“I could get used to this.”

“What?” She tilts her head up to look at me.

I squeeze her tight. “This, you in my bed. I like it way more than I ever thought I would.”

“You act like there’s never been a girl in your bed before.” She laughs.

I let her finish her laughing spell. Partly because I need to make sure I have her attention and partly because I love the sight and sound of seeing her happy. Finally I say, “Never, I don’t bring women here. It’s always their place. Sometimes my truck or… the bar,” I finally admit.

Rolling over, she blinks a few times before a slow beautiful smile spreads across her face. “You trying to tell me you like me, Cooper?” she teases.

Like her? If she only knew the thoughts and feelings that are swirling inside me when it comes to her. “I more than like you, sweetheart. You’re different. Please don’t ever forget that. You’re special to me, Kensi.”

“Ditto,” the soft reply leaves her lips as she buries her face into my chest. I hold her tight and kiss the top of her head and drift off into what turns out to be one of the best nights of sleep I have ever had.

Feeling the bed move, my eyes pop open. Kensington is trying to remove my hand from around her waist. I pull her back against me. “Don’t go.”

Her low chuckle gives me hope she wasn’t trying to sneak away. “Max, I have to pee,” she informs me.

“Promise you’ll come right back?” I want her in my bed as long as possible. I don’t think this is a one-time thing, not the way things between us have been going, but regardless, I want to capture every minute of it.

She sighs. “I’m not going anywhere, Maxton.” Something about the way she says it has by heart leaping in my chest. I kiss her shoulder and reluctantly release her. I force my eyes open again to watch her walk across my room. I like her here, in my space. I like waking up with her just as much as I liked seeing her in my bed for the first time.

I watch the bathroom door, waiting for her to come back out. When she finally emerges, I can tell she’s brushed her hair. She walks back to bed in all of her naked glory. She’s perfect, scar and all. I want to ask her about it, again. Now that we are… what we are, I’m not exactly sure how to define it. I want to know all of her. Someone hurt her and I want to know who, how, and why. I want to make sure that she knows I will never let anyone hurt her again. She climbs back into bed and burrows into my side, just where I want her.

“What are we doing today?” she asks.

We. “Anything you want. I have to order supplies for the bar, but I do that online and will take about thirty minutes tops. I’m yours the rest of the day.” I’m yours for as long as you’ll have me. Forever. I can’t ever see myself getting over her, over this feeling of being with her.

“Anything I can do to help?”

No whining about me having to work, just acceptance and support. I hit the fucking jackpot with this girl. Never do I ever remember my mother asking that of my father, her husband.

“No, but thank you for offering. That means a lot to me. She would never have asked that, my mother. She was always whining and bitching at Dad for working, yet she had no problem blowing through the money he brought in.”

She’s quiet for a few minutes before she asks, “What’s the weather supposed to be today?”

Thankful for the change in subject, we had enough heavy yesterday, I reach for my phone on the nightstand. Swiping the screen, I see that I missed a text from my buddy JT. Making a mental note to read it later, I pull up the weather. “Rain all day.”

“Hmmm…” She’s quiet for a few minutes before she says, “Maybe Bright and Nic want to go bowling?”

“I haven’t bowled in years.”

“Me either. Me and my… parents used to go a lot when I was younger, before Mom…” she trails off and I can hear the pain in her words.

“Sounds like a plan; let’s see what they say.” I hit Bright’s number on my phone and she chuckles. I don’t miss the way she swipes her thumb across the bottom of her eye, catching the moisture. I wish I could take the pain away from her. I wish I knew what hurt her, who hurt her.

“Maxton?” I hear the question in his voice when he answers.

“Hey, man, Kens and I thought it would be fun to go bowling today. Are you guys in?” I make it sound like both of our ideas, hoping her thoughts will stay with me, and not the pain I saw just moments ago in her eyes. I hate seeing it.

“Did you guys go back to Kensi’s place last night,” Bright asks.

“No.”

“Then why in the hell are you calling me when we are in the same damn house?” he asks.

I laugh. “Well, I am currently in my nice warm bed with my girl lying on my chest. I would much rather call you than leave this bed at the moment. I assumed you were in a similar situation,” I explain.

“Good point, hold on.” I hear him talking to Nicole, asking her if she wants to go. He comes back on the line. “We’re in, what time?”

“Babe, when did you want to go?” I ask Kens.

“Well, you need to work, so let’s get that done first, showers, food… let’s just say one. Gives more time for this,” she says as she snuggles into my chest.

My heart swells. “Later, man, around one sound good?”

“Perfect.” Bright hangs up, or at least I hope he did because I hit the end button, tossed my phone on the nightstand, and put my arms back around my girl. More time for this is exactly what I need.

THE LAST FEW months have flown by and it’s hard to believe it’s Thanksgiving. Apparently, Max and Bright always do a big dinner and it’s just the two of them, so this year, it’s going to be the four of us, plus one, my dad. Max doesn’t speak to his mother, and his grandparents and dad are gone. I don’t know the details of Bright’s family, just that he has nothing to do with them and he too is an only child. Nicole’s parents are on a cruise. She, being an only child as well, assured them she would be fine for the holiday without them.

That leaves my dad. I’m nervous as hell for him to meet Max. I’ve talked to him several times, but I tried to downplay what he means to me. “He’s just a friend, Dad.” “He’s fun to hang out with.” “He and Nic’s boyfriend, Bright, are trustworthy.” All lines I’ve used. Never, “He makes my heart beat again.” “He makes me feel like nothing in the world matters but me.” “He looks at me like I’m a rare gift.” “I love him so deeply that my heart beats for him.” Nope, didn’t say any of that and now I kind of wish I would have.

Just like he said he would be, Max was there through the ‘Could we be pregnant?’ scare. Turned out all is well and I’m now on daily birth control. There was no need to even take a test as Mother Nature answered our silent plea. We were both relieved, and yet, I was also a little disappointed. Did I tell him that? No, but the sound of being a mom, giving to my kid what my mother gave to me, it’s not a scary thing for me. I had accepted the fact that I was pregnant. Think the worst and hope for the best. Somewhere along the line, the idea settled inside of me. I wouldn’t be crushed if it happened. Hopefully, in a few years, but I wouldn’t consider it a hindrance no matter if or when it happens.

Max refused to let us help with dinner. He and Bright both are really good cooks, so I’m not worried. Dad didn’t seem to be either. He accepted the invitation without hesitation and here we are, two weeks later, getting ready to have Thanksgiving dinner at his house. Nicole is already there; she spent the night last night. We both did actually. I drove home to meet Dad at the apartment. Not that he would care, but it’s my dad and, well, you know.

I tried waiting on the couch, but my damn leg kept bouncing up and down, so now I’m pacing the living room. Dad is always punctual, so he’ll be here any minute. The knock on the door stops me in my tracks. Taking in a deep calming breath, I open for him. My dad immediately engulfs me in a hug, squeezing tight. “I missed you, Kensi,” he says.