I should probably get up and shower or something, but I was sprawled out on my bed in happy man euphoria. My bathroom door squeaked open, and I flopped my head to the side to watch her.

“You haven’t moved.” She smiled climbing like a cat back into bed. Rawr.

“And your lips are still swollen. All signs that it’s too soon to get up.” I reached my arms out and pulled her on top of me kissing the swell of those lips. She settled into a comfy straddle over me arising the sleeping giant who’d already had a turn. She didn’t seem to mind.

“We never get up on Sundays,” she mumbled through our lazy kisses.

“I know,” I said running my hands up and down her back. We’d been doing this for weeks now. Spending all of our free time together and ending each day with her in my bed. We spent all day on Sundays in bed. I repeat all day. Could a guy get a round of applause?

It was nice, though, having her around this much. No, nice was when your eighth-grade crush touched just the tip. This was more like finding out your best friend’s hot little sister couldn’t get enough of you. Oh yeah, that happened! Monogamy didn’t get the credit it deserved. Having one chick on your dick all the fuckin’ time was ah-mazing, mainly because it was Capri, though.

“I wanna take you out today,” I said hooking my thumbs under the edge of her panties. Why’d she put these back on? “Why are these back on?”

She giggled into my lips. “I thought you’re taking me out?”

“After.” I pulled her bottom lip into my mouth with my teeth and ran my tongue across it. She tasted like me. “Then we can go.”

“Where are we going?” she asked sitting up. I reached for her frantically, but then she slipped off her panties with a sly grin and climbed back on. I sighed in relief.

“On a date.” I pushed her hair over so I could bite on her neck better.

“We’ve never been on a date,” she said sitting up again. I sighed in frustration.

“Of course, we have,” I said pulling her back on me, but she wasn’t having it. She shoved my hands away and propped hers on her hips.

“When?” She raised an eyebrow at me, giving me that sexy as hell sass.

“Yesterday,” I said, “we went to that smoothie place you like.”

“That wasn’t a date.” She looked at me like I’d lost my damn mind. “It was next door to the gas station, and we only went in because they were giving away Batman straws with a large smoothie.”

“My straw is amazing.”

“It is. Still. Not a date.” She folded her arms over her chest and tilted her head.

“How about last week?” I said lifting up on my elbows. “When we went to the paintball field.” She narrowed her eyes at me.

“That was for Ridge’s birthday, and we ate pizza out of boxes with a bunch of teenagers.”

“It was fun; admit it.” I smiled remembering how many times we’d snuck off to make out.

“It was, actually.” She smiled down at me. “A lot of fun. Still not a date, though.”

“What makes a date then?” I asked certain we’d been on a gatrillion dates in the last couple of weeks. I thought. Dates were when you went places with the same person more than once right?

“A date is when you plan something, like dinner, or a movie, or anything really. We dress up, you pick me up, and we spend time together just the two of us.”

“Baby, we always spend time together just the two of us. Like right now. This. Me and you in bed laughing and kissing; this is better than any night at dinner or a movie.” I ran my hand up and down her thigh.

“I know. You’re right,” she said, watching my fingers. “I don’t think I’ve ever been on a date with someone I really wanted to be with.”

Fuck. “Hey,” I said touching her chin to get her to look at me. “If a date is where I take my girl out to do something special, something out of the ordinary, then this is a date.”

She smiled shyly at me. “Really?”

I nodded then sat all the way up and held her hands in mine. “Capri. Will you go on a date with me?”

She tossed her head to the side and laughed. “I’d love to.”

“Go get dressed up. I’ll pick you up at the bathroom in,” I checked my fake watch, “thirty minutes.”

“Okay.” She smiled. That stuff gutted me every time. Each time I made her smile that big, or eyes that twinkly, or laugh that easy, I felt like my heart ditched me to go hang out with her. It was a good place for it to be.

“Keep ‘em closed,” I told Capri running around frantically trying to get things set up.

“What was that?” she asked about the echoed clinking on the ground.

“Dropped something.” A chair. I dropped a chair. While Capri was showering, I ran around my place frantically getting things together and loaded into the back of my car. My original plan was to show her the place, but now that this was a date, I had to step things up a notch.

Bringing her here had me nervous enough, but now that it was a date, too? Crap, I was a mess and dropping shit left and right. “What was that?” she asked from where I made her stand near the door with her hands over her eyes.

“A, ugh…” Think fast. “A machete.”

“A what?” She burst out laughing. “What kind of date is this? Should I go get my pepper spray?”

“No. Stop asking me. It’s a surprise. That’s what it is.” I put the finishing touches on the space and leaned against the wall, out of breath. I gave myself a minute to look around at the plaster and concrete then focused on Capri here in the middle of it all with me. This was all I’d ever need. Right here.

“Okay,” I said pushing off the wall and walking back over to her. “On three.” I stood behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist, pulling her tightly against me I whispered, “One…two…three.”

I squinted my eyes and felt her hands fall. “Wes,” she whispered. “What is this?” She stepped away from my hold. I followed right behind her not liking the emptiness she’d left me with.

“It’s gonna be my shop,” I said watching her spin slowly, taking in the large empty space.

“I didn’t know you guys were moving locations,” she said walking toward the back corner and looking at everything on her way.

“We aren’t. I am.” She stopped and turned back toward me.

“What?”

“This is mine. I’m buying it,” I said drumming my fingers against my legs.

“What?” she said again and walked quickly back to me. “You’re buying this.” She stopped in front of me and pointed to the ground.

I only nodded. I was too freaked out. I really needed Capri to like this place and to like this idea. Me buying a shop of my own, owning a tattoo shop—it was something I’d wanted for as long as I could remember and something I’d been saving for since I started working.

This shop was more than just my own place to work. It was me taking care of myself, by myself. Now with Capri standing here, I was realizing this was me taking care of her, too. This was my shot at proving to her that I could take care of her and be the kind of man she deserved to have.

“Oh, my gosh, Wes!” She squealed and jumped into my arms. I laughed and spun her around.

I set her down and took her face into my hands to kiss my girl in my shop. When I pulled away, I looked down at her. “So, you like it?”

“Like it? I think it’s amazing, but more than that, I think you’re amazing. You’re buying your own shop.” She smiled so brightly.

“A few more pieces and I’ll have the down payment.” Looking around, I felt completely overwhelmed. I stuffed my hands into my pockets and gripped my sketch in one hand with a deep breath. “We actually aren’t supposed to be in here yet, but my realtor is a client of mine. When I told him that I wanted to show you the place, he gave me the code to the lockbox.”

“I’m so proud of you.” She reached out, grabbing my shirt in her hands, and pulled me in for a kiss. “What’s the rest of this?” She pulled away too soon and waved at my setup.