Page 55 of Where We Call Home

Rhodes grinned his smile on full display. “Theo, are you saying you like my ass?”

I groaned, burying my face in my hands. “Don’t make me answer that.”

He chuckled, pulling my hands away from my face. “It’s okay. I like your honesty. And for the record, if Iwerea designer, I’d make clothes for people to relax in. No sequins, no fur vests, just comfort.”

“Why am I not surprised,” I teased.

We shared a laugh and I wasn’t sure what I enjoyed more, the show or having him here with me.

By the time I was ready for bed, we’d made it through a couple of episodes. When I said we had catching up to do, I wasn’t kidding. At one point, Rhodes got up to make popcorn after I dramatically complained about being hungry. I couldn’t resist tossing a few pieces at him, which he effortlessly caught in his mouth with a cocky grin.

Then, we dug into a bowl of ice cream that now sat half-melted on the coffee table. Neither of us cared. We simply existed in the moment, enjoying the easy rhythm of our time together.

My eyes grew heavy, each blink lasting longer than the last. A yawn escaped as I nestled deeper into the soft pillow beneath me, the sound of the TV fading into the background. I was caught in that hazy space between awake and asleep, where the show still played, but my dreams started to take over.

“Theo, Honey,” a soft voice called, nudging me back to the surface.

“No,” I groaned, pulling the blanket higher over my face.

My body felt weightless, and I vaguely registered the warmth of the couch disappearing. I huffed, half-asleep, searching for it again. Instead of soft cushions, I found something solid, sturdy—something that smelled faintly of clean skin and coffee.

“I got you,” that same gentle voice murmured.

Before I could piece together what was happening, I felt myself being carried. Then, I was placed onto a softer surface, the weight of blankets cocooning me like a cloud.

I rolled over, forcing my heavy eyelids open just enough to see a tall shadow looming over me. A soft smile tugged at my lips, my mind blurring the figure into a fragment of my dream. I felt a gentle brush against my cheek, soothing and tender, pulling me deeper into the lull of sleep and back into my dreamland.

The soft click of a door sounded faint, and I let it fade into the background as sleep fully consumed me. My last thoughts were of the faint familiar scent lingering in the air and the sturdy chest that had carried me so effortlessly away.

Twenty-Two

27 weeks pregnant

Baby is the size of a head of cabbage\

Rhodes2324 Wants To Start A New Game With You

TheoTheGreat09 played DIVA for 9 points

TheoTheGreat09: diva is a female version of a hustler. FYI

Rhodes2324: Okay, Beyonce.

TheoTheGreat09: Rhodes… you know more than Zach Top and Toby Keith? SHOCKED

Rhodes2324: I can see you smiling right now. You’re sitting right next to me if you forgot.

TheoTheGreat09: How could I when your phone volume is on max watching stupid videos?

Ilooked utterly ridiculous—pun totally intended. I agreed to go to the Halloween party with Rhodes. Well, not together, but at the same time, in the same car.

I’d been living with Rhodes a full week at this point, and I could only think of one complaint: he cared about nothing.

It was refreshing to be with someone as laid-back as I was. Our personalities meshed effortlessly, and we got along better than I could have hoped. He’d never admit it, but I knew he secretly enjoyed the shows we watched every night. Without fail, he’d come home, ask, “What are we watching?” and plop down on the couch after dinner. He’d stay there until I inevitably dozed off, nudging me awake just enough to guide me to bed.

Being six, almost seven months pregnant, and trying to fit into spandex was not a smart plan. After mindlessly scrolling, I saw this cute costume idea on Pinterest and thought I’d at least give it a shot.

Rhodes had been pestering me for days, practically begging to know what I planned to dress up as for Halloween. I wasn’t about to tell him. The last thing I needed was for him to copy my epic idea or try to match me.

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