“If you were thinking about saying sorry, save your breath, beautiful. How can I be mad at you for trespassing when it led me straight to you?”
Again, I can tell when the moment becomes too much for her. I never want to scare Blakely off or come across as some cheesy hack.
“I’m going to rinse off,” I say, giving her one last kiss on the forehead. I can’t help myself. I want some part of me touching her at all times, but I never want to suffocate her.
Blakely climbs off my lap, her cheeks still flushed from everything that happened between us this morning.
“Feel free to grab some muffins and fruit for breakfast. Not sure if you’ve noticed, but we have quite the stash of blueberry muffins,” I inform her with a grin.
Blakely laughs, the sweet sound resonating with something deep in my soul. I feel… complete, like all the pieces of my heart are finally sewn back together. Only, I'm better than I ever was before Blakely came into my life.
Fifteen minutes later, I’m cleaned up and ready for whatever the day brings. When was the last time I was able to say that? But it’s true. As long as my beautiful girl is by my side, I feel like I can do anything.
I head to the kitchen, pausing when I see Blakely standing at the sink, the sunlight streaming through the window tangling in her dark locks. Her curvy silhouette calls to me like a siren, and I move forward, needing to touch her in some way.
She sways ever so slightly back and forth, and the closer I get, I realize she's humming softly to herself. This is a completely different woman than the one I found a few days ago. Instead of cowering in fear and jumping at every little thing, she's more stable—more at peace. I'd like to think I had something to do with that.
I know Blakely isn’t magically healed from the trauma she’s endured for years, but it’s a start. We’ll heal together and process everything, getting help from therapists and meds if necessary. All I want is for Blakely to live a happy, fulfilled life, knowing she’s loved.
“Hey, beautiful,” I murmur as I step up behind her.
I worry I’ve startled her, but Blakely relaxes and leans her back against my chest when she hears my voice. I wrap an arm around her waist, holding her close while bending and brushing a kiss to the side of her neck.
“Hey yourself,” she sighs contentedly.
Looking over her shoulder and down at the sink, I frown when I see she’s been doing dishes. “You don’t have to clean,” I tell her. “I was going to get to those in a bit.”
“I have to earn my keep somehow, right?” Her tone is light and teasing, but I know her words have a deeper meaning than what’s on the surface.
I drop my hands to her hips, gently spinning my girl around so we’re face to face. One hand comes up to cup her cheek, tilting her head so she can see me when I tell her this truth. “Blakely, you don’t have to earn your keep. You don’t have to earn your right to exist. I want you here.”
She gasps softly, those crystal blue eyes shining with disbelief. “You m-mean, like, just for now, right? I’m sure I’ll outstay my welcome here. You’ll get annoyed or frustrated with me–”
I cut her off with a kiss, unable to hear any more of her nonsense. I know it's her trauma talking, but it pains me all the same. My sweet girl doesn't think she deserves love, but that couldn't be further from the truth.
“I don’t want to hear you talking about yourself that way ever again,” I whisper onto her lips before kissing her gently, tenderly, letting her know I’ll take care of her in this way, too. “You’re not annoying. You’re not a burden. You…” I sigh and look up at the ceiling, hoping to somehow pluck the right words out of the air. “You are the only bright spot in my life,” I finally settle on. “And I’m going to do everything in my power to show you that.”
The look in her eyes completely guts me. She wants to believe me so badly, but she’s afraid I might break her fragile heart. The first tear falls, followed by several more, until she’s sobbing in my arms. I wrap her in my embrace, holding her through the storm of emotions.
When Blakely is all cried out, I peel her off my chest and wipe the last of the tears from her eyes. “Do you trust me?” I ask, not for the first time.
“Yes,” she answers immediately.
My heart fucking soars at that one word.
“Good girl,” I whisper, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. She shivers at my praise, and all sorts of filthy thoughts fill my mind. That will have to wait, however. “Now, go wash up, and I’ll take you on that tour,” I tell her with a wink.
Blakely nods and heads to the bathroom, leaving me staring after her, rubbing the heel of my hand over my chest. I love herso much it hurts. Now, I need to figure out how to get her to fall in love with me, too.
8
BLAKELY
Igrab the next shirt from the laundry basket. Tucking in the sleeves, I fold the remaining fabric in half before setting it on the stack of already folded shirts. I can’t keep the smile off my face, even as I do such a mundane task as laundry.
Being with Cassian makes everything better. Even breathing. It’s like I’m finally taking full breaths for the first time in years. Maybe the first time ever. Without crushing fear and paralyzing anxiety, I feel lighter and brighter in almost every way.
Cassian and I spent yesterday afternoon touring the work site. He showed me the plans for the town, though he admitted they still had a lot of work to do. Cassian had so much pride when talking about the construction projects and all the work he's already put into the place. I could tell he was trying to impress me or, at the very least, show me the town's potential. I'm starting to believe he wants me to stay with him for good.
