Page 118 of The Grumpy Boss Agreement

"Only for you, Savannah," I confess, my heart swelling with an emotion that feels both foreign and familiar at the same time. I slip into bed beside her, wrapping an arm around her waist to pull her closer. She nestles her head on my chest, sighing contentedly.

"God," she says softly. She presses a tender kiss to my chest. "I feel so fucking alive when I'm with you."

Her words claw at my chest.

I am falling in love with this girl, I realize. I feel like a fool, but at the same time falling in love seems inevitable.

I’m terrified of falling in love. Holly always made me feel like I wasn’t ever good enough for her love, that I was not really worthy. She made me feel small.

Savannah, though? Savannah makes me feel like a giant. Like anything is possible and that her love is a natural consequence of spending so much time with her.

I thought I was in love with Holly… but whatever I felt then is nothing compared to the awesome, frightening, giddy emotions that ride me now. Who could be with Sav and not completely lose their mind?

“You make me feel something deep. More than I ever meant to feel.”

Her mouth twists but she doesn’t say anything. Maybe nothing is needed at this moment.

Later, when our breathing slows, I brush a kiss across Sav’s knuckles. “You’re awfully quiet.”

Sav makes a face. “Sorry. I was just thinking about my living situation. I think I should move out of my Grandad’s house with my next paycheck. It’s just nice to have my bank account looking nice and plump for once. But the second I write a check for my apartment deposit; I know that my bank account will be looking malnourished again.”

I turn on my side, using one bicep as a pillow. With my free hand, I touch Sav’s golden curtain of hair.

“What would you say about moving in here?” I blurt out. “Just for a few weeks. I’ve rented this place for four months, but you could stay here after I leave.”

There’s really no genuine thought behind it or anything. I just said the first thing that happened to be one the tip of my tongue.

“I’m sorry, what?” Sav tenses up and looks at me like I’m speaking tongues. “Did you just ask me to move in with you?”

I sit up, nonplussed at her response.

“Not really. I mean, Charlie can’t know that we are together. We would have to keep our hookups extremely low key. But if you liked living here, I could see about renting it for a year.”

She looks puzzled. “You’re staying for a year?”

“No, but you could stay here after Charlie and I go to London. I would pay, of course.”

I can see that she’s about to say no. Putting a finger to her lips, I silence her.

“Think about it. It would be convenient for both of us.”

Sav pushes her cheek out with her tongue.

“Convenient. That’s not really the way I wanted my first ‘not-boyfriend’ to ask me to ‘live together’,” she says, using air quotes. “I can’t just live here and not pay rent. That’s not really how the rest of the world works.”

I grab her hands and pin her in place with my eyes, “Sorry, gorgeous. It’s not very romantic. You should think about it, though. It’s a sensible solution to your problem.”

“If I promise to think it over, can we change the subject?”

I kiss her bare shoulder and she shivers.

“What would you rather talk about?”

“I don’t know. Anything other than you moving away. That thought bums me out.”

That gives me pause.

“It does?”

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