Page 58 of Vodka And Virtue

“That’s great! I’m excited for them. Aren’t you?”

“Sure. Ecstatic.”

I opened his door for him, and he climbed inside, then I rounded the truck and got behind the wheel, buckling my seatbelt. The damn thing rubbed against the sensitive scar tissue of my wound, but it couldn’t be helped.

“You don’t sound ecstatic. What is the—”

“He’s moving out. He’s getting married and moving out, and I’m going to be all alone. Except for Gordy, but he doesn’t count because he doesn’t talk, and I won’t have Carson to cuddle with when I watch TV at night or have breakfast with in the morning or—” His words rushed out in a run-on sentence without pause, and I knew he’d been storing his feelings up.

“Carly, baby, stop.”

“—but then he—”

“Stop, Carly. I get it. Listen, I’ve been wanting to bring this up for a few days, but I didn’t know how to begin the conversation.”

“What is it?” Lightning quick, he brushed his feelings aside, suddenly worried for me.

“Carly, move in with me. Make my home your home.”

“Like, move in for good? Forever?” His big round green eyes looked stricken.

“Yeah, sweetness. Forever.”

“Yeah but—”

“I know it’s fast. I know you have a million concerns. But listen to your heart, not your head.”

“You have to be sure, Rory. You can’t just have me move in and then change your mind next week. It would ruin us.”

A laugh rumbled from my chest. “Sweetness, I was sure about you before I ever bid on you. It’s not real hard to figure out. You’re the best man I know. The more time I spend with you just confirms it. I want you to move in with me. I want to share my life with you, starting yesterday. Don’t think too hard about it, just do what you want. Do what feels right.”

He swallowed, and his eyes searched my face. Maybe he was looking for confirmation or reassurance that I meant every word I said.

“Oh, God. I want to say yes so bad. I really do.”

“Then say yes. If you don’t move in, that’s okay, too. Nothing will change between us. We’ll see each other as often as we can. My home is always available. But I really,reallywant you there. Every day. Say yes, baby. Say you’ll move in with me.”

“Yes,” he breathed, grinning like a fool. “I’ll move in with you.”

“Really?” Even though it was the answer I was hoping for, my whole world flipped on a dime.

“Yes, really.” He laughed joyously.

“That’s great because I really am starving and my side is killing me. Let’s go. You can treat me to lunch so we can celebrate,” I teased.

Carlisle buckled his seatbelt, and I leaned across the center console, taking his chin between my fingers, bringing his mouth closer to mine. “You’ve made me the happiest bastard in Cooper’s Cove.”

I brushed my lips against his, going slow, seducing him with my kiss. His mouth was warm and soft and welcomed me home.

When I pulled back, he was still grinning.

“Just so you know, we’re going to have like two hundred discussions about this over the next few days. But I’m excited, too.”

It was so typical of his organized and calculating type A brain, that I had to laugh.

* * *

“Sweet boy, did you miss me?”I stroked the glossy surface. “I want to ride you so badly, baby. Ride you so hard.”

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