39
Carver
The Trust
Iwoke up to soft, tender lips on mine. Hadn’t even opened my eyes yet, but I didn’t need to. I groaned and found Ly’s waist, then pulled her close, locking my arms so tight she’d have no hope of leaving the bed.
“Good mornin’, sweetheart.” I nuzzled into her neck from behind, breathing her in. “Yes.”
She giggled. “Yes, what?”
“Yes, I could wake up like this for the rest of my life.”
“I didn’t ask that, Car.”
“It’s still a yes.” Her body wriggled in my hold, so I held on tighter. “Where do you think you’re goin’?”
“To get dressed. I can’t be naked all day.”
“Says who?”
“Saysme.”
“Nah. Stop listening to you, then. Naked is better.” I bit down on her ear, making her squirm.
“Naked doesn’t get anything done.”
“What do you need to—Ly, quit fighting me.”
She turned her head sharply over her shoulder, narrowing her eyes on me. “You expect me to do nothin’ all day long in this big house you built on all this land?”
“Of course not.” I slid my palm up and down her arm. “I’d be happy with whatever you choose to do here. Honestly, I’m still getting used to the idea that the love of my life wants to stay with me.”
Lyra turned in my hold and placed her hand on my cheek. “I’m staying with you this time. I won’t leave. I promise.”
“Yeah.” I nodded, placing my hand over hers. “I know. I just—”
“What made me go…it won’t happen again, okay?”
“You aren’t talking about the bet, right? Because as happy as I am that it bought you that ring, I will never—”
“It paid for this?” She wriggled her other hand between us, flashing the stones on her finger. “That’s why you don’t regret it?”
“Noah was a sorry loser over that. Did you think the bet would be without money?”
“I didn’t take a teenage boy for winning a bet to buy his girlfriend a ring, no.”
I chuckled. “Surprised us both then, I guess.” As she stared at the way the ring shone against the morning sunlight pouring in through the windows, I replayed her words in my head. She wasn’t talking about the bet. I was pretty sure I wasn’t the reason she left after our conversation in the barn, but now I was certain. If I had been, she’d have told me exactly what I’d done so it wouldn’t happen again.
Either way, her surety in it not happening again…it wasn’t believable. Calling her out for lying was only going to pop this bubble we’d started to build, and I wasn’t going to chance that.
I kissed her forehead, bringing her focus back to me. “I have a plan for today.”
“Is it staying in and being naked? Because I already told you—”
“No, no. It’s not…well, I mean, if you want to—” Her eyes darkened, forcing another laugh from my chest. “It’s not that.”
“Dress, or one of your shirts again?” I muttered a curse, and she arched a single brow. “So…neither?”
