Page 26 of Falling for Him
Adley holds her stare and then in true Adley fashion she takes a heavy moment and adds in some humor.
“Maybe I should just swing the other way and marry you, Lex. You’re hot and if we tried really hard I think we could get past the fact that we both prefer guys. What do you think?”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
Lexi
“Bennett,”Lexi says in her fierce tone. Or she thinks it’s fierce, but it only makes me smile.
“What’s wrong?” I ask innocently and she grabs my foot, twisting my toes. “Damn woman!” I attempt to pull my foot back and she only squeezes harder.
“Your feet are ice cold, you Neanderthal.” She lets out an earsplitting squeal. Quickly looking over at Adley who is still snoring and completely unaffected by our antics.
Lexi is at one end of the couch, me at the other, with a blanket thrown over us both. Feeling her body pressed to mine, even if I can’t hold her is okay for now.
The girls decide to throw in a movie. Adley doesn’t even make it ten minutes into it before passing out. Lexi is intrigued, staring at the screen like she is part of the storyline. So I have to torment her, it wouldn’t be right if I didn’t.
I waited for her to get settled, relaxed even and invested once again in the movie only to repeat it all over again. Working her up so much that she wiggles around, sits up and tries to tickle my sides in retaliation.
This only gives me the advantage to get her closer as I hook her under her arms and pull her up. Her chest pressing to mine, her lips only inches away from my own.
“That wasn’t fair.” She breathes, averting her eyes and making my heart race.
“Seems fair to me,” I respond, running my hands over her sides and pausing at her waist. “You were so far away.”
“I was less than eight feet,” she says with a laugh.
“Exactly, too far.”She smiles and I lean a little closer, skimming my lips over her jaw.
“Bennett.” The sound of my name falling from her lips excites me. But I remember what she asked for and I won’t cross that line.
“Slow,” I whisper. “I promised you slow.”
“You did.” Her gaze meets mine.
Because I can’t let the opportunity pass without feeling her kiss, I offer nothing more than a soft, gentle touch before pulling back.
“I’ll behave, just don’t go back to the other end.” I wait, hoping she remains where she is. When she relaxes, and tucks herself in at my side, I kiss the top of her head and finally get to hold her like I’ve been wanting to since she walked in.
I get comfortable, holding her firmly and the weight of her small body shifts as she slowly fades into a deep sleep. A soft snore in my ear, the occasional flex of her fingers as she holds onto my shirt, I am completely aware of her every movement.
I could get used to this, holding her every night. A calm washes over me, a sense of security and peace, one that I swear filtrates throughout every single fiber of my body.
Nuzzling her hair as it tickles my nose, I drag my fingertips over her back.
In love.
I was completely in love with Lexi James. Closing my eyes I could see it all; the wedding, the kids, waking up on Sunday mornings to them climbing in bed with us. Her and I sitting on the porch watching them play in the yard and as they grew older, swimming in the lake with their friends.
I wanted to come home and find her in pajamas, with a book in hand. Her hair piled high on her head, glasses on her face and knowing that she was exactly where she belonged.
I want to give her the life she always dreamed of.
I want to protect her and love her so incredibly that she couldn’t remember what it felt like to be heartbroken again.
I want a life with her.
“I love you,” I whisper against her temple. “I am so in love with you, Lexi.”
