Page 53 of Inevitable

Tugging her closer, he kissed her head. “May not be much of a sin if we’re two consenting adults, doing what we want within the privacy of our bedroom.”

“That’s where it gets a bit sticky. There were a few incidents that were not anywhere close to the bedroom.”

“Details,” Brady replied. “Locked doors. Does that sound better?”

“Sure.”

Brady smiled like an idiot as they walked along and thought about how fortunate he was that he came to work for TRG. Had he not, he might’ve missed meeting his person, which seemed almost inconceivable now that they were together.

For the first time in his life, he dared to want something without reservation. The singularity of the desire and love he felt for the woman walking next to him stole his breath because it had the power to destroy him if ever it was taken away.

And that was the deepest fear in his heart: it could be taken away. Just like his mama when he was a boy. But he wasn’t a boy anymore. He was a full-grown man who needed the courage to claim what was his. Claire was his other half, his better half, the person he was going to spend the rest of his life with.

“Honey, you excited about us starting our family?” he asked.

“Are your referring to those two puppies we’re going to pick up in a couple of hours?”

“Yeah. It’s not like I knocked you up yet.”

Stopping, Claire looked up and frowned. “What do you mean…yet?”

“Eventually, I will, and that’s what I mean by…yet.” He gave her a once-over and wondered if maybe she hadn’t eaten enough at lunch. What he’d said was pretty clear. Not too many ways to interpret it.

“We are at the beginning of our relationship, and what you’re talking about probably won’t happen for years.”

“Sure,” he mumbled.

When she squinted her eyes even further, he smiled and pointed to a bunch of birds taking off. “Look, honey, isn’t that pretty?”

When she looked away, he took a breath. Note to self: keep mouth shut. When she turned back around, he gave her an innocent smile. He remembered what Brock had told him about a love language, and he figured now might be a good time to figure out what hers was. “Honey, what’s your love language?”

“My love what?”

“My brother told me that he and Lilly speak the same language so they know how to make each other happy, or he knows hers and vice versa. Anyway, I’m supposed to find out yours and then speak it to you.”

“Well, I guess I never really thought about it.” She swung their hands back and forth. “I like the way you tell me how you feel and I like spending time with you. Those are the things that make me feel close to you.”

“Okay, I can work with that.”

“What makes you feel loved?”

He looked down and raised an eyebrow. “Spending time together doing…stuff. Naked stuff. Stuff that lets me ravage you and make you scream.”

“Okay, I get the picture. What else?”

“The way you take care of me. The food you make me, the way you wash my back in the shower. Small stuff that lets me know I matter to you.”

“Brady, I love you and of course you matter to me.”

Scooping her up in his arms, he lifted her off the ground and swept her in a circle. “That. That right there is my love language. Do that a hundred times a day and I’ll do whatever I can to make you happy.”

Claire placed her hands on his face, lowered her mouth, and smooched him good and hard. “Almost seems too simple,” she whispered against his lips.

“Always is with the right person.” He kissed her back and then lowered her to the ground. When her laughing hazel eyes gazed into his, he knew he’d been given the world. “How long is it going to take before I can get you to marry me?”

“When the time is right, we’ll know.”

He lowered his head and rested it against hers. “That’s where it’s going to get interesting because I have a feeling that I’m going to know long before you do.”

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