“Why wouldn’t it be a good idea?”

  “We could wait until Avonlee goes to junior high.”

  “You want to wait a whole year?” Shock stole through Ash. She hadn’t expected that answer.

  Chris shrugged.

  “Do you think we won’t be together in a year?”

  “No, no, I don’t think that at all.” Chris rushed to snag Ash’s hand again, holding her tight. “I want to be with you in a year.”

  “What aren’t you saying, Chris?” Ash needed to know. She couldn’t keep this inside her anymore. “Because I want to be with you, and I want to share you with my family.”

  “I just…I don’t think it’s a good idea. Not yet.”

  “Why not?” Ash pushed. Chris was still skirting around the issue, and it was bugging her. Why wouldn’t Chris just say what she meant?

  “We haven’t even told each other that we love each other yet, and you want to tell the girls that we’re dating?”

  Ash stilled. She lifted her chin, replaying all the memories she had readily at her access. Surely they had said it, hadn’t they? She pressed her lips together hard, trying to come up with a specific moment in time and frowned. She couldn’t bring up one instance where they’d exchanged those words.

  “You know what, you’re right,” Ash started. She scooted back into the couch, putting some space between them. “I guess we shouldn’t tell the girls if we don’t love each other.”

  “What?” Chris straightened her back. She reached for Ash.

  “Well, if we don’t love each other, then you’re entirely right. We shouldn’t tell them.” Ash stopped, looking deep into Chris’ eyes. “But I do love you. I thought it was pretty obvious by this point.”

  “Obvious?” Chris choked on the word, her voice vanishing at the end of it.

  “Yeah. I mean, we spend all our free time texting and calling. And if we can get together, we do.” Ash shrugged, knowing this was probably a bit of a mean way to have this conversation, but had Chris really thought that she didn’t care? “But I guess if it’s nothing more than that, like I thought it was, then yeah, we shouldn’t tell the girls.”

  “I’m confused.” Chris narrowed her gaze, the dark brown of her eyes hard to see. “Are you saying you don’t want to tell them now?”

  “I’m saying that I love you, Chris. I’ve already said it once, but I’ll say it as many times as you need to hear what I’m saying. I love you.”

  “I…” Chris paused, her eyes flashing with realization. “You love me?”

  “Yeah, I thought it was pretty obvious. Sorry. I would have said it sooner if I’d been paying attention. Yes, I love you,” Ash repeated again just to make herself completely clear.

  “I didn’t know.”

  “I assumed you did.” Ash cupped Chris’ cheek. “I’m sorry I didn’t say it before. But let’s make it as clear as possible, okay?”

  Chris nodded.

  “I love you. You’re stunning, you’re amazing, you have a heart of gold, you’re strong, and I don’t know if it’s possible that I could have fallen in love with anyone else. You’re the one for me.” Ash smiled, the full truth of her words hitting her at once, and she leaned in, kissing Chris on the lips. Everything she had said was true.

  “I love you,” Chris whispered, a smile blossoming. “For so many reasons.”

  “Really?” Ash couldn’t stop grinning. Her heart swelled with hearing those words. She hadn’t realized how necessary they were.

  “Yeah. So let’s tell them. I’d prefer to wait until Avonlee was out of my school, but I don’t really want to wait another year.”

  “Then let’s tell them.” Ash moved in swiftly, covering Chris’ mouth with her own. She deepened the kiss immediately.

  Chris moved her hands up to cup Ash’s cheeks and then slid them around the back of her neck, tugging her in closer and keeping a steady hold of her. Ash loved this. The power, the control that Chris used on her every time they were intimate. It made her feel like her place in Chris’ life was solidified.

  They stayed there for minutes on end, Ash completely losing herself in the kiss. She loved how Chris could rile her up in one look, in one touch, and tonight was no different. With the barriers down, with their emotions laid out for each other, it was all that much more intense. Ash shifted, leaning into Chris and nipping on her lip, speeding up the kiss, intensifying it in every way she knew how.

  “I love you,” she whispered, and she pushed Chris back. “Fuck, I love you. I never thought I’d say that to anyone again.”

  Chris hummed her approval, her eyes fluttering closed. “Me either.”

  “But it feels so damn good to say it.” Ash kissed her way down Chris’ neck to her chest, pulling at the buttons on her shirt. “Let me touch you.”

  “Touch me everywhere,” Chris responded. Chris moved her hands between them, pulling at Ash’s belt and then the button on her pants.

  Ash kept herself raised up, knowing exactly what Chris was after and willing to give everything to her. Soon Chris had her hand in Ash’s pants, the gentle slide of fingers against her slit. This felt amazing. Ash shivered in anticipation of what she knew was going to come, but Chris stopped. She removed her hand and pulled at Ash’s shirt.

  Removing the shirt, Ash dumped the rest of her clothes onto the floor while Chris watched. When she was done, she put her hands on her hips and eyed Chris seriously. “I don’t think it’s quite fair that you’re completely dressed and I’m not. Join the fun, Chris.”

  “All right.” Chris stood up.

  Ash watched voraciously as Chris undressed in probably the most practical manner that she could. Ash loved it. This was exactly who Chris was, straight and to the point, blunt and beautiful. She shoved her crumpled clothes with her toe, moving them to the pile that Ash had made with hers. Chuckling lightly, Ash stepped forward and wrapped her arms around Chris’ body, tugging her in close.

  She wanted nothing more than to be close to this woman as often as she possibly could. And Ash was going to take every opportunity that was present to her. Hopefully, she had more of those in the future. Their mouths connected, their bodies touching. Ash walked Chris backward, smoothing her fingers over her curves, teasing her nipples into hard little nubs, and directing her straight into Ash’s bedroom.

  They landed on the bed, and Ash crawled to cover Chris, trying to keep as much of their bodies connected as possible. She was absolutely in love. She wasn’t quite sure when it happened. There wasn’t a singular moment that Ash could point to and say this was it. It was more of a slow dawning of realization over the past weeks and months. Chris had become her everything, the person she relied on, someone she trusted, and someone she knew was a strength for her. Ash wished she were the same for Chris, that their relationship went both ways.

  “I love you,” Chris whispered again, holding on to Ash’s hips. “I want to do this at the same time.”

  “Okay.” Ash smiled. “How are we doing that?”

  “Sit in between my legs.” Chris guided her now. She put one leg over Ash’s, and Ash’s other leg over hers. Then she tugged Ash closer until their bodies were inches apart. “Perfect.”

  Ash kissed Chris again. She closed her eyes, feeling the wholeness that settled into her chest. This had been what she was missing, even if she couldn’t name it before. She loved Mari with everything that was her, but Chris added so much more to her life. She brought light into her again. Ash squeaked when Chris pressed a hand between her legs and slid the backs of two of her fingers down her slit.

  “Wasn’t expecting that?” Chris asked.

  “No.” Her breathing came in short rasps. Ash’s pussy clenched, already anticipating what was going to happen. She wanted Chris’ fingers inside her, against her, pushing, thrusting, rubbing ruthlessly. This was passion in its purest sense, and she wanted all of that with the backbone of love. “Touch me.”

  “Yes,” Chris answered. She slid one finger in, straight to her knuckle.

  Ash sighed, closing her eyes and resting her forehead on Chris’ shoulder as she waited for the next move, as she waited for Chris’ thumb, another finger, anything. But nothing happened. She wiggled, trying to get Chris to move, but she wouldn’t. Frustrated, Ash pulled back and narrowed her gaze in Chris’ direction.

  “I told you, Ashton. I want this to happen at the same time.”

  She shivered at the use of her proper name. Chris had become more prone to using her given name while they were making love, and each time a rush of wetness pooled between her legs. It was honestly probably why Chris did it. She loved the rise she got out of Ash from it.

  “Touch me, Ashton.” Chris’ demand was clear.

  Ash’s heart skipped a beat as she moved her hand between Chris’ legs. She found Chris’ lips swollen, hot, and wet. Sliding her fingers through Chris’ folds, Ash dampened her fingers before sliding one and then another into her. “Like this?”

  “Yes,” Chris hissed. “Just like this.”

  Ash locked her eyes on Chris’ face, not willing to look away from her. She slowly pumped her fingers, starting a tenuous pattern that she knew would be a slow rise to Chris’ orgasm. Chris stared back at her, doing exactly the same. They matched patterns. Ash’s lips parted as she focused not on her own body but on Chris.

  “You’re sexy as hell when you’re in control like this.”

  Chris’ cheeks tinged pink, and it made it that much sexier.

  “I’m serious. I love when you take control, when you demand, when you know exactly what we’re doing and how we’re doing it.” Ash added her thumb into the mix. She started with a broad circle.

  Chris moaned, the sound sweet to Ash’s ears. Chris mimicked the move. She reached up with her free hand and wrapped her finger around the side of Ash’s neck, her thumb pressed into her pulse point. Ash waited, hoping that Chris would drag her forward, that she would tighten her grasp, that they would kiss each other into oblivion.

  She wasn’t disappointed.

  Pulling her forward, Chris tightened her thumb. Their mouths connected, teeth scraping against lips, tongues tangling, breathing coming in quick rasps taken in desperate attempts to keep oxygen in their lungs. Ash lost herself in the moment. This was going to live in her brain for all of eternity. She would never lose the moment when she finally became the teacher’s pet.

  “Chris,” Ash murmured. “I’m so close.”

  “Don’t come. Not yet.”

  Ash had to concentrate now. Chris wasn’t as close as she was, and she needed to fix the gap. She pressed her fingers harder and sped up the swipe of her thumb. Biting her cheek, she held herself back as much as she could, but when Chris hit her clit again, she was gone. Ash gasped. Her entire body rocked forward as she clenched against Chris’ fingers.

  She held on while Chris dragged her orgasm out, extending it as long as possible. When she finally had her wits about her, Ash resumed her pace. Chris would come. They would do this together. Ash held onto Chris’ side, keeping her close as she tried to lean back. Ash understood exactly what was going through Chris. The closeness, the angle of their bodies, the vulnerability and connection that ran between them in this moment made everything intense.

  “I love you,” Ash repeated. She was determined to say it every opportune moment now. She never wanted Chris to miss it. “I love you.”

  Chris cried out, her body shaking as she held onto Ash’s arms to keep as upright as possible. Ash continued to pleasure her, to draw out Chris’ orgasm just like Chris drew out hers. Eventually, Chris straightened, her body still lax with energy spent as she leaned in and gave Ash a sloppy kiss.

  “I really do love you.”

  Chapter Thirty-Five

  “I brought stuff for s’mores,” Chris said as soon as the door opened.

  Ash stood on the other side of it, Rhubie clinging to her leg and Avonlee glaring from the couch.

  Oooof. This was going to be an interesting evening.

  She anticipated it would have its good moments and its bad moments. She’d never been more nervous in her life. Andry had shared about Katie’s first dinner with Isla as a date rather than a teacher, which Chris had relayed to Ash. Chris expected this would go about the same, except with a little more extreme behavior, all things considered. Avonlee was much younger than Katie, and she’d proven to be a bit of a loose cannon. At least Chris understood her and already had a bit of a good reputation in her life.

  Still, there was only a week before school started, and Chris really should be focused on that. Instead she was here, because Ash had asked her to come and told her this was the night. Six months they’d basically been dating, and Chris still wasn’t sure she was ready for tonight. Not that she’d ever be.

  “That sounds amazing!” Ash took the bag and stepped backward.

  Rhubie didn’t break her hold.

  Chris sent her a smile, but she was afraid it was a bit more like a grimace. She had to pull her shit together. Swallowing down her own discomfort, Chris bent down to Rhubie’s level and made eye contact. “This is all a bit weird, isn’t it?”

  Rhubie nodded.

  “Yeah, I get that. Let’s just let it be weird for now, okay?”

  “It’s more than weird!” Avonlee called from the couch. “Are you going to make me call you Mommy at school now?”

  “No.” Chris stood up and put her hands on her hips. She looked Avonlee over. “Are you going to give your new teacher as hard a time as you gave Ms. Dunja?”

  Avonlee paled. “Who is my new teacher?”

  “Wouldn’t you like to know?” Chris winked. When she glanced at Ash, she couldn’t tell if she’d made a massive misstep or done the right thing. Ash seemed affronted, but she clutched the bag of groceries tightly to her chest.

  “Maybe we should start the s’mores.”

  “Sure.” Chris agreed. She followed Ash out to the backyard and the small fire pit she had out there.

  Chris reached for the logs and put them on, along with a starter. She’d done this so many times that she didn’t even think about it, but when Rhubie wrinkled her nose and gave her an odd look, Chris realized belatedly that they didn’t know how often she’d been at the house.

  Right.

  Chris needed to hold herself back a bit. Ash stepped next to her and ran a hand down her arm, tangling their fingers together. “It’s going to take us all a bit to get used to it. Be patient.”

  “Patient isn’t something I’m good at.”

  “Sure it is.” Ash smirked. “Just not with yourself.”

  Chris huffed. Ash was getting too good at figuring her out. “Want me to continue?”

  “Yes, please.”

  It didn’t take too much longer for Chris to have the fire going. She sat in the camping chair and talked with Rhubie for a bit while Ash was inside dealing with Avonlee.

  When they came out, Ash had skewers in her hand and Avonlee was right with her. Avonlee kept sending Chris sidelong looks. Chris wished she knew what Avonlee was thinking, but it was so hard to tell with her sometimes. Instead of asking questions, she chose to observe. This was Avonlee’s house, this was her family, and Chris would respect every moment of it.

  “I didn’t think she would be dating you,” Avonlee finally said when Ash had gone back inside.

  “You and me both,” Chris answered. “I wouldn’t have guessed this one either.”

  “So is this year going to be weird? Are you going to treat me differently?”

  Chris shook her head slowly. “As much as I can treat you the same, I will. But I imagine I’ll be seeing a lot more of you outside of school. In which case, yes, I will treat you differently.”

  “Why?” Avonlee glared.

  “Because you’re my girlfriend’s daughter, and that’s different than if you were just my student.” Chris couldn’t have been more honest. “But I’m not your parent, and I’m not going to try to be. Okay?”

  Avonlee nodded. “Good.”

  “Nothing to worry about with that part, okay, kid?” Chris held out her hand, hoping that Avonlee would take it. When she did, Chris gave it a good squeeze and grinned. “So…do you eat your s’mores burned, bronzed, or lukewarm?”

  “What?” Avonlee looked at her confused.

  “How do you eat your s’mores?” Chris pressed.

  Avonlee glanced toward the fire. “Burned to a crisp.”

  “Perfect. Me too.” Chris grabbed her own skewer and started to cook her marshmallow. “Oh, I brought other things to try too, like Reeses and Rollos and some unicorn chocolate bar.”

  The girls went wild for the different kinds of chocolate, having to try every single one. By the end of it, Ash was begging them not to eat anymore in case they made themselves sick. Chris laughed when Rhubie snuck another one. The night had gotten more relaxed as it went on, and that was exactly what Chris had needed.

  When she was ready to go, Ash stopped her at the door. “Thanks for tonight. I promise it’ll get easier.”

  “I know,” Chris answered. She squeezed Ash’s fingers. “I’ll see you in a few days.”

  “Yeah, but I’ll text you tonight.”

  Chris’ cheeks heated, because with Ash’s tone, she was pretty sure she knew what that meant.

  “Oh, yeah, exactly that.” Ash leaned in and pressed their mouths together in a smooth kiss. “And next time you come over and the girls are here, don’t hold back when you want to touch me or kiss me. They need to see that you love me.”

  “I’ll try,” Chris murmured. “It takes practice.”

  “One day at a time,” Ash answered. “And before you know it, we’ll be in our future. And we’ll be kissing and touching all the time, and the girls will be grown up.”

  “And you’ll be a best selling author again?” Chris cupped Ash’s cheek, and she knew that Ash wouldn’t answer that question. When Ash sputtered, Chris shook her head with a light laugh. “You’re adorable, but yes, it will get easier with time.”