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"I have a better idea."
Epilogue
Lia
"Hmm, maybe move that one over here," I pointed to a sparse branch on our ten-foot Christmas tree.
Raph moved the crystal ornament to its new spot, and it caught the light.
I clasped my hands together, a grin spreading across my face. "Perfect!"
Raph slung his arm over my shoulders while he admired our handiwork. He kissed the top of my head, and I pulled him into a hug.
"It's beautiful."
Raph disentangled himself from me to pick up the last of the debris from our holiday shopping spree. This was our first Christmas living together, and shopping for decorations was a blast. We spent the afternoon getting in the Christmas spirit before coming home to deck the halls.
Even though I didn't initially commit, I moved in with Raph pretty quickly. I spent a lot of time in New York looking for work, and getting to see Raph after long days of meet-and-greets and interviews helped keep my spirits up.
With Raph in my corner, and a roaring success on my resume, freelance opportunities continued to find me. Leaving Design Everything was the best career move I ever made.
It went on for months, me accepting short-term freelance projects around the city. But those little gigs piled up fast; I barely went home to my apartment. Shell made the choice to move for me.
"You know, the lease is up for renewal." Shell had said, munching on some popcorn in the kitchen.
"Yeah? You want to stay?"
"Do you?"
"I… you know I'd never abandon you."
Shell snorted. "Babe, I barely see you. And when I do, you're pining away; missing your guy. I don't take it personally, and you shouldn't feel bad. You two have been together for a while, it makes sense. Time to take the leap, don't you think?"
The travel added milage to my car and made my freelance career more burdensome. I sucked in a deep breath. Shell was right.
"I'm going to miss you so much."
"Puh-leeze. You're going to see me all. The. Time. Free bottle service at Raph's club? I'll be there with bells on!"
I giggled, the tension easing. "Still, I can't imagine life without you."
"You're doing fine. You got this! And I'm going to be fine here. I won't have the smaller room." Shell winked.
"Oh, I see, so you want me to leave, then."
"Yep. You're out!"
Once Raph and I finished tidying and enjoying our decorated living room, we retired to the bedroom to continue our festivities.
"What's on the menu today?" he asked, nudging my chin up and licking a swirling, dizzying pattern on my neck.
He learned all my sensitive spots and exploited them daily after learning how far back my fantasies with him ran. He made a game of pulling them from my imagination and making them reality.
"I just finished my fifth year of college and was lonely. I struggled to find an internship, inquiring at every place in the area. You told me to keep my head up, the right thing would come along. And then…" I grabbed his wrist, guiding his hand to the waistband of my jersey cotton skirt. "You made me forget all about those stupid internships."
Raph growled low in his throat. "They weren't good enough for my Lia."
His fingers slipped under and my eyes rolled back.
