My Grumpy Old Bear - Jayda Marx Page 0,48

much as I’d been around him, it wasn’t enough. I wanted all of him all the time. I wanted to see all of his emotions and experience everything life had to offer with him by my side.

Noah released my lips and pulled away wearing a sweet smile. He was beautiful. I couldn’t fight my desires any longer. I took a deep breath and pleaded, “Move in with me.”

His eyes rounded and his jaw dropped. He appeared stunned by my request, and every second he didn’t answer felt like an eternity. My pulse raced and my fingers tingled as I waited.

“What?” he finally whispered.

“I want you to move in with me,” I repeated, keeping my voice as even as possible. “You can say no if you’re not ready, but I want you with me, Sunshine. You make me happier than I’ve ever been. I can’t get enough of you. I want to make love to you and then hold you in my arms all night. I want to wake up to your smile and make you breakfast. I want to cuddle in front of the TV and eat Bagel Bites while we watch cop movies. I want it all.”

I’d just dumped all of my thoughts and desires in his lap. I was more vulnerable and exposed than I’d ever been in my life, but it wasn’t terrifying. It was freeing. No matter his choice, I was glad to be honest with him. Until a tear ran down his face. Fuck, I scared him. This is too much, too soon. My mind spun, trying to come up with a way to make this better. “Noah, I-”

“Yes,” he interrupted.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Yes?”

“Yes!” He lunged across the car to wrap his arms around my neck and I gripped him around the hips. His body trembled as he cried into my shoulder. “Oh god, Brooks, this is everything. I can’t wait to spend every day in your arms.” He peeled his face from me to cover mine in kisses. He rested his forehead against mine and gave me a wobbly smile. “I love you, honeybear.”

“I love you too, Sunshine.” I dried his tears away with my wide palms and pecked his lips.

“My apartment’s paid up for the month, but I guess that just means we can take our time getting me moved in.”

“Fuck that. I want you with me as soon as possible.” Okay, that may have been a little much. Noah wasn’t scared by my forwardness, though. He just smiled and attacked my face with kisses again.

For the next hour, we talked about getting him moved into my place and what he’d need to bring. I had plenty of furniture, but he did insist on bringing his small dining table. His promises of intimate dinners together sealed the deal. After twenty minutes of convincing, Noah finally agreed to let me pay for a moving company. My back wouldn’t allow me to help him lug his stuff in, and I didn’t want him doing it all by himself.

Once everything was settled, Sunshine got the sparklers and a lighter out of the back. I was still too stiff to run around with them, so he stood beside the car and entertained me by drawing shapes with the crackling lights while I guessed what they were. He kept sketching what he claimed were hearts, but they all looked like butts to me.

When the sparklers were reduced to ash and metal sticks, I heaved my ass out of the front seat and leaned on the side of the car. Noah stood in front of me and I wrapped my arms around his waist as we watched the fireworks explode across the sky.

With no one around us, it felt like a private celebration just for us; the display was in honor of our love and decision to move forward. I kissed Noah’s neck and rested my chin on his shoulder. For the first time in my life, I was thankful for all the gifts the universe gave to me, and was excited for the future.

Chapter Eleven

Noah

After studying the throw pillow in my hands for a good five minutes, I shrugged and tossed it into my cart. You can never have too many throw pillows. I was at the mall, shopping for homey touches for Brooks’ and my place. God, that sounds amazing. All of my stuff got moved in yesterday, and I spent the better part of the night arranging my belongings and hanging my