It’s already somewhat late when the cab drops Ryker and myself off at Haven. When we enter the lobby, even Paul is nowhere to be seen, so we take the elevator up to my floor. I fumble through my pockets in search of my keys.
“Looking for these?” Ryker says and dangles them before my eyes.
“Oh, thanks, babe.” I grab the keys and (on the third try) slide them into the lock. “Wait, when did you steal those?” I ask as the door swings open. I step in, and if I had anything in my hands, I’d probably drop it. “What the fuck?” is the first thing that escapes my lips as I stare into an empty apartment. “Did I get robbed?” I rush inside and check every corner. “Someone robbed me! Am I not too poor to get robbed? Oh, no! They took all my grandma’s belongings.” I turn to check the nook where my bed used to be. “Man, they even took my Gordon Ramsey! Babe, we have to call—” I swivel around and discover Ryker down on one knee. “What the fuck?” I repeat.
“Sienna de la Vega, I know you’re kind of drunk right now which is why I am absolutely going to ask again tomorrow to make sure, but…” he opens the tiny box he is holding in his hands, “do you want to move in with me?”
I take a step towards him and look at the key that’s attached to a knitted keychain that spells‘Babe’. It’s incredibly cheesy and I love it. My cheeks are glowing as I let myself fall down on myknees in front of Ryker. Then I wrap my arms around his neck and try really hard to keep my chest from bursting.
“Did you steal all my belongings, babe?” I ask as my eyes water.
Ryker laughs. “You didn’t think you could steal my pants, and I’d let you get away like that, did you?”
My heart is banging against my chest like a sledgehammer and the smile on my face is so big that it makes it hard to kiss my boyfriend (and apparently new roommate). But I try anyway.
“Because,” he adds, his lips still on mine, “I’m not planning on letting you get away anytime soon ever again.”
I kiss him even harder, hug him even tighter, and cause us both to fall over.
“So is that a‘Yes’?” Ryker asks.
“I’ll think about it,” I tease, and start attacking him with more kisses.
Apparently, Miles is waiting in the car for us, so, after a little more making out, we go outside and are escorted to undoubtedly the cutest house in the entire city. When we get there, we bid Miles good nightand Ryker puts a blindfold over my eyes.
“You know I’ve already seen your house, right?” I ask and am swiftly swung over his shoulder.
“Our house, babe. Ours.”
He carries me inside, takes a corner or two and eventually lets me back down to my feet. When I remove the blindfold, I glance around and wonder where we are. I thought I had been to every room in his house, but I have never seen this one.
We are standing in a room that’s filled to the brim with pillows. Giant pillows, tiny pillows, pretty pillows, ugly pillows. It takes a second, but then I recognize a bunch of those immediately. They’re the ones my grandma made. Even the floor and walls are cushioned.
“I figured this would be a good idea for my kill room,” Ryker explains.
“A giant pillow fort?” My eyes start watering even more. “I love it.”
“Oh, it’s more than that.” He spins me around and points up to the sign that’s glowing over the secret entrance.
In big pink letters it says:Pillow Fight Club.
Underneath, written in Ryker’s handwriting, is the first rule of our own little club:You do not talk during Pillow Fight Club.
“Any additional rules need to be passed unanimously,” he whispers.
I take a few steps in, grab a pillow, and throw it against my boyfriend, who doesn’t move an inch. I smile at him and jump into his arms. “This is going to be so much fun. I already love living with you. You’re going to get your butt kicked so much.”
Ryker just chuckles as if he doesn’t believe me, which is when I discover my Gordon Ramsey cutout hanging on the wall.
“Hey, what is he doing here? He should be up in the bedroom!”
Ryker laughs again, presses a kiss on my mouth and whispers into my ear, “Over my dead body, princess.”
“You should be careful what you wish for, babe,” I reply, kiss him back, slide down his (perfectly alive (for now)) body, and grab a pillow to ready myself.
He does the same and stares me down. When he takes a step forward, I take a step back and inevitably bump into the hidden door behind me. A strange feeling makes its way through my body, something between exhilaration and anticipation of what lies before us.
I take a deep breath and begin to swing my weapon.
I still don’t believe in heaven or hell,I think as our pillows smash against each other,but I do believe in love.
What do you mean the book is already over?
How dare you?!
I know the problem and I’m sorry!
Luckily there is a solution.
