now?” Evren asks, cupping my cheek. I lean into his touch, enjoying the familiar warmth.
I close my eyes and sigh, dispelling unpleasant memories.
“Nowhere that matters anymore,” I say, remembering what Grey said earlier. No more negativity out into the universe. “Is there anything I can do to help with dinner?” I ask, looking into his stunning orange eyes.
He studies me for a moment before smiling and shaking his head, his horns casting shadows from the glow of the fire.
“Nope. Another minute, and I can pull all this off. I was thinking, since it’s such a nice night, we could eat out here,” he says, gesturing at the outdoor patio set.
I notice he has it all set with plates, silverware, and a few low-lit candles.
Such a simple, thoughtful gesture has the prickle of tears in my eyes. “Sounds perfect to me. Should I go grab the wine? I stuck it in the fridge to chill when I got here.”
“Absolutely. I’ve already got glasses out here. There’s salad and some dressings if you want to grab those too.”
“On it,” I say before tugging him down for a quick kiss and dashing out of reach before Evren can grab me for more and burn our dinner.
When I get back with the salad, wine, and bread, Evren is setting plates down on the table.
He takes the wine, popping the cork easily, as I set the salad and bread down.
Once we’re both seated, Evren serves up my food; even though I tell him I can do it myself, he always insists.
We fall into easy conversation about the rest of his day and mine, enjoying the delicious meal he made us.
It’s the kind of domestic bliss I always wanted.
We finish up and head inside to wash dishes when the candles burn out.
I’m in the middle of washing the plate when it slips into the water, splashing Evren, who has been standing next to me, drying.
“Hey now,” he chuckles, ringing water from his shirt.
”Drama. You’re not gonna melt,” I giggle and resume washing.
Evren clutches his chest in mock offense. “You could extinguish me,” he says in outrage. I roll my eyes and splash him again.
“Oh, that’s how it’s gonna be, Doll?” He grabs the sprayer and begins hosing me down. I screech, dropping the plate into the water, splashing it everywhere.
“Evren!”
“You started it,” he says as he bellows laughter and continues to spray me with the hose as I splash him with the water.
I glance at the sink and quickly hit the handle, shutting the water off, and turn to stare at Evren.
“I look like a drowned rat,” I say between fits of laughter.
Evren continues to laugh as he sweeps me into his arms and kisses me. “You are stunning always, Doll.”
“Charmer,” I say, kissing him again.
“Your charmer,” he says. “Let’s clean this up and then get into some dry clothes.” We grab some dish towels and start mopping up the mess. After many towels, we make our way to Evren’s room. He grabs dry shorts and a shirt for himself and hands me one of his t-shirts.
“You’ll swim in it, but at least you’ll be dry. I’ll throw your clothes in the dryer. We can watch an episode or two of that murder mystery,” He says. I poke his ribs, drawing a deep yell and making me giggle.
I head to his bathroom to change, grabbing the makeup remover I left over the other night. Face washed, wet hair in a messy braid, I put on Evren’s shirt.
Good lord.
“Hey, Doll, I brought our wine in here.”
I walk out and wait for Evren’s reaction. He says nothing, but bites his lip trying not to laugh.
I gesture for him to go ahead before stating the obvious: “I look like a deflated circus tent.” Evren bursts out laughing, walking over to swoop me into his arms and carry me to the bed, where he lies down and tucks me into his side.
“Does that make me the ring master?” he teases, wagging his eyebrows.
I laugh and smack his chest.
“You’re terrible.”
“You love it,” he says, kissing the top of my head while my heart rate skyrockets and my stomach does somersaults. Unable to find words, I hum my agreement. Evren turns on the show, and we snuggle up and get lost in the show.
Midway through the third episode, I start yawning. I sit up and stretch. “I should probably go,” I say on yet another yawn.
“Why don’t you stay? You don’t work until tomorrow afternoon, right?”
That makes me pause mid-stretch. Evren and I have had sex. A lot of sex. At both his house and mine, though we realized, for practical reasons, his house was the better option, as mine wasn’t meant for 7 feet worth of beef cake demon. But we’ve never slept over.
This is a big step. Does that mean he’s serious? Is he having the same feeling I am? My mind explodes with a thousand questions and insights as to what one simple little question could mean. Before the pause becomes awkward, I finish my stretch and study his face.
“No, tomorrow is short hours. No one comes in on Saturdays before noon or after five unless it's a major holiday.”
Evren grabs my hand and starts to pull me back to the very warm, comfortable spot I was occupying, snuggled up to his side. “So stay,” he says simply.
I let him pull me down and wrap my arm around his waist—well, as much as I can. “If you’re sure. I don’t want to overstay my welcome.” I yawn, eyes already drifting closed.
Evren engulfs me in his strong arms, holding me close. I swear I can hear him whisper just as I fall under sleep’s spell, “I’m sure I want you to stay forever.”