Page 81 of Choose Us
“Naughty.”She grinned.
“It’s everything I’ve ever wanted. It’s a no brainier for me.”
It made perfect sense.
“Okay.”She smirked.
“What?” I asked.
“Okay.”
“Say it a bit louder. I can’t hear you.” I tickled her stomach, prodding at her playfully.
“OKAY. I’LL MOVE IN WITH YOU,”she yelled.
“Jesus, okay, okay, you can move in.” I winked.
She grabbed my hands and pulled me towards her. The soft warmth of her lips touched mine, and once again I was transported to a dream-like state. A few months ago, I would never have thought Brooke would come back to me. I feared I’d never see her again. I dreamt I would, but I don’t think I trulybelieved it.
Now, here she was kissing me, hugging me, tugging at my hair playfully, nibbling on my neck, and inhaling my scent, and strangely rubbing her nose against my neck like she was performing some sort of animal greeting. Coming from her it was the cutest damn thing I’d everexperienced.
“Why do you always smell so good?” She breathed me in. I didn’t move. I fell backwards onto the sofa, leaving my neck exposed as she climbed on top like a vampire seductively stalking its prey, except a lot less scary and more humorous.
My hands searched for her arms and pulled her closer; her whole body shook as she belly laughed. The sensitivity of her underarms only made me target them more.
She softly bit my neck, making chomping sounds that clarified the vibe was less sexual and more good-natured.
“So...” Brooke leant against my chest looking me directlyin the eyes.
“So...” I replied.
“I guess we’re doing this then?” Brooke grinned.
“I guess we are.” I brushed my fingertips across her cheek.
“I love you,” she confessed.
“Not as much asI love you.”
She tutted and rolled, propelling her body to the left hurtling towards the floor and takingme with her.
We were a pile of tangled limbs playfully giggling like children. In a world full of wonderous sights, there was nowhere else I’d rather be.
EPILOGUE
EighteenMonths Later
New Year’s Eve
“It’ll just be a few twinkly lights and balloons,”Brooke said.
Three hours earlier I’d been summoned to leave the apartment for a visit to Beth’s house and an afternoon spent with my adorable baby niece, Willow. I welcomed that part with open arms, but what I would return to scared the life out of me.
Beth moved back to London in the summer and it was the highlight of my year. She and Ren found an adorable townhouse on the outskirts of London. She started work as an English teacher in a school nearby, and Ren worked at some swanky corporation in the centre of London. I got to see my best friend on a regular basis and fully live out my cool Aunt Holly fantasy.
Willow was yet to turn one, and she loved me more than she loved anyone else. That was a fact. We had the best games of peekaboo. She especially loved it when I’d gather her in my arms and bounce around like a monkey from one room to the next. It was the small things, and I vowed to take full advantage of them before she turned eighteen and wanted nothing to do withme or Beth.
The time spent with Willow had softened my core. It made me rethink my values and reassess what I wanted from life. Children were now officially on thecards.Gulp.
