Chapter 47
FORTY-SEVEN
Ava
I’m lost in his crystal blue eyes that hold me in place.
When he dips his head down to kiss me, I know I don’t want to be anywhere else.
Running his lips lightly over mine, he nips my bottom lip.
He always takes care of me, whether he’s kissing me, holding me, or fucking me.
He makes it all about me, and I want him to feel loved, too.
I’m in awe of how my body reacts to him.
Slipping his tongue into my mouth, he holds nothing back.
With my hands sliding around the nape of his neck, I tug him closer, deeper into my mouth.
Our tongues thrash, mouths moving together.
His hands roam my body and down my ass while he squeezes it, pulling my hips closer to him.
I moan into his mouth, feeling him against me.
With a deep breath, he pulls away and says breathlessly, “Okay, if we want to get to my house, we should head over now.”
“You’re right.” He takes my hand off his jaw and interlaces our fingers. When he guides me outside to his car, there’s a buzzing coming off his body mixing with my energy—a supernova building between us.
It’s less than ten minutes from my doorstep to his. We walk inside, and I wonder what he wants to show me. I glance around, trying hard not to look like I’m desperate to know, but I am.
“What did you want to show me?” I ask coyly, moving closer to him as my hand drags up his abs and then his chest.
He tugs my hand from under his shirt. “You’re a distraction. What did you ask?”
I smack him playfully on his chest.
With our hands together, we walk out the slider onto the deck. Kai takes my other hand so we’re facing each other. It’s the most perfect moment as the sun dips down in the sky. “You ready to see it?”
“Yes, I’m ready.” I bounce on the balls of my feet, and I practically scream with excitement. I don’t even know what to expect, but as with anything Kai does, I’m sure he put careful thought and planning into it.
His fingers link with mine as he leads me down toward the water. There’s something near the bank that wasn’t there the last time. As I get closer, I can see rock-style pillars…with a swing? And then it all comes into view. The bench seat looks familiar, but I can’t place where I’ve seen it before.
He guides me around to the front, and I pause, pointing at the seat. “Is that what I think it is?”
Bringing my hand to his mouth and kissing the back of it, he says, “It’s exactly what you think it is.”
My hand goes to my mouth, afraid I’ll scream so loud it will echo through the entire lake.
“Oh my, it’s…our bench.” There’s no stopping the tears that pour out of my eyes as I swipe at them with the back of my hand.
“How did you…” I can’t even finish my sentence as heat and love roll through my entire body.
Before I fall to the ground, he holds me, tangling his fingers in my hair as he tucks me into him.
He slowly guides me to the bench seat. His arms are tight around my body, while his fingers drag along my back.
Goosebumps erupt in the trail of his fingers, and I shiver.
This is what I want—him. I’m never leaving.
He squeezes me harder. “This bench is where it all began for me. The minute I saw you, I knew I was in deep, deep trouble. Then we started talking, and you intrigued me; you had my attention from that first moment and never let go.” He turns to me and cradles my face as the pads of his thumbs wipe the tears from my cheeks.
“I denied it for a long time, but I’ve never felt so heard in my entire life.
So utterly cared for and held. This bench—it’s not only where it started, it’s a symbol of our love.
The porch swing at the house in Virginia Beach…
” I snuggle up to him, not like I could get any closer to him, but sure as hell try.
Kai cuddles back up to me while using his legs to swing us, just like he did the last time we were on a swing.
“You light me up, sweetheart. When you love, you love hard, and I don’t want to ever let you go, you or your love.
My life would be empty without you. This was me showing you how much your love means to me.
You’re my everything—everything I didn’t know I needed in my life. ”
I clear my throat. “I love you. I don’t want you to let me go. Hold me tight.” And he does exactly that. He slowly became the only person I’ve thought about a future with. The image of us together here on our swing, growing old—it all feels exactly where I’m supposed to be.
“Always. I can’t wait to build our dreams together and love you deeply every single day for the rest of my life,” Kai says, kissing the top of my head and then sighing in contentment.
After a long silence, soaking in the warmth of his body, the rhythm of his breathing, and the feel of his fingers moving along my arm, I hear his stomach growl. I chuckle. “You hungry, handsome?”
He squints and holds up his fingers. “Just a little. I can make us dinner.”
Not that I want to move from this spot, but I’m getting hungry too.
He kisses my forehead, prompting me to gaze up at him.
I slide up to meet his kiss. His lips are on mine, passionate as he slides his hand through my hair and caresses the skin under my ear.
All I can think about is never leaving here—leaving him.
“Let’s go eat,” he whispers against my lips, eyes still closed, his breath mingling with mine, and I’ll savor this.
We take a bit to finally break apart from each other. We could stay here all night, relishing the memories this bench evokes. But finally, he stands up slowly, bringing me with him.
We stroll to the house, savoring every second I’m in his arms. “Thank you for being so thoughtful. That swing. Our swing…it makes my heart ache in the best way.”
“Anything for you, sweetheart.” He kisses my head as we continue to step inside.
We have dinner on the deck, staring lazily at each other across the table. I don’t want him to ever look away. His gaze lights me up, and I’m glowing. I don’t know how I lived without this for so long. How I avoided falling in love with a full heart. It’s like nothing I’ve ever felt.
“I talked to Blake earlier, and he said your bookshelves will be ready, and he can deliver them tomorrow.” He reaches across the table to hold my hand with his thumb swiping over my knuckles.
“Already? I didn’t think they’d be ready for another couple of weeks. This is perfect timing.”
With the van to pack, I can immediately prep the bookstore space by putting all my books on the shelves.
“I thought so too. When we bring everything over to the coffeehouse tomorrow, we can install the bookshelves so you can unpack.” He gazes at me, and it makes me feel like this is the most important thing he has to do tomorrow. Like helping me is everything he wants for his day.
The excitement for these bookshelves is off the charts after Kai’s surprise bench swing. “I can’t believe how much has happened in the last day. It’s mind-blowingly amazing.”
He stands up and comes around the table with his hand still on mine, but now he pulls me to my feet. The vibration shoots through my arm. I stare into his eyes, and all I see is love. All I feel is his love—his unconditional love for me.
“I want to be the one who makes your days exactly how you want them. Every single one of them.”
“Me too,” I say, and bury my nose in his chest, moving over his shirt, the scent of leather, mixed with a touch of citrus, lingering in the air. “Hold me forever.”
When he swings his head toward the hot tub, he says, “Alexa, play Beautiful Things by Benson Boone.”
The moment his head swings back, the all-consuming smile on his face has me wrapping my arms around him, holding him tightly. We dance, reveling in the feel of his warm body against mine, his hands searing into my skin.
The next morning, Blake pulls up to the back door of the coffeehouse with his van. I hold the door for the guys as I watch Blake jump out of the driver’s seat. Kai is ready and right there to help him move the bookshelves once he parks.
Kai grabs his shoulder. “Thank you, I know you worked extra to get these done as soon as possible.”
“I’ve got your back.” He tugs open the van and works to slide out the first bookshelf. “Why don’t you grab the other end so we can bring them inside?” he asks, directing Kai with a nod of his chin.
They walk the bookshelf inside. Once they are all placed and secured to the walls, I say, “Blake, these are gorgeous, exactly how I pictured them. Thank you so much.” The excitement runs through me, and I clasp my hands. My smile is so wide my cheeks hurt.
“Thanks again,” Kai says to Blake as he walks out the back door.
Kai pulls my back flush with his chest, wrapping his arms around my stomach, and bringing his face to the crook of my neck, whispering.
“They are perfect, just like you. I don’t know what I did to deserve such an amazing woman by my side, but I love you, every inch of you,” he says, nestling himself against me.
My breath is snatched from my lungs. Kai always lets me know how he feels, never holding back. It’s refreshing. Once I’m able to breathe again, I’m not sure we could be any closer. His body is warm against mine. The intense shivers that roll down my spine are earth-shattering.
I lean into him and place my hands over his arms. Taking a minute to close my eyes, he breathes over my skin, and I say, “You sure do know how to make a girl feel special. I love you with all my heart and thank you for being patient with me.”
He hums on my neck before feeling his feather-like lips just below my ear. “That will be my goal for the rest of my life.” Another kiss, and he says, “Let’s get these books on the shelves so I can take you home and show you how special you are.”
He kisses my neck and moves all the way up, spinning me around.
He swipes his lips over my cheek, right to my parted lips, gliding them back until he dives in.
The heat that takes over my entire body, the way my heart aches for him, is overwhelming, and when my body melts into his, he groans on my lips.
It’s how I want to feel every day for the rest of my life. The cherry on top is that I know he will always be here to hold me when I need him the most.
He pulls away long enough to say, “I love you, sweetheart.”