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When Amber came home on Monday after work, she took down the sign that had hung above her bed for a year.
Rule #1: No Dating.
After having leftovers for dinner—her parents had sent food home with her yesterday—she sat in front of the TV, ready to crochet and watch some baking shows. She’d bought a pattern for an otter holding a heart, and she was excited to get started.
The truth was, there was a purpose to the otter. And her next crochet project, which made her giggle stupidly.
She was making them all for Sebastian. A plan had formed at the back of her mind, and she was slowly putting it into action.
As she worked on her little projects, she allowed the feelings she’d ignored for so long to bubble to the surface. She’d been so resistant to the idea of them being together, but after talking to her friends and her family, she’d been slowly changing her mind.
She didn’t suddenly know in a flash that she wanted to be with him for always, but that didn’t mean it was any less. She’d been impulsive in the past. Now, she was taking her time.
For some reason, she needed this time alone, and she let herself have it.
The following Wednesday, she received a small package. She got a goofy grin on her face when she saw that it was from Sebastian, and she immediately tore it open.
There was a bag of chocolate hearts with a “50% off” sticker. She was sure he’d left the sticker on deliberately.
There was also an envelope sealed with a heart. Inside, she found a card with two heart balloons and the words “Be Mine.” When she opened it up, a piece of paper fluttered out.
It was the registration for the cake class. He’d added a sticky note saying he could change the name of the second person so she could take it with a friend.
In the card, he’d written, If you change your mind, I’m here. Love, Sebastian.
The next move was on her. She didn’t expect to hear from him again otherwise—he would give her space. She appreciated that, but at the same time, she wanted to run to him and throw her arms around him.
But she would wait a little longer.
Until her plans were in order.
Until she was absolutely sure.
Screw that.
She was absolutely sure now. She wanted to be with him more than anything. And unlike many of the men she’d dated in the past, he was kind and thoughtful and he made her feel good about who she was.
There was still the issue of their families, but Roxanne was right when she said the worst thing that could happen had already happened. Yes, it might be annoying at times, but it was worth it. Amber wouldn’t give this up just because there were some issues. She could stand up for herself when she needed to, and Sebastian would be on her side; she knew she could count on him.
All of a sudden, she ached, absolutely ached, to have his arms around her once more.
She sent him a text.
* * *
Sebastian figured it was a good sign that Amber had invited him over that Friday.
Still, he didn’t expect the sight that greeted him when he opened the door.
Well, he’d expected Amber, looking lovely, of course. She was wearing the same dress she’d worn on Valentine’s Day. For a moment, he could look nowhere but at her.
But then he noticed the red and pink streamers. The heart-shaped balloons.
That was a surprise.
“I’m sorry about Valentine’s Day.” Her voice, normally strong, wavered. He squeezed her hand. “I was caught off-guard. But that doesn’t mean I hadn’t already been falling for you. I had—but I kept it a secret, even from myself. I can be a little dim sometimes.”
He shook his head. “No, you are a bright light, and my life is so much better for having you in it.”
“When you pulled a box of Magnum condoms off the shelf, I never would have imagined you saying something like that to me one day.” She took a deep breath, and he couldn’t stop smiling at her. “I didn’t plan on it being more than sex—and the sex was amazing, even if we, uh, had trouble making it work the first time. But then we began hanging out, outside of the bedroom. I told you things that I don’t usually tell other people. We spent nights together. You made me breakfast. It was...” She shut her eyes for a moment. “It was better than any relationship I’d had. It was finally the relationship I deserved—because I deserve better than what all those assholes gave me. I just wasn’t looking for it with you, so I couldn’t see it. But now, I’m looking, and I love you. I love the way I feel when I’m with you.”
“Me, too,” he said quietly.
He’d been missing something in his life. Someone he could relax around, someone he could have fun with.
But she was so much more than that to him.
He didn’t have the words, though, so he pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Unlike the first time, it wasn’t a kiss that came simply from lust, but one with a deeper passion, an emotional bond.
It felt so good to have her body pressed up against his again. To have her in his arms, feeling like they were both where they belonged.
When he began kissing down the side of her neck, she stepped back. “Before we get carried away, I want the chance to do Valentine’s Day over again.” She led him into the living room, where there were three packages wrapped in red and pink paper, and handed him one. “Open this first.”
It was a pair of crochet otters, each holding a red heart.
“You made these,” he said.
“Just for you.”
“They’re adorable.”
She handed him the next package.
This one rendered him speechless. It was another crochet project, but it wasn’t what he’d call adorable.
It was a crochet penis.
Yes, she’d made him a light brown penis. With balls, of course.
“It’s very...phallic.” He was unsure what else to say.
“It’s meant to be to scale,” she said. “Want to check?”
“Soon, I promise.”
The next present was a crochet donut with pink frosting. Which, by itself, was rather cute, but he knew what she intended him to do with it.
God, he loved this woman.
He slid the donut on top of the crochet dick. It was a perfect fit.
He swallowed. “About our families...”
“We’ll do our best to ensure they don’t interfere too much. My mom admitted they get a bit too involved at times.”
“And my parents understand that I love you and won’t tolerate them talking that way. In time, they’ll come to like you—I can’t see how they wouldn’t. But we’ll figure it out together.”
She nodded. “I have something else for you, too.”
“You’ve already given me so much.”
“I know, a Magnum-size crochet dick really put it over the top. Though that was a little more successful than what I’m about to show you.”
She led him to the kitchen, where there was a plate of cupcakes on the counter. They had white icing and red heart candies, but they didn’t look like the sort of thing that could be sold in a bakery. Rather, they looked like something that might appear on Nailed It!
He’d binge-watched baking shows in the past week. It had made him feel closer to her.
“As you can see,” she said, “I definitely need some classes. Will you take them with me?”
“Absolutely.” He smiled.
“Now, although these don’t look gorgeous, they taste all right.” She put a lopsided cupcake on a plate. “Red velvet with cream cheese buttercream. It was my first time making buttercream, and it’s a little grainy, but...” She swiped some buttercream off the cupcake and held it to his lips.
“Mm. That’s good.”
She swiped up more buttercream and put it just above the low neckline of her black dress. “Want a taste?”
“Oh, do I ever. But I can’t help worrying that your dress is going to get dirty.”
He pushed the thin straps off her arms and unzipped the dress. She shimmied out of it.
“The bra will have to go, too.” He unclasped her strapless bra and tossed it on the floor.
Now she stood before him, wearing only black lacy panties and a bite of cream cheese buttercream. She looked utterly delectable.
“Happy Valentine’s Day,” he murmured.
Then he licked off the buttercream and carried her to bed.