Twelve
QUINN
I woke with a jolt. It was a weekday morning, and I was still in Wade’s bed.
I quickly tossed the blankets back and attempted to get out of bed.
I needed to get home; my family didn’t know where I was, I needed to get Max to school, and I needed to get to work.
Wade had other ideas, though, his powerful arms pulling me back into his warmth.
“Not morning yet,” he murmured, despite the sunlight peeking in through the haphazardly pulled curtains.
“It truly is, and as much as I want to stay here with you, my family must think I’ve gone missing, and I need to get to work.” My words tumbled out of my mouth in a panic.
“No need.” Wade’s words were slurred with sleep. “Your mum knows where you are, and you’re sick. Very sick.”
“No, I have clients booked in, I need to get to work…” My voice took a stern tone.
“When you fell asleep last night, I sent a message to your mum to let her know you were staying over,” Wade said sheepishly.
“But Max—”
“Is with your parents,” he interrupted me.
“I still need to get to work, Wade.” I was a little irritated at this point.
“About that—your mum told Bella that you’re sick.”
“Please, Bella knew I was going on a date with you last night.” I rolled my eyes at the thought that Bella would believe either of them.
“Yes, and she sent me a message to remind me she’s a second dan black belt just in case I even thought of leaving you.” His voice didn’t hide how seriously he took Bella’s threat.
I snorted at the actions of my boss and longtime friend. The protectiveness she wore on her sleeve was touching, but unnecessary. I could look after myself. I have in the past, and I will in the future if I needed to.
“Bella also said to tell you something about payback for her auction date?” The furrow on Wade’s brow was cute; he was clearly confused. “I thought she was engaged? Do you even know what she means?”
I laughed as I settled back into the bed with him. “Bella was avoiding her first date with Noah, so I rescheduled her appointments and encouraged her to take the day off.”
Wade pulled me to him, spooning me, and I could feel his morning wood against my back. “So, are we good?”
“Am I happy to be spending more time with you?” His hands roamed over my bare skin. “Always.”
Wade nibbled that sensitive spot behind my ear and lazily played with my nipple. Less than twenty-four hours in and he already knew what drove me crazy.
“But that doesn’t mean I’m happy with people going behind my back and messing with my life.” My words came out choppy. Wade’s distraction was working, and I was already hungry for him again despite the number of times we’d explored each other’s bodies in the last few hours.
I turned my body toward him and found his mouth waiting for me.
“Good morning, beautiful,” he whispered between kisses, and I surrendered to him, in no doubt of his desire for me.
We spent more time testing our physical compatibility that morning, and then we’d showered and I’d changed into fresh clothes that had magically appeared in a bag outside of Wade’s cabin.
I dragged Wade to the resort restaurant where we enjoyed a lazy breakfast and took a walk to the beach that I’d dragged my friends to after Wade’s proposal.
Settling on a log at the far end of the beach, Wade placed his arm around me, and I snuggled into him.
This felt right; it felt like how it should’ve always been, but I knew it couldn’t always be like that.
Real life was just around the corner. I was still a mum, and I still had work, and I still had to maintain a whole life outside of this little bubble Wade and I had created.
“What would you like to do this afternoon?” Wade asked, fishing me out of my thoughts.
“I’m not sure; what did you have in mind?” I replied, knowing what my afternoon would normally look like.
Wade took a breath, like he wasn’t sure if he should say his next words.
“I was thinking what I’d like to do is pick up Max from school, take him to mini-golf.
” His words were soft, hesitant. “Then I’d like us all to grab fish and chips and eat it on one of the picnic tables off the boardwalk. Does that sound alright?”
“Of course it does,” I reassured him. It sounded like something we’d often do on his visits. “Why were you so uncertain in asking?”
“Last night, you told me it didn’t feel like we were dating; it just felt like we were hanging out like we always do.
” I tried to protest, but he continued. “But to me, this isn’t us hanging out like always; it’s me wanting to include Max in our relationship because I know that you’re a package deal.
Plus, I want to assure him that although my relationship with you has changed, things won’t change between him and me. ”
“He’ll love that.” I snuggled further into him. “But you need to know that after last night and this morning, you’ve left me in no doubt that if we keep going to keep dating—”
“We are going to—I mean it, you’re it for me,” Wade interrupted me.
“If we keep dating,” I continued, “I’m pretty sure that we’ll have the chemistry I crave, that you’re not just going to be going through the motions in the bedroom.”
“Quinn, I don’t think I’ll ever get sick of exploring your body.” Wade ran his fingers over the hem of the shirt I’d thrown on that morning. “Do you think we’d have time for some more exploration before we pick Max up?”
I nodded, kissing him slowly and passionately.
“I love you, Wade,” I whispered against his lips.
I’d said it before, in that platonic way that you say it to friends, but this was the first time I’d confessed my feelings to him.
Wade cupped my face with both hands, his brown eyes looking deep into my soul. “I love you, too, Quinn. I’m in love with you, too. I always have been.”
I kissed him again. I kissed him with abandon, like I was consuming him, like our connection was life-sustaining.
We walked back to his cabin, where we leisurely made love for the afternoon before picking up my son for our family date.
I had no doubt about my future with Wade, but I was happy to take things day by day.
When you finally start your forever with the one person you’ve always pictured it with, it just feels inevitable.
Wade was always meant to be mine; we just let fear hold us back. There was no holding back now.
The End