Page 111 of Home With You

"I've had guys look at me like they wanted to do something, and a few have come up to me and said stuff, but they never actually touched me."

Miles pulls back and looks me in the eye. "You need to be more careful. Stay on busy streets. Don't talk to people you don't know. And if anything happens again, or if someone scares you, come get me. Come to my office and have the front desk call me. I'll be out there immediately."

"I'm not going to bother you at work."

"Raine, I'm serious. It's me or the police. If anyone comes up to you, threatens you, or even looks at you in a threatening way, you find a phone and call the police or you come to my office and get me."

I nod, but I doubt I'll do it. I'm not going to show up at his work. They'd probably fire him.

"Are we still going to dinner?" I ask.

"Yes, but I want to make sure you're okay first."

"Miles, I'm fine."

He smiles. "Then the birthday begins now. Go downstairs and check the kitchen counter."

"Why? What's down there?"

"Just go."

I run downstairs and see a birthday cake on the counter. It has white frosting and the top is decorated with balloons in pink, green, and purple frosting and the words 'Happy Birthday, Raine'.

"It has my name!" I yell, thinking he's still upstairs. But then I hear him behind me.

"You like it?"

"I love it!" I turn around and hug him. "I've never had a cake with my name on it. I've never even had a cake."

"You haven't? Not even when you were a kid?"

"My dad raised me. Dads aren't great with birthdays."

"If I were a dad, I'd get my kid a cake."

"I didn't have the greatest dad."

"Lucky for you, you have a great boyfriend." He kisses me.

"Boyfriend?" I look up at him.

"Yeah. You didn't know that?"

"You've never called yourself that."

"Didn't think I needed to. I thought you knew. And you're my girlfriend, in case you didn't know." He lets me go and walks past me. "Now that we've settled that, come over to the couch."

I walk over there, still letting the 'boyfriend' label sink in. I know we've been acting like boyfriend/girlfriend but it surprised me hearing him say it out loud.

"You got me presents?" I ask, sitting beside him on the couch and noticing the wrapped boxes on the coffee table. "When did you have time to do this?"

"Can't tell. It's a secret. You want to open them now or after dinner?"

"Now."

He hands me one. "Go ahead."

"You didn't need to do this. You've already bought me enough for ten birthdays."

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