Page 85 of Finding Lexie
“I’d already planned to call her. I’m thinking maybe I need a girls’ night with her and Ashlyn.”
“El would like that, I’m sure.”
“Midas?”
“Yeah, love?”
She didn’t say anything for a long moment.
“Lexie? You wanted to ask me something.”
“Sorry, yeah. I was just enjoying you calling me ‘love’ for a second.”
Midas grinned, knowing he’d call her that as often as possible now.
“I just wanted you to know I’m happy. For so long, I was just going through the motions of life. Traveling from one country to another, searching for something that would truly fulfill me. I’m not saying that I need a man to feel as if my life is complete, but I sure am glad I met you.”
Her words meant the world to him. He liked that Lexie was independent. That she wasn’t afraid to try new things. But he was fucking thrilled that he was important to her.
“Same,” he said, kissing the top of her head.
They sat on his deck for a long while after that. Talking about how work had been at Food For All and what she had coming up. He told her about his day, how Pid had tripped over his own feet on their run that morning and scraped the shit out of his knees. The man was a deadly SEAL, but clumsy as hell, which was fucking hilarious.
Eventually, as it always seemed to, their platonic embrace began to change. Lexie’s hands began to roam, sliding under his shirt and stroking his abs. She played with the hair at his nape, as he did the same to her. When she sat up and repositioned herself so she was right over his cock, he grinned.
“You trying to tell me something, love?”
She shrugged, but was grinning as she said, “I just think that since this is such a momentous occasion and all, you know, saying the L word to each other for the first time, that maybe we could celebrate.”
“What’d you have in mind? I might have a bottle of champagne in the back of my pantry.”
“Hmmm, I was thinking that we both need a shower after our long, hard days of work.”
“Yeah?” Midas asked, his cock growing at the thought of a naked and soapy Lexie in his shower.
“Yup. I mean, obviously we don’t smell like we did when we were in Somalia in that hole, but you know…we’re not exactly clean right now.”
“You’re right. I know how much you like being clean.” And he did. That wasn’t an exaggeration. Ever since she’d spent three months in the desert without a shower, she liked to shower both in the morning and the evenings. Which he had absolutely no problem with because he got to see her naked and wet twice each day, rather than just once.
“I do,” she agreed. “So?”
Midas was more than ready to do whatever his woman wanted when it came to sex, but first he needed to say something. He sat up, putting one hand on the small of Lexie’s back to make sure she didn’t fall backward. With the other, he palmed her cheek, gazing into her beautiful hazel eyes, which seemed more green than usual.
“I love you, Lexie Greene. I admire your strength and your bravery. I love how you don’t hesitate to help others without a thought to your own safety. That also freaks me out, but I still love that about you. You are literally the nicest person I’ve ever met, and yes, that’s a compliment. I have no idea why you’re with me, but I will never take you for granted.”
Her eyes filled with tears as she said, “Midas.”
“Don’t cry. You shouldn’t ever cry when someone is complimenting you. Say thank you.”
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“Good. Now, you wanna fuck or what?”
Lexie laughed, which was his goal. He didn’t like it when she cried, even when they were happy tears.
“I love you,” she told him.
And damn if those words didn’t feel good. Midas vowed to tell her he loved her every day. He didn’t want her to ever doubt his feelings.
