Page 31 of Burn for You

I hurried through a quick shower and got dressed while Seth donned a pair of sweatpants and made coffee for me. As I raced out the door, he pressed a cup into my hand and tucked a protein bar into my purse.

“I’ll drop by your office later with lunch,” he said and pecked my cheek.

“Ice-cream would be good,” I replied.

“With extra sprinkles?”

“Of course.”

He hooked a finger in the belt loop of my jeans and tugged me closer with a soft smile.

“You’re getting predictable. I like that.”

“I can still surprise you.”

Reaching into my purse, I retrieved a roll of paper. I’d been working on the design for weeks, and it still needed a few details tweaked, but I couldn’t wait any longer. I had to know what Seth thought.

At the same time, I was terrified to look him in the face and see his reaction. So, I was dumping it in his lap and dashing out the door like a coward.

“What’s this?” he asked, accepting the roll of paper.

“Just something to consider. We can talk about it when I get off work.”

Then I turned and left Seth’s apartment, heading for my car. My stomach churned as I trotted down the stairs, forcing myself to not look back.

Just as I reached my Volkswagen beetle, I heard Seth’s voice behind me.

“Do you take constructive criticism?”

I froze and glanced over my shoulder. Seth had followed me down the stairs, standing on the sidewalk half-naked, wearing only his gray sweatpants slung low on his hips. God, he looked so handsome, with his ruffled brown curls and kiss-swollen lips.

“Depends on what you have to say,” I countered.

He held up the paper and unrolled it, gesturing to the design I’d painstakingly and diligently labored over for so long.

“If this is going to be the house we live in,” he said. “I say we should make it bigger for all the kids we’ll have.”

Well, shit. I might as well give up and take the day off. I was never going to make it to work.

I barely paid attention as I dropped my coffee and purse on the sidewalk. Then I ran back and flung myself into Seth’s arms. He laughed as he caught me, picking me up off the ground easily. I wrapped my legs around his waist, smothering his face in kisses.

“You like the house?”

“I love the house, sweetheart,” he replied. “Did you really think I would hate it? My future bride designed it for our family. That’s ourhome.”

My vision blurred with tears of joy and wonder. I smiled and tucked my face into Seth’s neck, holding him tighter. Six months ago, I never would have guessed that the love of my life was waiting for me in this small Texas town.

I couldn’t wait to build our home here and face the future life that Seth and I created together as husband and wife.

“Take me back to bed,” I murmured, kissing his neck.

Seth spun on his heel, taking the stairs two at a time as he made his way back to his apartment, and closed the door behind us.