Games of the Heart (The 'Burg #4)(140)
Mike’s eyes came to me, they dropped to the card in my hand but he didn’t miss a step and took the new bags next to the ones he’d already brought up. Then he dropped them to the floor.
Then he held my eyes and noted, “You aren’t unpacking.”
“I love you,” I whispered.
His face went soft and God, God, he was so f**king beautiful.
“I’m a guy,” he stated bizarrely then went on equally bizarrely, “I don’t live and breathe clean. But I prefer it. Have I just bought myself a life of pickin’ my way through your jeans, tees, belts, bras and panties to get to the bathroom?”
“I love you,” I whispered.
He smiled a beautiful smile.
Then he muttered, “I’m takin’ it that means yes.”
He didn’t sound the least bit peeved.
God, God, I loved him.
“I love you,” I whispered.
“You don’t do your week of vacuuming and dusting, No’s gonna freak.”
“I love you,” I repeated.
“And if his ass isn’t in front of the TV, he’s about music. Either he has it on or he’s playin’ it. Luckily, he’s good. Unfortunately, it’s constant. If you don’t like music, you’ll have to find a way to like it.”
“I love you.”
“And if Reesee isn’t with Fin, she’s on the phone with him or texting him. So you’ll have to get used to having half her attention at all times, including when Fin is here.”
“I love you.”
“My hours are erratic, honey. My job isn’t nine to five. I know bein’ with me for a while, you’ve experienced that but livin’ here, you’ll be livin’ it. You’ll need to get used to that too.”
“I love you.”
“You get Layla’s friendly. What you don’t get but will, and that’ll be constant too, is Layla’s friendly. She’s entirely unable to be on her own. She gets that when we’re all gone and she doesn’t like it. She makes sure we know it when we get home. I don’t want her to beg ever but especially when people are eating. The kids never got this concept so they’re always givin’ her shit. So she begs. I’ve given up. You’re free to eat what you want or share with the dog. I’ll leave that up to you.”
“I love you.”
Mike held my eyes.
Then he whispered, “I know.”
“I’m not gonna cry,” I told him softly.
“Don’t,” he told me softly back.
“I’m gonna unpack,” I decided.
“Good,” he replied.
“Then we’re gonna eat Chinese,” I informed him of something that was his decision in the first place.
“Yeah, we are.”
“Then we’re gonna break in the bathtub.”
His eyes flashed and he repeated in a growly voice that shot straight through to “Little Dusty”, “Yeah, we are.”
I smiled at him.
Then I put the card on the nightstand knowing as soon as I had a moment, I was going to find a place to keep it so it would be safe. Forever.
Then I reached out, tagged my carryon and dragged it across the bed to me.
“Dusty?” I heard Mike call and I looked to the doors to see him and Layla there, Layla panting, ready for their trip back down the stairs to Mike’s SUV.
“Yeah, honey?” I asked.
“I love you too,” he whispered then he turned and walked down the hall.
I deep breathed. Then I did it some more.
Then, when I had my shit together, I zipped open the carryon and started to unpack.
*
“Shit, f**k, Jesus,” Mike muttered about a half a second after we entered J&J’s Saloon.
I looked at him, confused.
He’d been in a good mood. It was Saturday night. My bags were unpacked. I hadn’t yet tossed any clothes on the floor. We’d had Chinese the night before. We’d broken in the tub. It totally serviced two full grown adults and it did it splendidly. I performed my “I’m glad I’m living with you” by waking Mike up that morning super early with my mouth wrapped around his cock. He liked it, maybe better than I liked the roses (but just barely). As was his way, he took over. I liked that better even than the roses (but just barely). Then I’d dragged his ass to Hilligoss and made him let me buy. This took a while and the line behind us got a little irked. Mike gave in when I dug in to the point some guy called out, “Seriously? I can smell ‘em. This is torture.” We ate donuts at his kitchen table (not including the one I snarfed in the car). We went to the grocery store. We came home and put the groceries away together. We had lunch together. We had more sex. We made dinner together. We ate it together.
And now we were at J&J’s.
Life was good. His kids wanted me in his house and he did too. I was in his house. Dad was around, helping me, Fin and Kirb to prepare the fields for planting. Debbie hadn’t pulled anything recently. Beau had not called. Fin hadn’t gotten into any fisticuffs keeping scumbag kids away from his girl who happened to be the most beautiful girl in the world and Mike’s daughter. Mike had not heard from Audrey. And, with IMPD, he’d long since solved the case of the person who was burgling The ‘Burg.