A slice of sun cuts through the window, stabbing me in the eye. I groan and roll over in bed, only to find the other side empty. The sheets are still warm from where Lizzie was sleeping. I sit up, lift my arms high over my head and stretch.
It’s been three weeks since we brought Edna home. Three weeks since I vowed to Lizzie that there was nowhere else I’d rather be than with her. And I’ve barely left her side since. We’ve spent nearly every waking moment of the last three weeks together. We’ve made love more times than I can count. Every night, I fall asleep with her warm body tucked against mine. And every morning, I wake like this—feeling like the luckiest guy in the world.
“Good morning, sleepyhead.”
I grin and look over my shoulder as Lizzie walks into the room. My God, she’s beautiful. Her hair is wild around her head, and her lips are red and puffy from all of the times I devoured them last night. She looks well fucked and happy. The perfect combination.
“Good morning.”
“I was starting to think you were going to sleep the day away,” she says, walking around the bed. She stops in front of me and lifts a hand to my bare chest. My eyes follow the movement as she runs a knuckle over my pec.
I grip her hips and tug her between my legs and then slide my hands up her shirt. I cup her heavy breasts in my hands.
“I made breakfast.”
I press a kiss to her navel. “The bacon smells delicious. I’m not sure we’ll be eating it.”
“Why not?”
“Because I just realized that I’ve never had you in the morning. Your body is so soft and warm.” I pull Lizzie’s shirt over her head and pluck a nipple. She squeezes her thighs together when I reach for her panties.
“Don’t you dare touch me there. I have to pee.”
I drop my head in defeat.
She laughs and kisses my jaw. “Don’t worry, we have all the mornings ahead of us.”
“I like the sound of that.”
“I thought you would.”
Lizzie pulls me out of bed, smacks my ass, and puts her shirt back on.
“Breakfast is ready, and you know the motto,” she yells, disappearing down the hall.
Whoever eats the fastest, eats the most. “You better save me bacon, woman.”
I can’t stand morning breath, and even though I’m about to eat, I brush my teeth. Rather than put on clothes, I walk through the apartment naked.
Lizzie smiles at me from her seat. Food is laid out across the table, and she hasn’t touched it. “You didn’t really think I’d start without you, did you?”
“I’ll reward you later.” I pull out a seat and sit down.
Lizzie blinks. “Aiden?”
“Yeah?” I say, grabbing a plate.
“You’re naked?”
“I think it’s time for a new motto,” I say, pulling Lizzie to my lap. “Whoever eats naked, eats the most. You should probably take your clothes off.” I reach for a piece of bacon and pop it into my mouth. “I’d hate for you to go hungry.”
Lizzie laughs and shifts on my lap. “I’m not going to eat naked.”
“Suit yourself,” I say, tightening my hold on her to keep her on my lap. “More for me.”
I reach for another piece of bacon, hold it up for Lizzie, and when she tries to take a bite, I pull it back and shove it into my mouth.
“Hey.”
“Naked.”
“Yes, I’m aware that you’re naked. I can feel your…it’s poking me in the butt.”
I grin. “You can’t say it, can you? You’ve had your mouth on it, it’s been in your body, and you still can’t say it.”
She crosses her arms over her chest, fluffing her breasts for me. If only her stupid shirt were gone.
“I can say it.”
“Let’s hear it. I’ll reward you with bacon.”
Lizzie rolls her eyes. “Cock. Your cock is poking me in the butt.”
“I love it when you talk dirty.”
She opens her mouth, no doubt to spout off some comeback, but I shove a piece of bacon into her mouth instead.
My cock thickens as she moans around the bite in her mouth. After she swallows, she pulls her shirt off and reaches for another piece. She moans and closes her eyes when she takes a bite. “I love bacon.”
My mouth waters at the sight of her perky breasts. “Maybe this was a bad idea?”
“Why?” she asks, opening her eyes.
“Because if you keep making those noises, and your nipples get any harder, I’m going to fuck you here on the table.”
“I’m amenable to the idea.”
“You are, huh?” I tickle her sides. She laughs and curls into me. “I’ll keep that in mind for next time. But we should probably use my kitchen table, yours is flimsy.” It takes a massive amount of willpower for me to lift Lizzie from my lap. I smack her ass and set her in the chair beside me. “Eat before the food gets cold.”
Her gaze falls to the table, and her cheeks turn the prettiest shade of pink. “But I’m naked.”
“No, you’re not. You still have your panties on,” I say, piling a plate high with bacon, eggs, and sausage. I push the plate in front of Lizzie and give her a fork. “Eat.”
“I’m naked.”
“I like you that way.”
“But I’m naked.”
“You’re beautiful.”
“I don’t know if I can eat breakfast naked.”
“Lizzie.”
“Fine.” She holds up a hand before grabbing her fork. “But if I somehow lose a nipple, it’s your fault.”
“I’ll love you even if you’re nippleless.”
“That’s not even a word.”
“It is now. Eat.”
Lizzie smiles, and then that stunning smile turns to a laugh, but not just any laugh, a full-blown belly laugh.
Yeah, I’m head over heels in love with this woman.
When she stops laughing, she pops a bite into her mouth. “Can we go see fireworks tonight?”
“I’ll show you fireworks,” I say, waggling my eyebrows.
She slaps playfully at my chest. “Outside.”
“Oh. Those.” I grin and wink. “We’ll see what we can find.”
“Damnit.” I sit at my kitchen table and study the packet of information in front of me. The packet I’ve been ignoring for the last week and a half.
Ryan came through, he sent me all of the numbers that outline the perks of the promotion I’m being offered, and he’s right, it is too good to be true. It’s the kind of offer men spend their entire lives waiting for.
With a four hundred and fifty thousand dollar a year salary, a corner office in San Francisco, and an all-expenses-paid penthouse a mile from work for the first year of employment, he’s made me an offer that I can’t turn down.
Who could?
No one in their right mind, that’s for damn sure.
A throb in my left temple warns me that a headache is on its way. I rub my forehead and try to focus—try to come up with some way to keep the girl and the job.
Is it possible that Lizzie will want to come with me? That would be wonderful. Her saying yes would be the absolute perfect scenario. But there are so many things to factor in—Edna being one of them.
There’s no way Lizzie will leave Edna. Hell, I don’t want to leave Edna…but I also don’t want to let this opportunity pass.
Christ.
I bury my face in my hands. Ryan was clear during our phone call earlier—the one I used as an excuse to leave Lizzie’s. My time is up. They want an answer by the end of the day tomorrow. More importantly, they want me on a plane by the end of the week. The airline ticket paperclipped to the offer brings me back to reality.
This is real.
This offer is real, and they want me in San Francisco by the end of the week to check out the accommodations and meet with management to go over my new role.
If I decide to take the offer for a job I’m not even sure I want anymore. Not if it means losing Lizzie. But if I don’t accept it, then what? Am I stuck designing video games for the rest of my life? Will an opportunity like this ever pop up again? It’s not like there’s a lot of room to move in the industry.
A knock sounds on the door. I look through the peephole, and when I see Edna, I yank the door open.
“Come in,” I say, placing my hand on her elbow. “What are you doing here?”
“A girl can’t get out of her apartment?” she says, walking into my home.
“Of course, she can, but you could’ve called. I would’ve come to you.”
“I know, but I wanted to get up. I wanted to move. And I needed to talk to you about something.”
“Okay.” I pull a chair out at my kitchen table so she can sit down and push my papers aside. “Should I call Lizzie.”
“No.” Edna shakes her head and sighs. “I didn’t mean for that to sound harsh. You know how much I love that girl.”
“I know.”
“But she’s smothering me.”
I laugh. “I know that, too. I’ll try to get her to back off.”
“She means well, and I appreciate it, I really do, but it’s time for a change. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”
I furrow my brow and sit beside her. “What kind of change.”
Edna takes a deep breath and blows it out. “I’m moving into an assisted living facility.”
“Wow.” I sit back in my chair and put my hands behind my head. “This is huge.”
“I know.”
“Lizzie isn’t going to like it.”
“I know that, too. That’s why I’m coming to you first. I’ve done the research, and I’ve found a good home that I can afford. I even have a few friends that live there.”
“Is it like a nursing home? Because, Edna, you’re way too independent for a nursing home.”
“No, nothing like that. It’s assisted living. I’ll have an apartment similar to this one, only the facility will cook my meals, and there’s a couple of nurses on staff should I need something. They do the laundry and the cleaning, but I can come and go as I please.”
“I…wow…I’m not sure what to say.”
“I paid the deposit. I move in next week.”
“Edna—”
“Hear me out. I love you guys, but you’re too young to be caring for an old bat like me.” When I give her a firm look, she smiles and continues. “It’s true. You and Lizzie have the rest of your lives ahead of you, and really, this decision has nothing to do with either of you, and everything to do with me. I’m tired, Aiden. I’m ready to slow down a little bit. I don’t want to cook anymore, or have to worry about shopping and bills and—”
“I get it.” I put my hand on hers. Edna smiles, tears forming in her eyes.
“You do?”
I nod. “Lizzie won’t. Not at first. But she’ll get there. Just promise me one thing.”
“Anything.”
“Promise that we won’t lose touch. Promise that we can keep visiting you.”
Edna half laughs, half cries, and reaches over to pull me in for a hug. “You’d better. Now, I need you to promise me something.”
“Anything,” I say, mimicking her words from a second before.
“Promise me you’ll talk to her about it.”
“Edna—”
“I can’t, Aiden. That girl gets to me. She’s the granddaughter I never had, and if I try to talk to her and she starts crying, I’ll cave. I can’t talk to her about it until I know that she’s accepted my decision.”
“She’s not going to like hearing it from me.”
“She’s not going to like it period.” We both laugh, and Edna relaxes in her seat. “Is that a yes?”
“I’ll talk to her. But I can’t promise that she won’t bust down your door as soon as the words leave my mouth.”
“Maybe you should do it in the car on a long drive.”
“Not a bad idea.” The thought of telling Lizzie makes my stomach ache. She’s so protective of Edna, and she’s going to hate this. Shit. Now, I have to talk to her about the new job and this. But maybe this’ll make it easier. With Edna going into an assisted living facility, perhaps Lizzie will be more open to the idea of relocating.
“What’s this?”Edna grabs one of the papers that Ryan sent me and reads over it.
“A job offer. They want me to move.”
Edna’s eyes scan the paper. She sets it down and smiles. “Congratulations.”
“Don’t congratulate me yet, I haven’t accepted the job.”
“What are you waiting for? Take it from the eighty-year-old neighbor, life is short, and you can’t let opportunities like this pass you by.”
“I can if it means losing Lizzie.”
“If you lose her over something like this, then maybe she wasn’t yours to keep.”
I blink, confused at what Edna is implying. “I don’t understand.”
“Part of being in a relationship is loving the other person with every fiber of your soul. That love is constant. It ebbs and flows with the natural changes of life. I can tell how much you love her because I can see it in your eyes—you’d give up this job for her.”
“In a heartbeat.”
“But you shouldn’t have to. If she truly loves you—and I believe she does—she’ll want what’s best for you. And if this is your dream, Aiden, then she’ll want you to have it. You’re young, and nothing is holding you guys here.”
“My family. Lizzie’s family. You.”
Edna tilts her head and smiles softly. “It humbles me to be part of that group. But we’ll still be here. Just because you leave doesn’t mean you can’t come back. They call it home for a reason.”
“Thank you, Edna.”
“Anytime, dear.” She pats my hand and stands up. “Now, if you really want to thank me, you’ll drop me off at the assisted living center. Apparently, my money means nothing without a signature. I don’t need you to bring me home. After I sign the paperwork, I’m going to stay and visit with a friend. Her son said he’ll bring me home whenever I’m ready.”
“I’d be happy to drop you off.” I grab my keys and help Edna up. When I open the door, I run straight into Calvin.
“Hey, bro. Edna,” he says, giving her a hug. “How are you?”
“I’m good. How are you, Calvin?”
He holds up his left hand, showing off the silver band on his ring finger. “Married.”
“I know,” she says, smiling. “Congratulations. How’s Millie?”
Calvin scratches his head. “She’s wonderful.”
“That’s great. Please tell her I said hello.”
“I will.”
Edna looks up at me. “Visit with your brother. I’ll catch the bus.”
“No, you won’t. I’ll take you.” I look at Calvin. “Can you hang out for a second? I’m going to drop her off in town. I should be back in fifteen or twenty minutes.”
“Sure thing.” Calvin grabs the TV remote and plops down on the couch.
“Make yourself at home.”
He smiles up at me. “I will, thanks. Hey, do you have any soda?”
“In the fridge. Help yourself.”