Page 131 of Love You Like That (Excess All Areas 4)

Cake. Made with love.

For a family who had his and Zoe’s back.

“Move in with me,” Alex signed, two days later.

Zoe looked around the bedroom currently filled with his things and hers. “Umm. You. Here. In my house with all my things is the definition of having already moved in together.”

Alex glanced at the stitches on her forehead. He kept doing it, his worry for her evident. “No. This is just a convenience.”

“You had another three weeks left on your notice.”

“Jase couldn’t wait.”

Their conversation was mostly signed. He’d made amazing progress, but there were still gaps in what he knew. So, they signed and spoke and rolled it all together as he practised.

“Like I said, you already moved in,” she signed.

Alex pressed his thumb against her lower lip, then sucked it between his own. The kiss deepened, as it always did. “I mean, permanently. Let’s buy a house. A detached, with great acoustics. Old. Gothic. We can set up a recording studio. We can buy a huge bed that doesn’t squeak every time we make out.” He pointed to her headboard which currently had two cushions peeking out from behind the bed frame. “We’re better than that.”

“It was a better solution than Jase making fun of us in the morning because of how noisy you can be.”

“Why me?” Alex signed playfully.

“Because often I’m tied up so it can’t be me.”

Alex nibbled on the side of her neck, then stepped back. “Don’t get me excited when I’m about to leave and the house is empty because Jase already took Cerys to the soundcheck.”

“The front row seats for tonight were such a surprise.” Tickets for all the girls. And Nan and his mum.

“I’m glad you liked them. But what’s the answer, Rocky?” he said, no longer signing.

Zoe ran her finger down his chest. “I didn’t hear a question.”

Alex huffed. “Fair point. I wasn’t exactly asking. More like I was telling you to move in with me in the hope you’d just agree.”

For all the playfulness, she still shouldn’t quite believe it. “You want to spend the rest of our lives together?”

“I do. Don’t you?”

“I do.”

“So, take the step. Move in with me.”

She placed a hand on his cheek. “I’d love to.”

Alex grinned. “Perfect. Now rope.”

Just as his mouth met hers, the light for the doorbell began to flash, and Alex groaned, the vibration tickling her lips. “I’ll go,” he signed.

The heavy thud of his footsteps vibrated through the floor. He’d stamp three times occasionally to get her attention. One for each letter in her name. She thought it was cute.

Moments later, she felt them again and the door opened. “The police are here,” he signed. “Constables Stambach and Harding.” The female and male duo who’d been doing some of the leg work on her case.

“What for?”

Alex shrugged. “They want to talk to you.”

They made their way to the living room where the constables were waiting. “Hey, Zoe,” Stambach said. “We followed the camera trail using local cameras in the city, and we think we have a better image of your attacker we’d like you to take a look at.”

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