Crawling back in beside her, I tug Camryn close. I have no idea what’s going to happen next, but I know I need her in my life.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Camryn
Sterling and I are spooned together under my sheets. It’s just after daybreak, and we’ve both got to head off to work in a little while, but I wish we could stay like this forever.
We didn’t get much sleep last night. If I thought last Friday was good, that was merely a taste of what this man can deliver. It turns out he can go for hours. And then some.
We had sex, cuddled, had sex again, ordered pizza at midnight, ate naked, then took a bath. Then we made love slowly, and slept for all of four hours. It was heaven. The best part wasn’t all the sex, although that was perfect. It was hearing Sterling tell me he loves me. I still don’t know what happens next, but I hope we can face, together, whatever happens next.
“You awake?” he asks, his voice groggy.
“I think so,” I whisper.
He turns me around in his arms so we’re facing each other. “Morning, love.”
I smile up at him. “Morning.”
He presses a kiss to the tip of my nose and smiles back at me. For a moment, I fear I’ve done things totally backward. I’ve fallen in love with Sterling, slept with him—numerous times now—all before we were even officially dating. That was in stark contrast to the proper order, according to my matchmaker research.
But then I tell my inner voice to stuff it. I’m happy. That’s all that counts, right?
Rolling over, I heft myself up from the bed.
“Hey, where do you think you’re going?” Sterling’s arms wrap around my waist as he tugs me down on top of him.
“To shower. We’ve got to go to work, right?”
There’s a mischievous glint in his eyes. “I’m suddenly feeling quite ill. Think I might have to call in sick and stay in bed all day.”
My mouth lifts in a smile. “Oh, really?”
“What do you say? Olivia will understand, won’t she?”
I’ve very rarely taken a sick day. I actually don’t think she’ll mind, given everything that’s happened. Plus, when your boss is also your best friend, there are a few perks.
“What will we do all day?” I ask with a smirk.
“I can think of a few things . . .” Sterling’s palms slide up my thighs and I squirm, ticklish under his skillful touch.
“You’re going to be trouble, aren’t you?” I place my hands on his firm chest, loving the hard ridges of muscle I find, and push back against him. Of course, my efforts don’t even budge him an inch.
“We can stay in bed until late morning, go out to breakfast, maybe take a walk in the park, come back, nap, fuck again.” He grins. “Like a real couple.”
“Sounds dreamy.” I chuckle.
“But first, there’s something I want to tell you.” His voice turns serious, and I lift my head from the spot I’ve claimed on his shoulder to meet his gaze.
“I need you to know that I want to marry for love, not money. And I know this might scare the shit out of you, because it’s surprised the shit out of me, but when I think of being married, the only woman I see standing beside me as I make those vows is you.” He meets my eyes as his fingers trace lazy circles over my hip bone. “I never expected to want this. But I do.”
My heart jumps into my throat, and I’m not sure what to say. Is he proposing? We’re naked, for fuck’s sake. And I wasn’t even certain if we were dating.
“But,” he continues. “I want to wait.”
All the breath pushes out of my lungs, and I don’t know if I’m relieved or worried. “Wait?”
“And not because I actually want to wait,” he says. “I would make you mine tomorrow if I could. But because I want to show you that marrying you has nothing to do with getting my inheritance. A smart woman once told me that actions speak louder than words, and so that’s what I intend to do, to date you for however long it takes to show you that I want you as my wife.” His fingertips dance over my skin so lightly, they burn. “I want to wake up next to you every day and make love to you every night. I want to take you to Italy and put little babies in your belly. I want to grow old with you, Cami.”
Tears are freely streaming down my cheeks. I was wrong before about the nickname Cami. Cami isn’t a girlfriend you watch football with on Sundays. Cami is a wife, someone you build a life with. Cami is the name you call out from the baby’s bedroom because his diaper has exploded and you need backup. It’s the loving nickname you whisper in the dark when you need to know you’re not alone. And I can see all of that and more in his loving gaze.
“Say something,” he whispers.
I take a moment, trying to find my voice. “Life is hard. Adulting is hard. Sometimes it sucks, actually.” I wipe my cheeks with the back of my hands, drawing strength as I speak. “But facing it together? Having you at my side? The man who makes me laugh, who makes every gloomy day seem brighter just by being in it?”
I pause to collect myself. My throat is so tight, and more tears threaten to escape. But these are happy tears. Sterling swipes under my eyes with his thumbs, and I take a deep, steadying breath.
“The man who makes love like a porn star, who makes me insane with desire . . .”
He leans in and steals a quick kiss.
“Of course I want this. At whatever pace feels right for us both.”