Page 90 of Love You Madly

“Jeffrey is a great name,” I say, giving her a reassuring smile. “Do you like giraffes?”

Sara nods again, a small smile forming on her lips. I glance up at Callie, and our eyes meet. There’s a look of gratitude in her eyes, mixed with something deeper, something that makes my chest tighten. She’s letting me into this part of her life, and I completely understand the significance.

“I’m going to hang out with her in the living room while you work on the crib if you don’t mind,” Callie says, heading over to the small play area she’s set up with toys and books. She sets Sara down and Sara pops her pacifier back in her mouth and immediately starts playing with her toys. Her pacifier bobs up and down as she babbles softly to herself.

“Of course. Whatever you need,” I reply, my voice a little hoarse from the wave of emotions.

As I carry the crib box to Sara’s room, I can’t help but think about how natural this feels, being here with them. I open the box and start setting out the pieces and tools, my mind racing. The quiet gives me a moment to process everything. I can hear Callie and Sara playing in the other room, their laughter filling the house. It’s a comforting sound, one that makes me feel at home. I’ve never felt like this before, and it’s both exhilarating and terrifying.

While I work, my thoughts drift back to Barrett. How would he fit into this dynamic? Could he bond with Sara? Would he feel comfortable here, with Callie and me? The thought of Barrett and Sara playing together brings a smile to my face.

The crazy thing is I had zero interest in allowing Karissa tomeet Barrett. But with Callie… it just feels different. It feels like we would all fit together seamlessly. I need to pump the brakes before my mind goes too far.One day at a time, Owen.

As I start assembling the crib, my mind drifts to the future. What will happen between Callie and me? Can we make this work? Does she want to make a go of this? I want to be there for her as more than just her friend. The thought of being a part of her life with Sara, of building something real and lasting, fills me with a sense of purpose I haven’t felt in a long time. I imagine Barrett being here, playing with Sara, us all spending time together as a blended family. The idea warms my heart and makes me hope for a future where we can all be happy together.

By the time the crib is halfway assembled, I hear footsteps behind me. Callie peeks into the room, holding Sara in her arms. “How’s it going in here?”

I smile, wiping some sweat from my forehead. “Making progress. It’s going to look great once it’s done.”

She steps closer, looking at the pieces starting to come together. “Thank you, Owen. For everything.”

I look at her and Sara, feeling that same warmth and determination. “It’s my pleasure Callie. Really.”

After I finish assembling the crib, Callie insists on making me dinner, which I am admittedly a little hesitant to eat, considering she’s told me on numerous occasions that she is a terrible cook. But it’s tacos, and I figured those couldn’t be screwed up too much. They actually weren’t that bad. Far from authentic, but still slightly less likely to make me shit my brains out than a certain fast food “Mexican” restaurant. I can’thelp but smirk to myself as I eat; she’s sitting across from me, nervously watching for my reaction like she’s expecting me to spit it out or something. This girl… she cares so much, even about the little things, and it’s fucking adorable.

After dinner, Callie puts Sara to bed in her room where the crib is ready to go. She’s put on new elephant crib sheets and mutters something under her breath that sounds like, “At least it’s not fucking camo,” as she fights to get the fitted sheet on the crib mattress. I can’t help but chuckle at that—she’s got this fierce independence about her that I can’t get enough of. She doesn’t take shit from anyone, not even inanimate objects like crib sheets, and I love that about her.

This girl is something else.

Once Sara falls asleep, we settle back on the couch. There’s a comfortable silence between us as we watch another movie. This time, I’m choosing the movie. I shuffle through her DVD collection and cannot believe that she doesn’t own a single Will Ferrell movie. Not a single one. I let her know that this makes me question our friendship, and she has the audacity to say he’s “not that funny.” I pretend to be outraged, but I’m mostly amused by her blatant disregard for what I consider comedy gold.

We opt forPineapple Express– fucking classic. Apparently she bought it in one of the cheap DVD bins at the store and hasn’t watched it yet because it’s still wrapped in plastic. As the movie starts, we sit close, our shoulders almost touching. Callie’s legs are curled up underneath her, and she keeps shifting, trying to get more comfortable. It’s a small thing, but every little move she makes pulls me in closer, like she’s got some invisible force field I can’t escape. And truthfully, I don’t want to. Her laugh as the movie plays—loud, unapologetic, even as she claims the movie is idiotic—sends warmth spreading through my chest. I catch myself just watching her, the wayher eyes light up even when she’s rolling them at the dumb jokes. It’s one of those moments that feels almost surreal, like how did I get here, sitting on this couch with this incredible woman who has no idea how much she’s starting to mean to me?

Callie turns to me as the movie ends, her eyes searching mine. Without a word, she leans in, and our lips meet in a soft, tentative kiss. The world seems to pause, and all I can focus on is the feeling of her soft pink lips against mine. It’s like all those months of holding back, all those what-ifs and almosts, have culminated into this one moment. And damn, it feels right.

The kiss deepens, and I can feel Callie’s hands sliding up my chest. Her touch is electric, sending shivers down my spine. She moves closer, her body pressing against mine as she leans into the kiss. One of her hands moves to the back of my neck, her fingers slowly tickling my scalp as she runs her hand over my short hair. I swear, the sensation alone is enough to undo me.

Her kiss is driving me crazy and I don’t ever want it to stop. I reach my hand over to pull her on top of me so that she’s straddling me on the sofa. I’m certain that the little whimpers and moans that escape her lips are going to drive me mad. I’ve never enjoyed kissing as much as I do in this moment.

Every part of me wants to lose myself in her, to just let go and finally have what I’ve been craving since the first time we spoke. But somewhere in the back of my mind, a voice reminds me to slow down. I've heard that women get more worked up when they are pregnant, but something tells me that’s not what’s going on right now. This is three months of wishing we could be together crashing into us all at once, and it’s taking everything in me not to just give in. But I can’t. I can’t letmyself get carried away because this girl… she matters. So fucking much.

She reaches down to my belt and I grab her wrists to stop her, trying desperately not to squeeze too tight. I pull back slowly from our kiss and she tugs on my bottom lip slightly with her teeth as a low growl escapes me.Fuck.

She looks at me with confusion and a hint of hurt flashing across her face. “Did I do something wrong?” she asks, her voice barely above a whisper.

“No, Callie, you didn’t do anything wrong. It’s just… I don’t want to rush this,” I tell her as I move my hands from her wrists and take her hands in mine, squeezing them gently. I can feel the tension in her, the way she’s trying to hold it together, and it kills me to think that she might be doubting herself right now.

She looks down at our hands intertwining and I can tell she’s upset that I stopped her. “Hey… look at me,” I say gently. When she lifts her gaze to meet mine, I can see tears welling up. “Hey, hey… Please don’t cry. I just don’t move quite this fast.”

She blinks, clearly surprised. “So now I’m fast?” she asks, defensively.

“Hey, don’t be like that. I am not saying that there’s anything wrong with you so don’t put words in my mouth.” She bites her bottom lip and starts fidgeting with her hands in mine nervously, and fuck, if it isn’t the cutest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. She looks so vulnerable, and all I want to do is protect her from whatever doubts are swirling in her head.

“I mean,” I say, lifting her chin so she’ll look at me again as tears fall from her eyes and I brush them away with my thumbs and hold her face steady, “I don’t want to rush this. I don’t rush into sex. I have a three date minimum before I get into bed with someone. And I want to do things right withyou.” I’m terrified that saying this will make her push me away, but she needs to know I’m not going anywhere. Not now, not ever.

Her expression softens, and she gives me a small, understanding smile. “I’m sorry. I didn’t think we were rushing. We’ve been talking for what feels like forever and now that I finally have you here with me… I just don’t want to lose you.”

“Callie, you don’t have to be physical with me in order to keep me coming back.” I hope she believes me because every word is true. It’s not about the sex. It’s about her.

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