Page 66 of Riverside Reverie

“About what?” he asked me, his green eyes taking in every emotion that filtered across my face.

It was my turn to shake my head as I deliberated on how honest to be with him. Jasmine, Talia, and I had spent most of the day talking about my reservations over trusting my feelings, but I was no clearer on the matter.

I’d expressed my fears, but Jasmine shot them down. “You aren’t moving up here to be closer to Theo, you’re moving up here to be closer to me, and to see what opportunities await you here.” She’d insisted, and she was right. Theo was a bonus, for sure, but he wasn’t even one of the top three reasons. Not yet, anyway.

But I was still scared.

“Everything. I’m scared to make this move, especially without a job. I feel like I haven’t really thought things over.”

Escaping Brinley’s bullshit and getting to be roommates with Jasmine were great reasons, but what if I couldn’t find a job?

“We could see how things work on a month-to-month basis, for now. If you end up hating it here, or you find a really great job somewhere else you can always move out with no penalty. Desmond and I know your situation and want to help you out, and it happens that helping you out helps us out, too.”

“Okay, that takes a bit of the pressure off,” I admitted, biting my lower lip. It was a relief to hear that I wouldn’t be locked in a rental agreement I couldn’t get out of, especially if this living arrangement turned out to not be the best thing for me.

But I think what scared me the most was that in my heart of hearts, I knew it was the best thing for me. Moving to a new town and getting some distance from Brinley was the best thing I could do for myself. Being around Jasmine would be healing, she was more of a sister than my own flesh and blood.

As for Theo, I knew it was soon, but I also knew that the things I felt for him surpassed anything I’d felt for Scott, and that had to mean something.

Theo placed his hand on my hip, peering at me with those green eyes that felt like magic and forest. “I know you’re moving here for a fresh start, not for me, but I’m not going to lie to you, I’m looking forward to getting to spend more time with you—with whatever label you want to slap on us.”

“I’m not sure about labels right now,” I admitted quietly, hoping my honesty didn’t hurt him.

He smiled, not a trace of pain in his expression. Just understanding and empathy.

“That’s perfectly fine. I can wait to label things, so long as you know that I really am into you. This thing we’re doing, it means something to me.” Theo brushed his finger along my hip, making my skin erupt in goosebumps.

“It means something to me too, even if I’m not ready to label it. I recently got out of a long-term relationship, and I want to be certain that what I’m feeling is the real deal,” I whispered, worried my words were too candid for the moment.

But Theo’s smile didn’t waver, and his eyes were warm with understanding. “I get it,” he said before he pressed his lips to mine, kissing me softly.

* * *

I fell into a deep, peaceful sleep with Theo’s arms wrapped around me, holding me against his hard body.

When I awoke, I felt more solid with my decisions, and more excited about the prospect of moving.

At the very least, I was doing something spontaneous. I was stepping into the unknown without a solid game plan, which was something far outside my comfort level.

“Morning, sleepyhead,” Theo’s gravelly voice stirred the arousal that had been dormant while I slept.

“Morning,” I replied, smiling. I stretched, the sheets sliding off my breasts, gifting Theo with a few of my pebbling nipples. He licked his lips hungrily.

“We’re going to have to pick up more condoms when we go out today,” he remarked before lowering his mouth to my nipple. He sucked on it, his tongue rolling across the pebbled peak.

I arched my back, bringing my breast closer to his mouth. “Don’t we have one left?”

“Yeah,” Theo lifted his head long enough to shoot me a mischievous grin before returning his attention to my breasts.

“Better use it up, then,” I challenged.

He wasted no time, crawling over top of me.

* * *

I tossed a load of laundry into the washer before we left to run errands. First, Theo drove me to the furniture surplus store, where I took my time picking out a furniture set for my new room.

I found a bedroom set in a soft wood grain design with clean lines, a sleek contemporary frame, and subtle aluminum accents that gave a modern aesthetic. It came with a queen-size bed, a six-drawer dresser, a drawer chest, a night table, and a desk.

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