Page 70 of Biker's Baby

THIRTY-ONE

Glenn

“I wishyou didn’t have to go to work,” Iris told me as I pulled on my boots.

“Me, too,” I said. “But I do have something for you to do while I’m gone.”

“Something for me to do?”

“Yes,” I said. “If you don’t mind doing me a favor.”

“Sure,” she agreed. “What’s up?”

“I want you to move your things into my room.”

“What!”

“Why not?” I asked. “You stopped looking for another place to live, and it would give Tris more room in the spare bedroom – his bedroom, now, I guess. You’re just putting off the inevitable if you don’t. We should make it official.”

Iris smiled. “I mean, if you’re sure you want me to. I just don’t want you to think that we’re moving too fast.”

I couldn’t help laughing at that. “You mean living with me for the past month hasn’t been fast enough already? Just moving from downstairs to upstairs is going to make this seem too fast?”

“Perhaps, if you don’t mind, we could put Tris upstairs, too?” she asked. “Switch the two spare bedrooms. I would prefer he was on the same floor anyway.”

“If you don’t mind the stairs, I don’t care,” I said. “Besides, going back to what you already said, you and I have been together all this time. We just weren’t calling it that, I hope you know.”

“I’m not so sure about that one,” she said.

“Really?” I challenged. “Before you and I talked to Glenn last night, he was shocked to hear that you and I aren’t actually together. Not just because of Tris, but because of the fact it’s obvious that we’re mad about each other.”

“Really?” It was her turn to look surprised.

“Really,” I said. “Word for word what he said.”

“Okay, okay.” Iris gave in. “If you are sure you don’t mind, then I’ll move my things in there. But again, I don’t want you to do this out of obligation, you know?”

“I’m not!” I insisted. “I’ll look forward to coming home to having you already up in my bed.”

“You say that now, until you realize you just want to get some sleep and you can’t catch a second to breathe.” She winked, and I laughed.

“Don’t threaten me with a good time,” I warned her.

Iris stepped close to me and I kissed her, hard. It felt good to clear the air on some things, and the fact that she was so willing to enter into a relationship with me made me feel on top of the world. Two years ago, I could only fantasize about what that would be like. But with her here, right now, it was like we were always together.

We had a child together, we had a life coming together. We hadn’t had to sit down and talk about some of the serious things that were going on for the simple fact they just seemed to work out for us. Like we were in this together from the very beginning, as difficult as it was for me to wrap my head around that.

When I finally let her go, she smiled up at me.

“Have a good day,” she said. “And don’t work too hard. I don’t want you to be too tired when you get home to your surprise tonight.”

“Great, now I’m going to have a hell of a time trying to concentrate on work at all!” I said with a shake of my head. But there was no hiding the smile on my face. I was thrilled to know she would be in my room. Her things would be in there, and we could just go to bed as a normal couple.

There was no more division. No more wondering where she would sleep after we had a quick hookup in my bed. Now there would be no excuse for her to stay. She would know that Tris was safe and sound just up the hall, and we were together right there at the top of the stairs.

It was perfect.

And it was perfectly distracting, too.