He places his hands on my cheeks. “I’m proud of you. You finally stood up to her.”

I grin like a child on Christmas Eve. “I know, and the world didn’t fall apart.”

Andrew kisses me slowly, thumbs grazing across my cheeks while he does. My nipples stiffen in my bra, and I grow wet between my legs. When he pulls away, I can’t help but gaze into his stormy eyes and think about how much he’s brought to my life in a short time. Suddenly, I can’t get to my apartment fast enough to show this man with my body exactly how much he means to me.

I turn and race up the stairs. Andrew seems to understand my urgency without me having to voice it.

By the time we reach my apartment door, I’m panting, fussing with the key to get it into the lock and the door open. Finally, I get it and push the door open. As soon as we’re through and I’ve closed and locked the door, we’re on each other—lips on lips, hands all over the other’s body, clothes stripped off.

“Thank you for today,” I murmur against his mouth.

He pulls away for a second and looks down at me. “It was a given. You need help, I can help… I’m there.”

Our mouths meet again, desperate. All the while, my mind is spinning.

Between showing up for me today and doing something I know he was uncomfortable with, to encouraging me to stand up for myself, and the effort he must have gone to in order to get me my birthday present, Andrew has made me feel more special and wanted and loved than I have in my entire life.

It’s then I realize that I’m wholly in love with this man—body and soul.

There’s no way I’m going to tell him that though. Not a chance. I have some pride.

But I cherish the thought, whether he feels the same about me or not. If he doesn’t, maybe he will in time. After all, he has more baggage than I do in the past relationship department.

All I know is that when I’m with him, it feels like he loves me. And that’s enough, for now.

Once we’re undressed, Andrew picks me up and I wrap my arms around his neck. He walks us over to my bed and gently sets me on my back.

The way he stares at me feels like a caress. As though I can feel his thoughts trail against my heated skin everywhere his gaze moves.

I move so I’m at the top of the bed, anxious and waiting for him. The need to feel this man inside me, to be joined with him, is more intense than I’ve ever known it.