Page 140 of Last First Date

“What is it?” she asked.

“If you open it, you’ll find out,” I joked.

She took a deep breath, looking up at me with a mixture of nerves and excitement as she opened it. She pulled out the key and smiled. “A key to your house?”

“A key to our house,” I corrected.

“Are you asking me to move in with you?”

“Yes, I am. I want us to create a life together. I want us to wake up every day together and fall asleep every night in each other’s arms. I love you, Waverly. I can’t imagine my life without you in it. We already spend most nights together. I don’t want to worry about packing up the next morning. You helped me choose this house. We chose it together. If you don’t like it, we’ll put it on the market and find one you do like.”

She burst into laughter. “You haven’t even unpacked yet.”

“Which means it will be that much easier to move,” I said, shrugging. “I’ll live in your place if you want. I just want to be with you.”

“Yes, Knox! I would love to move in with you.”

The joy that radiated from her matched the happiness that bubbled within me. We sealed the moment with another kiss, the promise of a shared future echoing in our hearts. I wrapped my arms around her, holding her close to me.

The realization hit me—I had found my happily ever after. Waverly wasn’t just my girlfriend. She was my partner, my confidante, and the woman I wanted to share every aspect of my life with. The uncertainties that had once clouded our path had given way to a love that felt unbreakable.

I heard the doorbell but chose to ignore it. Then it rang again.

“Are you expecting someone?” she asked.

“Uh, that would be the dinner I ordered for us,” I said with a laugh. “I had a big plan to serve you dinner, wine you, dine you, and then ask you to move in with me.”

“Oh, that’s so sweet,” she said, smiling.

“I’ll get dinner,” I said, patting her on the backside as she rolled away from me.

“As long as it’s Thai.” She giggled, disappearing into the kitchen.

“Bingo,” I called out, unable to contain my excitement. Thai was her favorite, and I had ordered an assortment of dishes from her preferred place across town.

Pulling the door open, I greeted the deliveryman with an unusually large tip, my spirits soaring high.

The man grinned at me. “Thanks.”

I carried our dinner back toward the kitchen where Waverly was already setting the table while humming a tune. She was still wearing the lingerie, which was exactly my fantasy.

“Smells delicious,” she declared as I began to unload the various containers onto the table. Spiced coconut soup, red curry with chicken, and her favorite, pad Thai. She chuckled at the sight, her eyes crinkling at the corners. “I think you ordered enough to feed an army.”

“Well, I wanted to make sure we had plenty of leftovers,” I said nonchalantly. “I’m glad I did because I don’t think I’m going to be leaving our bed anytime soon. That lingerie promises at least three times, maybe four.”

She burst into laughter and picked at the hem of her lingerie, her eyes sparkling with mischief. “Do you like it?”

“I love it,” I admitted. “But not as much as I love you.” I caught her by her waist and pulled her toward me. Our laughter faded into soft whispers as we reveled in the moment.

“I love you too,” she muttered, her eyes reflecting the warmth I felt in my heart.

“We better eat before this gets cold,” I said. “I’m afraid I might not be able to stop with you once I get started.”

She blushed, smiled, and nodded toward the food. “Eat. Then you can have dessert.”

We sat down in front of the lavish spread and began to eat. We talked about the furniture we were going to bring into the house and color schemes. She talked about her dream of a sunlit reading nook by the window. I listened to her talk, the depth of my affection for her swelling with each passing moment. The simple domesticity of our conversation felt incredibly intimate, more so than any physical act we’d shared.

When dinner was over, we spent the rest of the night discussing everything and anything about our life together under one roof. We shut off the lights and made our way to bed together, just the way I hoped we would every night for the rest of my life.

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