Limitless Love (Lotus House #4)(55)

I grabbed the basket from the bed, reentered the closet, and set it on the floor. I hung all my shirts and jeans. I kept aside my boxer briefs and socks. I’d find a place for those too.

“Clay?” I heard Monet enter the bedroom.

“In here, beautiful,” I called out.

She entered the closet and leaned against the doorjamb. I looked at her while I snapped the buttons on a dress shirt. My God, the woman was gorgeous. Her black hair fell in loose waves around her face, the strands a shining, silky ebony, like wet river rock when the mountain water rushes over it. She wore a simple tank with no bra. Her small nipples poked against the thin cotton fabric, making my mouth water. She tucked one of her heels against her ankle, giving me a sweet view of her bare legs in her sleep shorts. The woman was dressed for bed, but she could have been ready for the runway. I was one lucky son of a bitch.

“What are you doing?” Her nose crinkled up the exact same way Lily’s did, only Lily did hers in irritation. Monet’s showed uncertainty.

“Hanging my clothes up.”

She nodded. “I can see that.”

“Thank you for washing them. You didn’t have to do that, but I’m grateful.” I winked at her while folding a pair of jeans longwise before looping it through the hanger and placing it on the rack.

Monet took a full breath. “You’re welcome, but, I can’t help but notice you’re hanging them in my closet.”

I grinned and hung the second to last one up before finding an additional hanger for the last. “Observant, my girl,” I joked.

Again, nose crinkle. “And why are you hanging them there?”

I hung the last and picked up the basket. “Because that’s where I want them to be.”

She backed up as I exited the closet. She moved to the ottoman at the end of the bed and fingered a chunk of her hair. Her fingers moved in circles around the hair while I opened and closed a bunch of her drawers.

“Uh…Clay?”

“Just a second, babe.” I found a drawer that was less full about two drawers down. It was where she kept her sexy nighties. As much as I didn’t want to touch that drawer but rather fill it up with more silk and lace, I needed somewhere to put my socks and underwear. So I took the sexy things from there, shoved over the nightshirts in the second drawer and placed them to the side. I gathered my socks and underwear and put them in the new drawer. “Perfect.”

Monet watched me with widened eyes while I took the basket and put it in the closet. Then I picked up my stray T-shirt and chucked it into the hamper. It went right in. “Score! Now what’s up?”

“Clay…” Monet’s voice was strained.

I went over to her, grabbed her hands, and lifted her to stand until her front was smashed against mine. Her pretty fingers splayed out against my bare chest, and she played with the little bit of chest hair I had.

I kissed her forehead.

“Did you just move in?” she asked, tipping her head up so I could stare into her coal-black eyes.

Without saying anything, I took her mouth in a searing kiss. After a few moments, she relaxed into the kiss and moaned her pleasure. I pulled away and rested my head on her neck, laying sloppy kisses on my spot. “Yeah, beautiful, I kind of did.”

“Why?” She ran her hands up and down my back. I wanted her hands on me all the time. Her touch made everything better, more focused. Knowing I had her to touch and hold, to come home to… It eased me. I wanted that more than I’d ever been able to truly admit before meeting her. I never realized how much I desired it until now.

“Tired of seeing my stuff in a basket or on the floor and living out of a gym bag.”

Her body seemed to jerk as she processed what I’d said. “Clayton…we have to talk about this.”

I curled a hand around her nape. “Do we really? I’m here. Do you like me here every day?”

“Yes.” Her reply was instant.

“Does it bother Lily?”

She shook her head. “My goodness, no. She loves you and you’re so good with her. More than I ever could have hoped.”

That sunk in and seared me deep. That little girl was quickly becoming everything to me, but hearing her mom say it went both ways…did not suck. “And I love her. And more than that…” Beads of sweat tingled around my hairline, my palms got sweaty, and my chest felt nailed down with so much pressure. I just had to get it out. Put it out there no matter what the repercussions. “I love you.”

Monet gasped and her head dropped forward. “It’s too soon, Clayton. We’ve only been together a month, and two of those weeks I was healing.” She shook her head against my chest. “It’s too soon…right?”

I cringed and lifted her face with my thumbs. “Beautiful, are you seriously going to stand there, wrapped in my arms, looking into my eyes, and tell me you don’t love me back? It’s written all over your face. In every glance. Every smile. Every sweet kiss. You can’t hide from me. From this. I don’t care if it’s only been a short time. Who decides how long it takes to fall in love with someone? I’m in love with you, and I don’t care what anyone but you thinks about it.”

She swallowed and licked her lips.

“Say what you want to say. Don’t leave me hanging alone. Not now.”