30. Amias
THIRTY
AMIAS
My apartment smelled like roses when I came in after midnight.
I loved that smell. I loved that she was in my bed.
I wanted to ask her to move in with me, but the fact that she didn't even want to spend our evenings at my place meant that it was going to take a whole hell of a lot of work to get her convinced.
I was all in.
The past weeks were the best days of my adult life…
or life. This was by far the healthiest relationship I'd ever been in.
There was no drama—no subterfuge. She was so honest about her feelings and showed everything on her face to me that it was easy to be with her.
The woman who hid everything from everyone—and probably still did, had let me in, and I was honored and so fucking grateful.
I walked into my bedroom and saw she'd left the light on my side of the bed on.
We were both used to sleeping in a bed alone—I'd never lived with a woman and didn't have a side.
But we'd settled on our sides as we spent nearly every night together.
I watched her sleeping on her stomach, the duvet down to her ass.
Her skin contrasted against the white sheets, and I was mesmerized by how good she looked in my bed.
I had to somehow persuade her to live here with me because, honest to god, I didn't think we could fit in her place.
I was being a snob, but factually it was too small, and I liked my space.
I'd tried to tempt her with the gym—but so far, she was still resistant to the idea.
I'd asked if it was because other women had been here, slept with me—because if that was the case, I could sell the fucking place, and we could buy a new one together.
She'd said that wasn't the case; she just thought it was too rich for her.
I couldn't even convince this woman to spend her nights here; I didn't know how I'd convince her to move in and finally marry my sorry ass.
It had been nearly three months, and she was blossoming.
I knew she felt more confident, I'd seen it in how her eyes didn't always go down at the first sign of trouble between us.
She gave back as good as she got. That had taken a while, but we were there now.
The sex was fucking amazing.
I'd never enjoyed being with a woman as I did Naya.
She was fun and funny in bed; we made love with abandon.
That had taken a few weeks as well. But now she sometimes even walked around me in the mornings in just a T-shirt and panties, not frantic all the time about hiding her legs.
They were class-A legs, strong and honed through her Krav Maga training.
Hayes had asked me how bad the scars were, and I said they looked like they must've been painful. But they were just scars; we all had them, and she had a few more than most. He said he was surprised, considering he always thought I was one shallow motherfucker.
"She's a gorgeous woman, Hayes. She's beautiful. Her skin is beautiful. She's a strong woman: mind and body, to have lived through what she did and come out the other side a healthy adult. I don't understand what the hell you mean about me being shallow."
Hayed chuckled. "You're in love with her."
"Fuck yeah."
I took a quick shower and got into bed. I thought for about half a second to let her sleep and then decided the hell with it. I hadn't had her for nearly four nights.
I pulled her to me, her back against my chest. I dipped my fingers in between her legs, bringing one leg over my hip.
"Amias," her voice was thick with sleep.
"I want to be inside you."
She shifted against me, telling me to enter her.
It didn't take long before she was moaning, my fingers making her wet.
When I was finally inside her, I felt an intense sense of homecoming; something I'd never expected to feel ever—but I felt it every time I traveled for work and came back home and made love with Naya. She had become my home.
"Harder," she urged.
"It'll be over too soon then, and I need to feel you."
I played with her clit, biting her shoulder gently, wanting to inhale her into me, keeping her with me.
I needed more, and I pulled out of her and flipped her on her back.
"Wake up, Naya," I ordered as I entered her again, now needing her with me, awake and wanting.
She made a sleepy sound.
"Baby, open your fucking eyes."
She did so languidly. And then smiled her siren's smile. "You're back."
"Who did you think was fucking you before, darling?"
"Oh…you know Victor, the security guard, is pretty hot."
I slammed into her, and she laughed lightly, her hips arching up.
I began to pump in and out of her, feeling a sense of exuberance that was almost unhealthy. It was probably impossible for most people to be this happy, I thought, without drugs of some kind.
"Naya," I groaned as her legs began to shake because I was hitting her g-spot over and over, loving how she shivered each time I did and clasped my cock.
"Fuck, fuck, fuck." I couldn't hold it much longer. I wanted to, but every time I was inside her, my body was like a runaway train chasing release, like the world was on fire.
She came and took me with her. As I spilled into her, I cried out, "I love you, Naya."
I repeated it as I spurted inside her, the release leaving me strangely vulnerable, as did the words that I allowed to leave my heart.
I knew she wouldn't say them back. She wasn't ready. I didn't mean to rush her, but I needed to release emotion and tell her how I felt, how I ached for her. My world had shifted on its axis since she'd let me touch her lips that day in my office.
My lips nuzzled the skin beneath her ear as I tried to catch my breath so I could lift my weight off of her.
"Amias?" She stroked my back like she always did, and I loved it, loved how she cared for me. "I love you too."
I raised my head and blinked.
"Say that again."
"You only said it once so that's all you get in return."
I grinned. "I love you, Little Warrior."
She smiled. "I love you too."
"Yeah?"
"Yes."
I rested my forehead against hers, wondering if I could ever be happier than I was right now. This amazing woman, with her generous heart and wide-open soul, had taken over my life in the very best way possible.
"But now I need to sleep." She pushed me off of her, and I fell on my back. "I have a seven o'clock meeting in the office."
"I'll take you."
"No, thank you, I can?—"
"Shut the fuck up, Naya, and go to sleep.
I got up, cleaned myself up, and then brought a washcloth as I always did and cleaned her as well.
We were having to change sheets nearly every day thanks to the wet spot—if she moved in here, housekeeping would take care of that.
Maybe I could sell her on that because I knew she hated changing sheets.
"I have to leave by six fifteen, and you haven't had much sleep," Naya continued while I settled back in bed with her and pulled her against me.
"How did you get here?" I asked.
"I bicycled."
"I'm going to fucking throw that bicycle away. It's cold and icy, and you scare the life out of me, Naya."
"I can buy a car this summer…it's just a few months away."
I kissed her forehead. "I love you, baby, but you drive me up the wall. Why won't you just take one of my cars?"
"I can't drive your cars. They're freaking expensive."
"I give up. Now, say you love me and close your eyes."
"I love you."
I smiled as I let sleep claim me. I'd get her to drive one of my cars, and I'd get her to move in. I just had to be patient and cloud her mind with good sex.
"Amias?"
"Yeah, baby?"
"I brought my vibrator along."
"Hmm?"
"You said we'd use it."
I laughed; I couldn't help myself. "Are you disappointed that we didn't tonight, Naya?"
"Hmm," she murmured sleepily.
"I promise to fuck your ass hard tomorrow."
"Nice."
It was nice, I thought. So, fucking nice to have this amazing woman in my arms. I was one lucky son of a bitch.