Page 46 of Forever Love-Reimagined

“Oh yeah? We could arrange that. But I definitely can’t stay down here all day.” She exhaled deeply, then stood up.

I immediately missed her touch, but it was probably for the best. We both agreed to do things right and take things slow. My body ached for her, but I didn’t want to burn red-hot only to have it fizzle. That was sort of what happened with Steph. We had an initial attraction, but that seemed to have faded. I wanted what I had with Leia to continue to grow stronger with time.

She reached out her hand, and I let her help me. As I stood next to her, I couldn’t keep my hands off her. I wrapped my arms around her waist and laid my head against her chest. She was a few inches taller than me, but somehow, we flawlessly complimented each other.

Her lips brushed the top of my head, and it was the first time I felt at home in someone’s arms. “Can we stay like this forever?” I laughed, but I was only half-joking.

“You think that’s funny, but I have already pictured a future with you so many times. If you’re not my forever, the universe got it wrong.”

My knees weakened with her words. This was too perfect—she was too perfect. Then self-doubt started creeping into my brain, but I wouldn’t let it ruin this.

“No one got this wrong. This is where we’re supposed to be. So why don’t we get some coffee and breakfast and continue our chat?” I needed to keep it simple for now. If I let my thoughts run away from me, I might self-sabotage.

She scrunched her nose in an adorable way. “I hope this isn’t a deal breaker, but I don’t like coffee.”

My mouth hung open in shock. “Are you kidding? How do you get through the day? Have you ever had good coffee?”

If I were drinking something from a drip coffee machine, I wouldn’t want it, either. But from my espresso maker, it was sinfully delicious.

“I normally get a caffeinated tea, but I’m sure you don’t have any.” She shrugged but didn’t appear disappointed.

“Well, we could run and get some if you want.” I didn’t want her to miss out because of me.

“Nah. I’d rather stay here, like you said. I can drink whatever you’re having. I promise I’m not as pretentious as that sounded.” She laughed, but I didn’t think that about her, anyway.

“All right. I’m going to have a macchiato. Would you like that or something less sweet?”

“Whatever you make is fine. I promise. But sweet coffee is better than bitter.”

We headed into the kitchen, and she looked around. I didn’t give her the tour last night, but she seemed impressed with my place.

“Would you like me to make something while you get the coffee ready?”

The question caught me off guard. I had never done anything that domestic with someone else before. Even when Steph and I lived together, our lives didn’t intermingle.

“I mean, you don’t have to, but if you want?—”

She cut me off by opening the cabinet where the pots and pans were, and she pulled out a cast-iron skillet. I stood in awe watching her go exactly where she needed to. It was like she had lived in this house before. I never remembered any of our dreams here, so it was strange how at home she was.

“Don’t worry about it. I want to pamper you, too. That’s what partners do.” She squeezed my hips as she brushed by me on her way to the fridge, and everything about this woman was a fairy tale.

Luckily, I had gone to the grocery store, so I had food, but I wasn’t sure what she would make. I watched as she pulled out eggs, cheese, onions, peppers, mushrooms, and spinach. This was the perfect breakfast made by the percent person, and I could have watched her all day.

I didn’t want to bird-dog her, so I went about my business getting the coffee ready and let her do her thing. The richness of espresso filled my nose but was soon replaced by the savory aroma of sauteed vegetables.

I glanced over my shoulder while she whisked the eggs in a bowl with a towel over her shoulder. This wasn’t her first rodeo, and I loved that we could share this moment. It held a sense of déjà vu. I wasn’t sure if it was from the past or if I was seeing a flash of my future, but this was better than any dream.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Blake - Friday

Time seemed to have slipped away unnoticed. A mere month had passed since I first walked into that studio and met Leia, yet I struggled to recall my existence before her. It was as though all the chapters of our past lives had converged to create this precise moment.

I had always been cautious about getting too close to someone, but with Leia, it was like I couldn't resist being wholly consumed by her. If I wasn’t with her, I was thinking about her, texting her, or planning our next adventure. My appetite for her was insatiable, which scared me, but I tried not to get into my head about it and enjoy the ride.

The dynamic of my relationship with her was vastly different from mine and Steph's. I struggled to keep my hands to myself with Leia, which I found difficult since we had decided to take things slow. Our feelings were so powerful that we consciously had to rein them in.

As I sat at my desk, thinking about this roller coaster I was on, Ty knocked on the door, bringing me back to the present.

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