Page 67 of Broken Dreams

“It took longer than expected because Duncan wanted to help,” he says with a chuckle. I can see him offering to do that. “Tell me about what you’re listening to.”

Her name here is The Little Rabbit,I write out. I can't explain why I’m drawn to this podcast, so I make a face at him and then the computer.

“She doesn’t sugarcoat the bad shit,” he says, as if I’d said something.

I’ve become very expressive with my facial features when I want to be. If you’re on my shit list, I’ll stone wall you as a blank space. It’s why Bret would unravel in anger with me.

Yes.I agree.Before we listen, choose one thing you want to add to the nest.

“Add?” he asks, frowning as he looks around. “I don’t know, baby.”

How does it feel to you?I ask, trying again.

“Very girly,” he says finally with a light chuckle. “That’s not a bad thing, though. It’s comforting and the colors aren’t uncomfortable to be around.”

I understand that completely, and hum under my breath. At least I can make that much noise. It’s as if my vocal cords froze from all of the change. Hopefully, it’ll relax enough that I can say a word or two.

It feels as if I’ve lost something important now that I can’t speak at all.

What can we add?I ask instead. He’s always been someone who is happy with anything.

It feels so odd to have an option to change our space. We’ve slept on hard floors, without a pillow, or long drives in a panel van for years. When I was with Alpha Miles…

No. We aren’t going to go there.I’ll need to tell them about him soon, but I don’t want to do it with paper and pen. I’ve never wanted to have access to my voice more than I have lately.

What began as a safety net has become a crutch I no longer want.

The room is large enough that we can do whatever we want with it, and that’s where I’m going to focus my thoughts and efforts right now. It’s something I can control.

“This is kind of ridiculous,” he mutters.

Shaking my head, I tap on his arm to tell him that’s not possible.

“Alright, it’s you so I’ll confess this,” he says. “There are porch swings, but what if we could fit one in that corner over there? It would be big enough for the two of us to read or watch movies? Sometimes it’s nice to sit in a space that isn’t the bed.”

Agreeing, I nod again before my fingers fly over the keyboard in another window. Duncan and Callum told us we could buywhatever we wanted, and I’m going to take it to heart because it’s not for me. I know that’s hypocritical, but I want this for Linus.

A snuggle swing sounds heavenly, and will fit perfectly in here.

Duncan’s credit card is already loaded into the platform I’m searching on, making it easy to add what’s basically a porch swing to the cart.

“Wait!” Linus says, holding his hand up as he pops a piece of cheese into his mouth. “If I’m adding something, then so are you.”

But I like everything, I admit. The colors are soothing, light and airy. They lean toward neutrals though, with the curtains being one of the only pops of color.

I know I joked about getting a new candle, but there are three on the low table next to me, and they smell like fresh linen, a cozy campfire, and chamomile. They’re perfect.

Lips pursed, I look at an area of the room that doesn’t have much light at all.

Is a chandelier ridiculous?I ask.

Linus gives me the world’s sexiest smile, one that makes my core tighten and pussy clench. He inhales deeply, appearing really satisfied for some reason.

“For that dark spot in here?” he asks. “I always expect to trip on something when I’m walking to the bathroom. We aren’t vampires.”

A huff of laughter escapes, something else that makes bubbles of happiness float through my veins. He has a sweet way about him.

At my nod, he twists the computer toward himself and searches for chandeliers until he finds one. Turning it toward me, he smugly awaits my reaction.

---