Total pages in book: 101
Estimated words: 93713 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 469(@200wpm)___ 375(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 93713 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 469(@200wpm)___ 375(@250wpm)___ 312(@300wpm)
“And you’re only twenty-five. Go work costuming for a movie or three. Plenty of time for you to get back into security later if you want. You keep yourself fit. Duncan and Harley would have you back in a heartbeat. If you hate wardrobe or it’s not for you, you move on, try something else until you find your true passion.”
“Damn. Why you gotta be so wise?” He groaned as we reached the exit for my neighborhood and apartment complex. “But security work wouldn’t be so bad if I get to keep working with you. I like working with you.”
“We’re a damn good team, but there are plenty of reasons for us to work different places other than the risk of screwing on the job.” I laughed, but that wasn’t a true risk. I trusted us both to be professional when we had to be. The bigger issue was how much I wanted Avery to follow his dreams. “You’re not going to let me down if you go work with Liam and Andre.”
“I’m gonna think on it.” He turned into my large apartment complex. “I’m going to try not being impulsive for once, but really thinking about what I want.”
“Good. Just keep me on that list of things you want.” I grinned at him as he found a parking space.
“Always. No risk of that.” After he shut off the ignition, he pulled me toward him for a fast, hard kiss. “You’re the best damn impulse I’ve ever had.”
“Maybe you should trust your gut more, not less.”
“Fuck it. You’re right.” He leaned his head against mine. “I want that job. I don’t know why or what I’m gonna do ten years from now, but I want to take Liam’s offer. Want you and the job both, want to see what happy really feels like.”
“You deserve to be happy, baby. In every way.” I pulled back so I could meet his gaze, try to show him how much I meant that, how much I was willing to give to make him happy, how much I supported all his dreams.
“And do I deserve my reward?” He winked at me, and I winked right back.
“You should go in and see.”
Chapter Thirty-Six
Avery
“Is my reward the need-a-special shower kind?” I waited until Malik locked his apartment door behind us and we both removed our shoes to ramp up the teasing.
“Could be. Doesn’t have to be.” Malik shrugged, clearly leaving the question of whether to get fucked up to me. I liked that about our dynamic. If I was pushy and asked for something, I usually got it, but he rarely made specific requests of his own, instead happily going along with my needs. He pointed at the short hallway off the living area. “But you should go look in the bedroom first.”
He’d left a low light on in the bedroom, and in the center of the bed sat a slim rectangular Delectable box with a note on white printer paper stuck on top that read, You did great! in Malik’s blocky handwriting, with a little stick figure getting a big medal. An arrow pointed at the medal with Survived Family Dinner written off to the side.
I picked up the note, turning it over in my hand. He’d been with me the entire day. No chance to go plant this surprise. “But how did you know I’d do great?”
“Because I believe in you.” He wrapped me in a hug from behind. “And I knew even if everything went to shit, you’d still do your best, and you’d probably need the reward that much more.”
“Damn. I’m not sure I deserve you.” I leaned my head back against his shoulder.
“Same. And you do, baby. You deserve all the nice things.” He’d said as much in the car, about how I deserved to be happy, and amazingly, I was starting to believe him.
Standing up to my mom, being there with Malik, surviving like the note said, all combined to make me feel freer than I’d been in years. Worthy of the things I wanted and no longer ashamed of those same wants. I picked up the Delectable box with a slim sliver bow in the corner. My pulse raced, but I unwrapped the present slowly, drawing out my anticipation.
“I’m not sure I wanna know how you got in a Delectable trip without me knowing. Tell me you didn’t ask your mother…”
“Heck no.” Still behind me, Malik laughed and nipped my neck. “Welcome to the twenty-first century, Avery. I ordered online with the gift wrap option, had it sent here, and snuck it into the bedroom while you were looking for your wallet and keys this morning.”
“Sneaky.” I grinned at him as I finally untied the bow and ribbon and opened the box. I gasped as I saw the exact nightie I’d admired that first Delectable trip. Gauzy pink with skinny black satin trim, it looked like something out of old Hollywood, short with a fluffy, ruffled bottom and tight bodice up top that was cut to show off a more muscular chest like mine. “I love it.” Holding up the nightie, I turned to kiss his cheek. “It’s the exact one I admired. You remembered.”