Page 82 of Trusting the Fall
Apart from one night, when I told him Lex was in desperate need of girl talk, I’ve been falling asleep and waking up in Leif’s arms.
I cut my hours down at the salon so I could start doing more work at Parlour Tricks to get us ready for the opening party next weekend. I hired two beauty therapists, the signage went up, and my website officially started taking bookings.
I wiggle my toes into my slides and head out of my room in search of Leif. He’s crouched down by the front door, scraping some white shit over the wall where the mysterious hole was.
“Whatcha doing?”
He smiles up at me. “Just patching this hole I made. I’ll have to get some paint later to finish it off.”
“You made that?”
“When my Bombshell calls, I come.” He shrugs. “A little too aggressively, it seems.”
I chuckle and tiptoe closer to him, draping my arms over his shoulders to lean down and press my cheek against his.
“I like any way you come for me.”
He shifts his head to kiss my cheek, making my eyes close, and I inhale everything good he makes me feel.
“I was thinking we could walk down to the beach,” I say. “There’s a cafe about a five-minute walk along the water with good coffee.”
“I’ll just clean this up and then you can take me anywhere you want.”
I pull off his back, allowing him to stand, his tall stature towering over me once more. His fingers hook into the belt loops of my denim cut-offs, and he tugs me into him.
“You know I’ll go anywhere with you.” Devotion coats his words.
My hands come up to rest against his chest, the steady beat of his heart clapping against my palm.
“You will?”
He leans his forehead against mine. “Bombshell, I’ve been trying to get you to take me with you since we met.” He chuckles. “I’m kinda crazy about you.”
My comfort zone of emotions normally sits somewhere in between sassy mode and deflective mode, but this side of me that wants to be soft and sweet, to nuzzle myself inside of someone’s love, is new.
I don’t hate it, but I won’t delude myself into thinking this is just a new side of me.
This is directly what Leif does to me. All the things he makes me feel, all the ways he’s brought my walls down to allow these new feelings in. I trust him with my heart, to give me the grace to figure this out as we go. The patience to let me feel things and be vulnerable, knowing he’ll be there to love me through every step.
“I’m feeling things about you, too.”
“Well, thank God for that.”
“This is all new for me.” I give a playful smack against his chest. “Being a girlfriend.”
“That’s alright, we’ll get you there.” With his arms wrapped around my lower back, he nuzzles into my neck. “Once you master the girlfriend role, I’ll get you a big diamond and then we can call youwife.”
Nervous laughter flutters from me. “Slow down, Lover Boy. We’ve got a few more steps to make before we throw ring talk around.”
I pull back to look into his bright blue eyes. They look the same as always when they’re zeroed in on me. Adoring, appreciating, honest.
“But when the time comes, I want a pink one.”
“A pink diamond?” He laughs. “How did we not figure out our connection earlier? The emails, the salon. It feels so obvious now.”
Shrugging, I fold my hands behind his neck. “I’m not mad about how things worked out.”
He leaves a quick kiss on my lips, then pulls away to pick up the tools he was working with, taking them out to his truck. The Connors Construction logo is emblazoned on the side in shining silver.
