Page 87 of It Must Be Love

"How did you get here?" I asked.

"I bicycled."

"I'm going to fucking throw that bicycle away. It's cold and icy, and you scare the life out of me, Naya."

"I can buy a car this summer…it's just a few months away."

I kissed her forehead. "I love you, baby, but you drive me up the wall. Why won't you just take one of my cars?"

"I can't drive your cars. They're freaking expensive."

"I give up. Now, say you love me and close your eyes."

"I love you."

I smiled as I let sleep claim me. I'd get her to drive one of my cars, and I'd get her to move in. I just had to be patient and cloud her mind with good sex.

"Amias?"

"Yeah, baby?"

"I brought my vibrator along."

"Hmm?"

"You said we'd use it."

I laughed; I couldn't help myself. "Are you disappointed that we didn't tonight, Naya?"

"Hmm," she murmured sleepily.

"I promise to fuck your ass hard tomorrow."

"Nice."

It was nice, I thought. So, fucking nice to have this amazing woman in my arms. I was one lucky son of a bitch.

Chapter 31

Naya

Dinner with Hayes and Darren was fun.

So, we did it again, sometimes at Darren's place, and sometimes Hayes took us out to a restaurant because he didn't cook.

I'd asked Amias if he still talked to my brother, and he said he'd turned down all invitations from him and Ann for meet-ups. He just didn't want to deal with them. I felt bad because I wondered if I'd broken up their friend's circle and Hayes had set me straight.

"It was just a bad habit…us all spending time together. And honestly, the group has been thinning out. Jackson went to Paris, and David moved to California. Sure, they stop by when they're in town, but we're just a bunch of acquaintances, Naya. You're not breaking up the fucking band or anything. Also, your brother and Amias' ex are assholes."

When I looked at Amias for confirmation, he nodded, "What he said. And we have new friends like Darren now."

"I'm here for Sparky," Darren muttered, "I just tolerate your entitled asses."

We'd had dinner with Ethan and his wife, Jess, and I realized that maybe I didn't suck at socializing.

Darren had told me that Amias was good for me and that he was boosting my confidence. And when I wondered if my self-assurance would remain after Amias left, he told me stop being a ditz.

Nolan had gotten in touch with me to ask if I'd babysit Magnus and I'd gently turned him down. I'd love to see my nephew, I told him, but I wouldn't be their free babysitter any longer. I'd asked if he and Kara would like to come over for dinner with Magnus and he'd said they didn't have the time for that.

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