Page 70 of Where We Call Home

“What do you say about me cooking us breakfast? My requirement is that you sit your pretty ass right here, naked, so I can enjoy the view?”

I bit my lip and nodded. How could I object to that?

Rhodes kissed my cheek and turned away. Now, I was the one with a view. Hispretty asswas all I needed.

“Can we have french toast?”

“Is that what you and baby girl want?”

I nodded in agreement with a soft smile on my face, one he couldn’t see.

I liked hearing him say,baby girl. Warmth bubbled and radiated from within. My heart was a little more open every moment I spent with Rhodes. As foreign as being vulnerable felt, I could get used to this as long as I knew he was the cause.

Twenty-Five

I’d officially found my new kink, being called “good boy”. Before, I meant it as a joke, but hearing her use that nickname while begging me to fuck her waserotic. My dick was hard again thinking about it.

I was in trouble. Deep, deep trouble. I had a taste of Theo and I knew there was no going back.

This morning, I completely lost my composure. After the kiss last night, Theo had consumed every single one of my thoughts. I’d gone to bed thinking about the way her lips felt against mine, how she tasted, and the way she’d run to me, adrenaline-fueled and eager to share every emotion.

Then, this morning happened. Seeing her in that poor excuse for a tank top and those even skimpier shorts sent my thoughts careening off the tracks like a runaway freight train. I’d told myself I could handle these urges—that I could keep my feelings in check. Hell, up until that moment, I’d done a decent job. The combination of her looking downright devastating and making such a bold move shattered my restraint.

It’d been a long time since I’d been with anyone. My hand had been my only release.

Being with Theo felt different—like a blessing I didn’t realize I needed. Knowing how deeply I felt drawn to her and seeing how badly she wanted me too made giving in feel not just right, but inevitable. In that moment, there were no doubts, no hesitations. I let myself fall, fully and completely, and I didn’t regret a single second of it.

Now, we lay tangled together on the couch, naked and blissfully spent after devouring an insane amount of French toast. The energy we’d burned earlier had left us ravenous, and the meal had only added to the contented haze.

My arm rested around her as she lay on her side, one leg draped over me. The blanket was wrapped snugly around us, keeping us cocooned in warmth. It was pure, unfiltered heaven.

The sun filtered through the curtains, casting a soft golden glow over her face, highlighting every delicate feature. The freckles scattered across her nose, the curve of her cheek, and those beautiful, plump lips I’d kissed not so long ago.

I couldn’t help but stare, memorizing the details of her face like they were the answer to every question I ever had. Her taste still lingered; the scent of her arousal was consuming.

I rested my hand on her belly, gently tracing the curve of its swell. A peaceful silence filled the room, wrapping us in a moment that felt untouched by the outside world. It was just me and Theo.

“I’ve been thinking,” Theo murmured, her fingers trailing lazily across my chest in a soft figure-eight. “I want to decorate a nursery for the baby. Would that be okay?”

“Of course,” I replied, looking down at her as she snuggled against me. “What were you thinking?”

“I thought maybe we could paint the walls? But I understand if you don’t want to, it is your house, after all.”

“Theo, this is your home too,” I said firmly, brushing a stray strand of hair from her face.

She hesitated, her gaze flicking away. “I’m only staying here. I’m a guest.”

“Cut that out,” I replied gently but still firm. “You’re not a guest. You’re here as much as I am. If anything, you’ve made this place feel like a home.”

Since moving in, Theo has filled the void of what I didn’t realize was missing. She made me laugh, cared to listen about my day, and often made dinner so when I came home tired, I didn’t have to be hungry. With her here my life was infinitely better, and the idea that she thought of herself as temporary stung.

“Rhodes, it’s true. You were kind enough to open your house to?—”

Before she could finish, a firm thump beneath my hand startled me. My eyes shot to hers. “Did she just…?”

Theo’s face lit up, her head lifting to meet mine. “Yes, she did,” she giggled. “She must like you.”

A strange, unexpected pressure gripped my chest. My hand stilled, but I didn’t move away.

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