Page 136 of Make Me Dream of You

“It’s not an art gallery, I know, but I thought it might feel like a step toward it one day. You’re so talented, you deserve to have your work seen.”

It’s unreal. I can’t stop looking at it. My little drawing, up on the wall. It looks like…art. Real art. “I can’t believe you did this for me. So, this is the sneaking you and Wood were talking about?”

“Yeah.”

Oh.

He rubs the back of his neck. “I called the other day to have them take it down, but he told me someone made an offer on it, full price, as long as it’s the original.”

I glance at the little tag in the bottom corner. Twenty-five hundred dollars? “You sold it?”

“I told him to hold off on it. I didn’t know what to do. He said if you decide to sell, he’d like another piece to hang in its place. He also has a sister shop across town he wants a piece for.”

I’m overwhelmed. “This is amazing.” Tears start welling up in my eyes as he bends down to bury his face in my hair as he pulls me to his chest. “Thank you,” I whisper.

He smells faintly of gin with that piney undertone and I breathe him in, knowing he’s mine. I still can’t believe it. Noah Dixon. Loves me.

He did so much just to help make a small part of my dream come true. But he is my dream come true.

CHAPTER 26

NOAH

SEVERAL MONTHS LATER

“Are you ready?” I motion for her to come. “You can do it.”

Livvy nods, walking toward me in her new neon pink bikini. Two cute little bows obscure the wing tattoos on her hips, but her newest tattoo is on full display. Finally fully healed so we can get back in the water.

It spans almost knee to hip on her left thigh—my favorite tattoo I’ve ever done. Not only because it’s on the woman I love and she designed it, but also because it represents us, and it’s a piece of me that will be with her always. An angel, nude, draped in beautiful wings in the embrace of a wicked demon, kissing her in reverence.

She steps to the edge of the pool, toes curled over the side. With a chest-puffing breath and a big smile, she jumps into the deep end, water splashing in all directions.

Not going to lie, my heart skips a beat every time her head goes completely under the water, but I’m getting better.

Livvy pops back up, that smile still on her face. My perfect drop of sunshine. Heaven personified.

She swims over to me in the shallow end, and I kiss her on the lips. It never gets old—her smiling at me, kissing me, when I know she’s mine.

“Show me,” I say.

Her grin widens and she bounces a little, pushing off the bottom of the pool then shooting away from me. Head down, she does a beautiful freestyle to the other side of the pool, strong kicks. She turns around just like I taught her and swims back to me.

She gets another kiss when she reaches me.

“Good job. You’re doing so good,” I say.

Her cheeks darken.

I slap her butt. “Keep going.”

She does a backstroke this time to the end and back. Another kiss. Another lap. Another kiss. Ass grab. Another lap. Another kiss. Boob fondle.

And then she does it. Five laps. Ten lengths of the pool.

“I did it. Were you counting?” She’s a little out of breath, water dripping down her face, beads shimmering against her pale skin.

“I was. You did it. I’m so fucking proud of you.” I kiss her harder, grabbing her waist, pulling her in against me at the same time she wraps her arms around my neck.

---