Page 113 of Breaking the Sinner

“That’s a pop culture reference I think I’m missing.”

“Yeah, it’s a song Lil’ Wayne was on. You didn’t miss much.” Cobra led the way to the door Gen had been knocking at, never relinquishing his grip around her shoulders. “This is my home, babe.”

More emotion arrived, vice-gripping her throat. She nodded, wiping away more tears as he unlocked the front door. She’d never tire of the pet names. With a grin prouder than a father on his daughter’s wedding day, Cobra pushed open the door, urging her inside.

“Check it out,” he whispered.

“I already love it,” she whispered back, stepping into a long front hallway lit by skylights above. “Simply because it’s yours.” The hall opened up into a great room, with a small kitchen attached to the side. Two doors hung open off the great room—one was a bedroom, the other surely a bathroom. The entire place was swathed in natural light, eggshell white walls gleaming.

“We don’t have to whisper,” he whispered, setting his keys on the kitchen island.

“I don’t want to disturb the perfection of this moment.” She whispered anyway, smiling as she took in all the details. “The first time I saw your home, exactly as you’d have it.”

Stella wriggled in her arms, wanting to be let down, as though she recognized her home and wanted to roam free. Once she had bounded across the room, heading straight for a Pac-Man squeaky toy, Cobra grabbed Gen’s hand.

“There’s something I wanna show you.” That smile returned, the same one he’d had prior to revealing Stella was hers. He led her over the soft, squishy white carpet, toward a framed picture on the feature wall. One of the only pieces of art on the walls.

“I haven’t done a ton of decorating,” he said, “Because that shit’s expensive and I’ve been busting my butt to put this place together. But one thing couldn’t wait.” He jerked his chin toward the big picture.

Two model-grade, scantily clad people, the man lifting the woman by the hips.

Vaguely familiar shiny vinyl strips wrapped around the red-head. She had a look of shock on her face. The man with one eye pinched shut, expression silently asking,What the fuck?

Gen blinked.

It wasthem. The day they’d met. The day she’d farted on him. Probably the precisemomentof farting.

“Oh, my Lord.” She looked up at him. “Where did you find this?”

“I had Travis help me track it down,” Cobra slung his arm around her shoulders again, admiring the picture as though it was the first time for him, too. “When I busted my old phone, I lost all my pictures of you. I was going crazy. So I had him comb through the photographer’s pictures. I got a few others too, but those are just for me. Bedroom pics. If you feel me.”

“Oh, yeah?” She rubbed a hand over the solid plane of his chest, too happy to even comprehend. All the rough edges inside her—the uncertainty, the questions about the future—were smoothed and consoled by Cobra’s touch. The feel of him against her, sturdy and unyielding. She could lean on him whenever she needed. For however long she needed.

This time, she knew he wasn’t going away.

And for that matter, neither was she. Not for a long time. And not unless he came with her, too.

“But maybe I won’t need to use those anymore,” Cobra said, bringing her against him, hands rooted at her hips. “Maybe you’ll wanna stick around for a little bit. With me.”

Happiness prickled and boomed inside her, a fireworks display that she doubted would ever end. “That seems very likely.”

“At least long enough for me to get some pictures again,” he said.

“Well, of course.”

His smile dropped a little. “Did you love it over there?”

She tilted her head as she toyed with the new length of hair at the nape of his neck. Long hair looked good on him.Anythinglooked good on him “I did. Each place was special and interesting in its own way.”

“Was it hard to come back?”

Gen shook her head. “No. I knocked off a lot of items on my bucket list, but now it’s time for something different.”

He cocked a grin, as if he knew where she was heading. “Like what?”

“Like starting a career. And saving money for the next trip. And now, raising a puppy.” Her heart swelled, threatening tears. “Stuff like that.”

“Any room in there for a crazy-in-love guy who wants to give you the world?”

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