"Our nightstand." He pulls me closer. "Our bed. Our room. Our house."
"Ash's house."
"Our house. Ash can deal with it."
I laugh against his chest. "He's going to set ground rules."
"He already did. 'Clothes on in common areas' and 'no sex noises before 6 AM.'"
"We can negotiate on the second one."
"We absolutely cannot."
I press my face deeper into his chest. His heartbeat is slow and steady and mine. The room smells like us — vanilla and motor oil and sex and home.
"Vaughn?"
"Yeah?"
"I'm happy."
He's quiet for a moment. His arms tighten. "Yeah. Me too."
"Is this what it feels like? Being happy?"
"I think so. I'm not an expert."
"Neither am I. But we're figuring it out."
I fall asleep in Vaughn's arms, in our bed, in our room, in our life. My scarred hand resting on his chest. His heartbeat under my palm.
Chapter 26
Vaughn
Moving day, and I don't have much.
Two boxes of clothes. My crossword books — fourteen of them, stacked in a milk crate. Three flannels, a leather jacket. Reading glasses in a case that Robin bought me because my old case was held together with electrical tape.
Knox stands in my empty apartment. "Weird seeing it without your stuff."
"It wasn't much stuff."
"No." He looks at me. Eight years, this man and I. Eight years of riding together, building together, building this pride from two lonely shifters into something that fills a bar every night. "But it was yours."
"Still is. Just in a different house. But you know I'll be here constantly. This just gives you more breathing room."
He claps my shoulder. The alpha grip — firm, brief, meaningful. "Robin's good for you."
"I know."
"You're good for him."
"I'm trying."
"You're succeeding." He releases me. "Go. Ash is making lunch and Jason says if we're late he's giving our portions to Robin."
I drive to Ash's house and carry my two boxes inside. Robin's cleared three dresser drawers and half the closet. My crossword books go on the nightstand next to his business books. My jacket goes on the hook next to his. My boots by the door next to his kitchen clogs.