Chapter 27 #3
In any other relationship, I wouldn’t even be thinking about sex this early. I’m more of a months-in-and-after-I-say-I-love-you kind of woman. But Theo and I have a past. A history. Once upon a time, we already did say I love you. A thousand different times.
Theo lifts his hands to my shoulders and spins me so my back is against the wall next to Indigo’s door, then he threads our fingers together, lifting my hands so they’re pinned above my head.
He looks at me, eyes so intense, I suck in a gasp, then he kisses me like he owns me, like he cannot get close enough.
“I want nothing more than to spend the rest of my Sunday with you,” he practically growls after he’s liquefied every bone in my body.
But then he pulls back, tugging my hands down and holding them against his chest, his gaze softening.
“But I also want to do this right. I’m not in a hurry, Bec.
When I make love to you again, I don’t want to be exhausted from training camp or distracted by my injury.
I want to be intentional. I want you to be sure this time.
I won’t take for granted that we already have a last time. ”
My heart squeezes in my chest at the echo of his father’s words, at Theo clearly trying to honor his counsel. Which means honoring me. I see in his eyes how important this is to him, and it makes me fall in love with him just a little bit more.
Love. The word pings around my brain for a moment, like it isn’t quite sure where to land. But then it settles and slows and clicks into place. This is Theo. How can what I’m feeling be anything but love?
“That sounds perfect,” I say, then I lean up to kiss him again because I can. After that speech, there isn’t another option.
The kiss only lasts a moment before the condo door swings open. “You’re home!” Mia says. “And totally making out!”
I turn to face her, cheeks heating as I tuck myself into Theo’s side. “You just interrupted our goodbye.”
“I interrupted your third goodbye. I’ve been watching through the ring cam, and honestly, I think I’ve been very patient,” Mia says. She looks up at Theo. “I’m genuinely thrilled for whatever is happening here, but you’ve had her all week. Now it’s my turn.”
“Fair enough,” Theo says. He leans down and gives me one last peck. “I’ll text you later?”
I nod. “Okay,” I say, then I watch as he hoists his duffel bag onto his shoulder and heads for the elevator at the end of the hall.
I breathe out a happy sigh as he turns and waves one last time.
Then I remember Mia’s news.
She and Aaron split up, and I’m standing here sighing like a lovesick puppy.
She and Aaron split up, and I haven’t even texted her to check in.
I’ve known for almost five days. How did I not text her?
Better yet, how did I not call her? She said we could debrief once I was home, but I’m her best friend.
I should have ignored that suggestion and called her the minute I was free.
But that’s just it. The night she told me was the night I kissed Theo, and then the rest of my vacation was basically that. Theo. All day, every day.
“So … I guess we have a lot of catching up to do,” Mia says dryly.
“Mia, I’m so sorry,” I say. “I wanted to call you about the whole Aaron thing, but the night you texted me was the night we first kissed, and then the rest of the week sort of got away from me. Which, that’s the last thing I want—for a relationship to consume me—and I promise it will never, never happen again. ”
She frowns. “Becca, relax,” she says. “I’m not mad at you. You were on vacation with Hockey McHottyFace. Of course you were consumed. I would have yelled at you had you wasted even one second to call me about someone as insignificant as Aaron.”
“You mean Dr. Mc…” I hesitate, struggling to come up with an appropriate insult. Mia is so much better at these than I am. “Dr. McDoodyButt?”
She bursts out laughing. “Oh my gosh, I’m so glad you’re home. Dr. McDoodyButt is perfect.”
I step forward and pull her into a hug. “I have so much to tell you,” I say. “But I really do want to talk about Aaron first.”
“We can,” she says. “But first, I have another surprise.” She opens the condo door a little wider, and Indigo steps into view.
She lifts her arms up over her head. “Guess who quit her job and left London early?”
“What!” I rush forward and pull her into an enormous hug. I haven’t seen Indigo in at least two years. She’s stunning, as always, her red hair a sea of riotous curls. “It’s so good to see you! Geez, what happened to you in London? You look amazing.”
“Trust me, I look this way despite London. Not because of it.” She tugs me through the door while Mia steps into the hall to retrieve my suitcase.
“Now,” Indigo says, clapping her hands together like she’s calling the room to order.
“We clearly have a lot of catching up to do. What do you say we break out the good wine, order the expensive pizza, and have ourselves a slumber party?”
I glance at my watch. “At one in the afternoon?”
“Duh,” she says. “If we start now, we’ll have time for two bottles of good wine.”