She stood, wearing the same sweatshirt and pants she wore when he’d first released how attracted to her he was. When he’d gone to dinner with Bill for the first time.
Surprise swept over him, and he did a double take.
At her feet, two cases of beer. What the hell?
Adrenaline zapped through his veins, and he did a double take to make sure this was real.
“Brit.”
“I asked Violet to take the kids out.”
He took a couple of steps in her direction, then stopped short, a couple of feet from her. Curious and confused, he stood still. “Why?”
She clapped her hands together, then chewed on her lower lip. Her nervous energy zinged between them, thickening and lurking. “You know that night when I watched the kids and you came back? And you caught me drinking your beer?”
How could I ever forget?“Yes.”
She grabbed one beer from one of the cases, and twisted the top off. “I hated it. It’s gross, and these aren’t even properly chilled. I bought them.”
Why would she buy them if she hated them?
She lifted one to her mouth and chugged it down, then withdrew it from her mouth, gasping. “God, it’s horrible. But I’m willing to drink each one of them, as a way to show you I love you, and I want to be with you during good and bad times, sweet and sour.”
“You would really drink all these?”
“Not right now, I mean I don’t want to go to the hospital in an alcoholic coma. I bought two cases for the visual effect, and hoped you’d be content if I drank about six of—”
He didn’t let her finish.
Thrilled, he erased the gap between them and pulled her into his arms. The thumping of the bottle dropping to the carpet fell into the background, and all he heard was his erratic heartbeats, imploding in his ears. She parted her lips, granting him access, and he captured her mouth in his with a kiss that demanded, a kiss that beg, and a kiss that promised.
His tongue meshed with hers, and thousands of short circuits sizzled in his system, sending him into an overdrive of lust. She encircled his head between her arms, and he dropped his hands into the small of her back, bringing her close, rubbing her against his hard-on just like he’d wanted to do that evening, when he’d even noticed the small rip on her pants.
Just like he would do every day of their lives, from here on out.
When he wretched his mouth from hers, both of their heaving breathing filled the space. She gave a little moan in protest, and he wished he could bottle her right there and then. Bottle her sound, her smell, all of her.
“So I don’t have to drink all of it?”
“You said six, right?” He tucked a loose strand behind her ear. “Maybe I will cut you a deal, and you can just drink some off of me.”
“That sounds better.” She smiled. “I love you, Damian. With all my heart. When I got a good feedback on my eyeshadow and interest from a cosmetic company, I wanted you to have been there to share that moment with me.”
The words interest and cosmetic company caused a jolt of happiness to travel through him. “Brit, that’s great. I’m so proud of you.”
Her eyes twinkled. “Thanks. I knew you’d be happy for me.”
“Of course. I love you too. And I miss you when you’re not with me,” he said.
“Always?”
“Always.” He kissed her again. Joy welled inside him, skittering his pulse and igniting a part of him he’d never regret opening up for her.