Page 83 of One Night With You

“You saved me, you know.”

“You were saving yourself,” I said truthfully. “You would’ve gotten out.”

“Maybe. But how about we just try to save each other, and not keep a tally. Because I love you. I should have said it before. Even without knowing that you would say it as well. I love you. And I’m so glad that we got stuck in a snowstorm.”

“Always. But how about no more natural disasters?” I asked with a laugh.

“Deal.” And when I kissed her again, everything felt right. Finally.

19

KINGSTON

“Acarriage? Yes, we could totally handle that. Yes, I have a guy.”

I leaned against the doorway, crossing my hands over my chest as I watched Claire fold laundry while on her phone, explaining that she had a guy with a horse-drawn carriage.

This was something I needed to investigate.

I had tried to go in there and help fold the laundry earlier, and she had smacked my hand and told me that it was my day off from doing chores. Considering it was her house. Well, she didn’t have to know that I had already taken out the trash, cleaned the gutters, and was going to work on doing some touch-ups on the paint around the place once I found her paintbrushes. I knew she had them because she hadmentioned it was on her to-do list for later that day, so I would just get started. Claire had done laundry, as well as a few other things around the house that had taken her most of the morning while she was on the phone working. I didn’t know how she could do seventeen things at once. I usually needed to be focused on one thing at a time unless I was on the job and aware of our surroundings. That was inherent. But Claire could do seven things at once while still having a conversation.

“No problem. I will send you an email with all the quotes and see what we can do. And you’re right, there’s a few other things that we should handle, but we can do that in person after the first?” She smiled, shaking her hips as she worked, and my gaze went straight to that action. My cock hardening and tenting my gray sweatpants.

“Yes, happy holidays to you. And don’t worry. I’m here for you.” She shook again, and I held back an audible groan. “Yes, have a great day. Goodbye.” And then Claire turned around to end the call and met my gaze. She screamed loudly, dropping the set of clean panties in her hands, and pressed her fist to her heart.

“I didn’t know you were watching me. Stalker much?”

I snorted, then leaned forward, brushing my lips against hers.

“I was just watching you dance. I can’t help it. You do things to me.”

“Well. I can see that.” She pointed to my erection, and I shrugged, my cock bobbing along with the movement.

“You can’t blame me. You were bending over. And dancing.”

“And you’re not wearing underwear, are you?”

“That’s the point of gray sweatpants. I’m supposed to seduce you with my VPL.”

“Where did you even learn that word?” she asked with a laugh.

“I know things. I’m very savvy.”

“And I do not even want to know,” she said with a laugh. “And what have you been doing with that VPL of yours?” she asked, raising both brows. She was so cute because she couldn’t raise one at a time, and it kept bugging her that so many in her life could.

“I’m not going to sit on my ass while you’re working and cleaning your house.”

“But it’s your day off.”

“And? Let me help. I like doing things with you. I love you.”

It was never going to get old hearing those words coming from my mouth. I grew up knowing that love and happiness were something that you could attain. I grew up in a household where my family loved me, andI watched healthy relationships bloom around me day in and day out. I always assumed that one day I would find that one person, and I would know when it happened. I would immediately find myself on a path that I had been prepared for because of my connections.

I hadn’t realized that I was such a damn idiot for so long.

“I love you too. It scares me a little bit how much I do.”

I leaned forward, brushing my fingers along her jawbone. “Why are you scared? You shouldn’t be.”

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