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“Don’t forget the rug and the recliner,” Poppy called after Aiden and Chris as they bolted for the door.
“I was trying to organize your clothes, but how do you separate things when they’re all the same color,” Lauren said, coming out of the bedroom with a pair of black pants and a black dress in her hands. “At least your underwear is colorful.”
“Paws off my panties,” Poppy huffed, grabbing the clothes from Lauren. “Go help my mom in the kitchen if you want to be useful.”
As soon as Poppy headed down the hall toward the bedroom, Lauren gripped my arm and pulled me out the front door.
“You cannot keep an engagement ring in your sock drawer, Theo,” she whispered, pulling the ring from her bra and handing it to me. “Now that you’re living together, Poppy’s bound to do your laundry sometime, and she’s going to snoop when she’s putting away your clothes. It’s only natural.” Her checks tinted and she broke eye contact.
I was too worried to ask Lauren why she was in my underwear drawer. “Do you think Poppy already saw it?”
Lauren shrugged, recovering quickly from her embarrassment. “Maybe. Maybe not. I give it 50/50. But she has been pretty busy with Maid of Honor duties, so maybe 60/40 in your favor. Regardless, you should keep that somewhere else.”
“I know just the place,” I said and shoved the ring in my pocket.
Later that night, after every box had been unpacked and every piece of furniture placed, Poppy and I flopped onto our bed. Usually, we’d be fighting for space with Holly, but she and Skye were sleeping curled together in the living room. The day had been long and tiring for everyone, yet I couldn’t remember a time I’d been this happy.
“Welcome home,kardoula mou,” I said.
She rolled toward me and grabbed my face with both her hands. “What should we do to celebrate?”
I had an intense urge to pull the ring from its new hiding place behind the canvas we’d made together. But I stopped myself. Poppy was a romantic in her soul. She deserved a breathtaking proposal she could share with our children and grandchildren. I just had to be patient a little longer.
“We could practice your Greek,” I said.
“That wasn’t what I had in mind. I do want to learn, but I doubt I’ll get very far in a week.” She wrapped her small frame around me and dug her heels into my ass to pull me closer. I groaned when she slid her hand between us and cupped me. “At least parts of you understand the word celebrate,” she said as I hardened beneath her talented fingers.
I brushed the hair from her face and looked deep into her eyes. “No matter what we’re doing, every moment I spend with you is worth celebrating.”
Poppy’s eyes got a little misty, and I smiled. Despite all the twists and turns of my life, we’d somehow ended up together. “Thank you for never giving up on me, on us,” I said.
“Will you hurry up and fuck me already,” she sniffed. “I’d rather have an orgasm than an ugly cry, and we’re close to the point of no return.”
I wasted no time chucking our clothes and sinking into her. I’d denied us both too much already. I planned to spend the rest of my life trying to bring her as much joy as she’s brought me, even if I knew we’d never be even. Nowhere close. Even if it meant letting go of my guilt. I’d love her with everything I had because she’d loved me when I couldn’t love myself, and a love like that was worth healing for.