Chapter 36

36

MERRITT

T he next morning felt like waking up in a dream I didn’t want to end. Kannon’s arm was slung across my waist, and his breath was a soft rhythm against the back of my neck. For a moment, I didn’t move. I just lay there, soaking it all in—the warmth of his body, the weight of his arm, the quiet comfort of waking up beside someone I’d loved for so long.

I let myself imagine a future that looked just like this every morning. I turned my head to find his face only inches from mine, peaceful in the early morning light. His dark eyelashes lay gently against his soft skin and his lips were slightly parted. The urge to kiss him was overwhelming but I didn’t want to disturb this utopia we had found ourselves in.

He wanted to “go steady.” I almost giggled at the thought but fought it.

All these years of crushing on him and wanting him and here I was—with him. Me and him. We were going to make this work. When I left ten years ago, I always hoped there was a chance we could get together. As the years went by, I gave up on that idea, but I never stopped loving him. I had resigned myself to always looking for a man that would be a version of Kannon. I knew that was why I never found any of the men I dated truly attractive. Maybe they looked good on the outside but they weren’t him.

I would have gladly stayed in bed with him all day, but reality eventually intruded. Work was calling and I had deadlines to meet. The sooner I saved this account, the sooner we could go back to Dallas and pick up where we left off.

I had some decisions to make about my future. I loved my job and the city, but I loved Kannon more. He was my priority.

I slipped out of bed as quietly as I could, leaving him to sleep while I got ready for the day. I crept into the bathroom and showered. I was tender between my legs and could feel the whisker burn on my breasts. All of it was a delicious reminder of last night. I stepped out of the shower and rubbed lotion over my skin. I smiled at the marks on my neck and breasts. The love bites.

I dressed in one of my chic business suits and grabbed a scarf to hide the one hickey that was visible above my collar. When I stepped out of the bathroom, he was still asleep, sprawled across the mattress, one arm outstretched as though reaching for me. His face was even more peaceful now in undisturbed sleep. I found myself smiling at the sight. There was a certain domestic bliss in this moment that was already drawing me in.

I quietly walked to the kitchen to make coffee. When I opened the fridge, I cringed at the lack of food. Thankfully, the freezer was stocked. I snatched a couple of frozen waffles and put them in the toaster while my coffee machine whirred and spit.

I pulled the cup out from under the machine and added the peppermint mocha creamer that smelled like it was still good. The waffles popped up. I slathered them with butter and slowly chewed, thinking about last night. I hoped there were many more nights just like it.

I finished my waffles and dumped my coffee into my Stanley. I felt a little bad leaving him alone in the apartment. He was more than capable of taking care of himself, but I still felt bad. I quietly walked back to my bedroom.

He was awake, still sprawled across the bed, watching me with a lazy grin.

“You sure you have to go?” he asked, his voice rough with sleep.

“Unfortunately,” I said, grabbing my bag. “But I’ll text you.”

His grin widened. “You better.”

I leaned down and gave him a kiss. “There’s lots of freezer food, but I’m sorry I don’t have anything in the fridge.”

“I’ll survive,” he said.

“Are you sure you’re going to be okay all day?”

“I’m a big boy.”

I grinned. “Yeah, you are.”

He chuckled. “Get out of here before I pull you back into this bed and mess up all that perfect makeup and hair.”

I backed away from the bed. With one last longing look, I walked out of the room. “To be continued!”

I texted him all morning. I couldn’t help myself. Every time I glanced at my phone and saw his name pop up, a little flutter of excitement bloomed in my chest. I’d never been the type to gush about a guy, but Kannon wasn’t just any guy. I couldn’t wait to get home to my boyfriend. Boyfriend .

My friends noticed, of course.

“You gonna have his babies yet?” Lucia texted during my lunch break, a winking emoji tacked onto the end.

“Shut up,” I replied but my smile gave me away to anyone paying attention.

The truth was, they weren’t wrong. Deep down, I’d loved Kannon since we were kids. The timing had never been right—life had a funny way of keeping us apart. But now, as I sat at my desk pretending to care about spreadsheets and emails, I couldn’t help but wonder if this was it. If this was our time.

Work dragged on, every minute feeling like an hour as I counted down to when I would see him again. By the time I got home, I was practically buzzing with anticipation. I found him exactly where I expected—lounging on the couch like he owned the place, scrolling through his phone.

I flopped down next to him. “Hi.”

“Hi,” he said, putting down his phone.

“Missed me?” I asked.

“Not at all,” he replied. I punched him lightly on the arm, failing to hide my smile.

He gave me a kiss that had me rethinking our plans for the evening.

“I’m going to get changed,” I said. “Tonight is going to be fun.”

I got up and walked to the bedroom. He followed behind me and flopped on the bed while I dug in my closet. I pulled out the white cocktail dress I was wearing for the night.

“Damn,” he said with a low whistle. “I like that.”

The way he looked at me made my pulse skip.

“Actually, you look tired,” he said. “Are you sure you don’t want to stay in tonight?”

I arched an eyebrow at him. “Are you saying you don’t want me to put the dress on?”

“No, are you crazy? I’m saying you wear it here. I could undress you a thousand times and never get tired of it. Just saying. We could play dress up and then undress.”

I shot him a playful glare. “We’re going out. Lucia and Dominique are excited to hang out with you, and I want you to see the city lights from the water. It’s romantic.”

“Romantic,” he repeated, smirking. “You know, I’m not really the yacht-cruise type, Buttercup.”

“Humor me,” I said.

I started to undress. With him watching, I might have added a little heat to the show, taking my time to torture him. He eyed me like a wolf, all but licking his chops.

I slipped into the dress and glanced in the mirror. I couldn’t help but notice the way his eyes darkened with hunger. I turned to do my makeup, feeling the weight of his gaze on my every move. I walked into the bathroom to do my hair.

He got off the bed and started to dress. There was a weird feeling in my belly. I was looking forward to going out with him. It was our first official outing as a couple. I was beyond proud to be showing up with him on my arm. Or on his arm.

By the time I was ready, he was already up and dressed, looking impossibly good in dark slacks and a button-up that made him look far too sophisticated for the wild boy I’d grown up with. I was shocked he had even brought clothing that nice. The man was more complex than I’d thought.

“Last chance to stay home with me,” he said.

“And fail to show off how dashing my boyfriend is?” I retorted, flinging an arm through his. “Not a chance.”

Kannon looked down at me and smiled. He offered no further argument. We got a taxi and sat beside each other. Our fingers were laced together and we were both smiling.

At the marina, the party yacht was lit up like the Fourth of July. My friends were already waiting on the dock as we made our way down. Lucia and Dominique waved at us. I introduced him to a few of my other friends. A couple of my single lady friends couldn’t seem to stop sneaking glances at him, and I gripped his arm a little tighter, making it clear he was mine. If one of them came after my man, they would end up in the water.

“Quite the group,” he murmured in my ear as we walked along the deck.

“They’re good people,” I said. “You’ll see.”

The yacht was decorated for the evening, a mix of understated elegance and Miami flair. Waitstaff circulated with trays of cocktails and appetizers. A soft hum of conversation and laughter filled the air. Kannon looked a little out of his element, but to his credit, he didn’t let it show.

He gravitated toward the guys almost immediately, striking up conversations about motorcycles and cars. I caught snippets of their talk as I moved around, the familiar sound of his voice a comforting constant.

Meanwhile, the girls and I claimed a cozy spot on the upper deck with a bottle of champagne. The city lights sparkled in the distance. The gentle sway of the boat made the whole scene feel like something out of a movie.

“So, that’s the Kannon,” Lindsay said, her tone dripping with amusement. “You’ve told me about him before, but you definitely left out the part where he’s a literal god. Like, who has bone structure like that?”

Lucia snorted. “He’s a bit of a scaredy cat on the road.”

“Oh, please,” Dominique said. “He thought you were going to kill us. I always feel that way when you drive. It just proves he values life.”

The girls erupted into laughter, and even I couldn’t help but join in.

“He drives recklessly,” I said, a hint of exasperation in my voice. “I swear, he’s going to give me a heart attack one of these days. He has a Harley and rides like his ass is on fire. He got in a minor wreck last week.”

“Oh shit,” Dominique said. “Is he okay?”

“He’s fine. Just a few bruises and road rash, but it scared the hell out of me.”

That earned me a chorus of sympathetic murmurs. Lindsay poured more champagne, raising her glass. “Here’s to bad boys with good hearts,” she said.

“To bad boys,” Lucia echoed, clinking her glass against mine.

I didn’t share everything—some things about Kannon were too personal, too raw to put into words over champagne and laughter. But I did tell them about his motorcycle accident, the demons he wrestled with, and how he seemed to channel all of that into riding like he was trying to outrun something.

“Have you talked to him about it?” Dominique asked.

“Not yet,” I admitted. “But I will. When the time is right.”

There was a pause. “Well, girl, you better make sure that time is soon,” Lindsay said. “A guy like that isn’t meant to be tamed.”

After a while, Kannon appeared on the upper deck. “Hey, Buttercup, the boys are getting into a poker game downstairs and I told them I’d play. Will you be okay up here?”

I smiled up at him, “Of course. Go have fun.”

By the time the night wound down, the champagne was making my head spin just enough to feel warm and giddy. Kannon found me on the bow of the ship, leaning against the railing and staring out at the stars.

“Hey,” he said, slipping his arm around my waist.

“Hey,” I echoed, leaning into him.

He tilted my chin up, his thumb brushing my cheek.

“You having fun?” he asked.

“More than you know,” I said, my voice soft. “You?”

He nodded. “Sure.”

“This isn’t your scene, right?”

“No, but that doesn’t mean I can’t enjoy myself.”

He smiled, and before I could say anything else, he leaned in, his lips brushing against mine. There was something about this moment that felt different. More intimate. More real.

I let myself get lost in him—in the feel of his arms around me, the warmth of his lips, and the quiet certainty that this was exactly where I was meant to be. Kannon was always the one meant for me.