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“She’s got eyes that cut you like a knife and lips that taste like sweet red wine, and her pretty legs go to heaven every time. She got a gentle way that puts me at ease. When she walks in a room I can hardly breathe. Got a devastating smile knock a grown man to his knees.” –Zac Brown Band

EPOV

There were boxes everywhere. I’d been taking things over to Sookie’s house here and there over the last week or so since my lease was up in two days. It was nice not having to rush to get out. The problem was deciding what stuff I was going to put in storage and what stuff I could just get rid of. Obviously I was moving into her house with the intention of being with her for a long time, hopefully on a permanent basis, but we had also talked about moving into a newer house after a year if things were going well.

Unfortunately we didn’t have the same taste when it came to decorating, which meant our styles didn’t completely mesh so compromise was necessary when it came to stuff like that. I was back in the bedroom, staring at my bed and weeping on the inside on the chance that she might tell me to get rid of it.

“Sook!” I shouted from where I was standing.

“Yeah?” she yelled back.

“What am I doing with the bed?” I asked, and prayed she didn’t want to get rid of it because it was fucking comfortable.

“I thought you were bringing it,” she called, and I could tell she was coming down the hall.

“Well I want to, but I didn’t know if it would fit in your room,” I looked over my shoulder as she walked into the room. “It’s been a while since I’ve been over there and I don’t know which room you’re in now.”

“I’m in Gran’s old room now,” she said. “It’s bigger, but I currently sleep on a full size bed, so unless you want to be uber close in bed with your feet hanging off the end and a broken spring in your side, we’re taking this bed.”

“We sleep close together anyway,” I smiled at her. “But there’s no excuse for a spring in my side.”

“Or your feet hanging off the end,” she smiled back. “Besides, this bed is freaking comfy. And really more suitable for our sex life.”

I lifted an eyebrow at her. “Why’s that?”

“It’s big. You can get me in pretty much any position on this bed comfortably. On my bed? You’d fuck me right off of it.”

“I’m guessing sex injuries aren’t as cool for chicks as they are for guys, huh?” I asked her, and then flopped back on the bed, even though there was a ton of shit to do.

“Considering most girls get sex injuries because a guy doesn’t know what the fuck he’s doing and jackrabbits her into a pulled muscle… no, they’re not as cool for girls,” she smirked. “Now get off the bed and help me.”

“But it’s comfy here,” I gave her the puppy eyes.

“Eric…”

“I have another very important question for you,” I said, and crooked a finger in the hopes that she would come closer, because if she got close enough, I was totally pulling her on top of me.

“You can ask me as I stand right here.”

“You are no fun,” I glared at her, even though I was proud of her for knowing I had something up my sleeve. “I just want to know what you want to do for your birthday this year.”

“Nothing too big,” she said. “I’d love to do something low key. Just you and me.”

“Kinda sucks that your birthday is the day after we have to do all this moving stuff, but at least you know we’ll be waking up together, and in this very bed that you don’t want to come and lay on with me.”

“Are you going to whine about it until I do?”

“Maybe.”

“Oh fine,” she said, and climbed up on the bed, but didn’t lie down.

“What do you want for your birthday this year? Besides orgasms, that is.”

“I was hoping I could get my boyfriend to move in with me.”

“Yeah, but you got that already so what else?” I already had her gift, but she didn’t know that.

“Honestly, I’d just like to spend the day with you, unpacking, making the place ours, occasionally I’d like you to fuck me,” she shrugged. “That’s all I want.”

“Really? That’s it?”

“I’m pretty easy,” she smiled. “Though I do have one request, other than the stuff I just mentioned.”

“Name it,” I said.

“A small chocolate cake.”

“I think that can be managed,” I smiled. “Unpacking, fucking and chocolate cake. Sounds simple enough.”

“Good,” she smiled. “It’ll be a good birthday.”

“I hope so,” I yawned.

“Oh no, get up, now,” she said, and slapped my leg.

“Better idea! We take a fifteen minute break and snuggle in here,” I suggested.

“You know damn well that fifteen minutes in a bed with you usually ends up being much, much longer.”

“Only because you can’t control yourself,” I smirked.

“Is that so?”

“Totally so,” I nodded.

“Then it’s best that I don’t lay down then, huh?” she said, and got off the bed.

“Yeah, you’re probably right. Then you’d just want to stay in here and have sex all night instead of packing,” I sat up.

“Do you really think I have such little control over myself?” she asked.

“Not all the time,” I shrugged, intentionally baiting her.

“Alright, fine,” she said, and climbed back into bed. “Fifteen minutes, and nothing will happen.”

Worked. Like. A. Charm.

“You’re very adorable when you’re determined, Sookie,” I told her when she settled down next to me.

“Uh huh,” she said, but wouldn’t look at me. She was really, really determined.

I turned on my side so I was staring at her, and wondered how long it would take before she cracked and either yelled at me for being a creeper, or turned to stare back at me.

“Stop looking at me.”

“But you’re pretty,” I argued.

“Thank you.”

I kept staring at her but stayed silent.

“Eric, I’m serious.”

“I can’t even look at you?”

“I’m trying to prove a point,” she said.

“So why should it matter that I’m looking at you? I’m not touching you, or whispering dirty things in your ear, even though I’m definitely thinking them… I’m completely non-threatening in my staring,” I argued.

She finally turned to look at me, and said, “You’re thinking dirty things right now?”

“Yup,” I said, but didn’t elaborate.

“Like?”

“Oh no, you’re trying to control yourself, remember? I don’t want you to tell me later it was my fault you couldn’t,” I smirked. Yeah, I’m a jerk sometimes.

“I’m trying to prove a point, and if I’m going to do that, I’m not going to let you take it easy on me,” she said. “So please, what dirty thoughts were you thinking?”

“Since I’m lying here watching you breathe, the eyes immediately go to your boobs, and in my brain they’re naked,” I told her.

She snorted. “That’s all you got?”

“Just warming up,” I said and then asked, “Am I allowed to touch you, or is this strictly an auditory exercise?”

“Strictly auditory.”

“Okay,” I propped my head up on my hand. “So of course naked boobs lead to the rest of you naked, which always leads to reasons why you would be naked, sometimes how you got that way. For the moment, however, I’m considering all that birthday fucking you wanted and the fact that we have never fucked in your house. Ever. So there are lots of places this needs to happen, and for some reason all I can see in my head right now is you straddling me on the porch swing, completely naked.”

“Oh, that sounds nice,” she said.

“Yes, it does. And while we’re naked on the porch swing, I’m kissing your neck and fingering you while you give me a handjob,” I said, and watched her suck her bottom lip between her teeth.

“Uh huh.”

“That’s as far as I’ve gotten in my dirty thinking,” I told her.

“Oh, well that’s a shame. I was enjoying that,” she shrugged.

“Yeah, me too,” I agreed, and wondered what she’d do if I just decided to put my hand down my pants while she was lying there. That would probably be crossing a line, so naturally that was exactly what I did.

“Wha… what are you doing?” she asked.

“Thinking,” I said, completely ignoring the fact that I was definitely stroking myself while she was lying there.

“You’re jerking off!”

“Kind of goes with the thoughts, pretty girl,” I smiled at her.

“Stop that!”

“I’m not touching you and you said you didn’t want me to make it easy. I’m just going by your rules,” I smirked again.

“Dammit, Eric, you know damn well how much that turns me on, now knock it off.”

“You can’t even see anything,” I argued, but then grunted just for the effect.

“Not seeing it and knowing what you’re doing makes it even hotter, you ass,” she said.

“It feels good, too,” I told her.

“Oh yeah?” she asked, and rolled on her side to prop her head up in her hand. “How good does it feel?”

“It’d feel much better if it was your hand and not mine, but still pretty good,” I smiled at her, slowing my pace a little.

“Why would my hand be better?”

“Because it’s your hand,” I shrugged. “And in my mind you’re naked while you’re doing it.”

“Hmm,” she said, and sat up suddenly, then straddled my thighs. “How about I’m clothed while I’m doing it?”

“That works too.”

“Good,” she smiled, and pulled my hand out of my pants.

“Your fifteen minutes aren’t up yet.”

“Oh I know,” she said, and pulled my pants down just enough to release me. “Now keep talking, big boy.”

There was a part of me that wanted to point out that if Sookie had just gotten in bed with me when I first suggested it, we could both be close to coming already but doing so was a good way to make sure she got out of bed and more than likely cut me off until her birthday. So instead I kept all of that to myself and resumed telling her the story of us fucking around on the swing.

“My fingers move in and out of your pussy easily because you’re so wet. I move my kisses down your neck to your collarbones, and then to those perfect, perky tits of yours,” I said and her hand wrapped around my cock.

Yahtzee!

“Tell me more,” she said as she started to stroke me.

“When you come I’ve got your nipple in my mouth, but you pull back, taking it away from me. Instead I suck on my fingers that are covered in your come. You climb off my lap and get on your knees in front of me. I stop swinging back and forth, and before I can even get my hand in your hair, you have your pretty pink lips wrapped around my cock.”

Sookie squirmed and I swear I felt her hips grind against me a little. More than likely the dirty talk alone was making her wet, but add the hand release to the mix and I knew she would be soaked by the time I was finished. I’d repay her later.

“Your head bobs up and down, sucking hard while your hand strokes what doesn’t fit in your mouth,” I said, and watched her hand twist a little while she pumped me. “Before I come, I pull your head away. I stand you up and bend you over the railing.”

Her eyes started to glaze over a little and I was sure she was picturing it too.

“I grab my cock and tease your pussy with it, rubbing against your clit until you demand that I fuck you.”

“Oh God you better fuck me hard,” she said with a mischievous look in her eyes.

“Oh I would slam into you, make you take it all in one thrust,” I said and she moaned, her hips moving again. “And I would pull out all the way, and then slam back in again.”

The more I talked the faster she stroked me and her hips definitely kept moving, using my body to get the friction she wanted. It was seriously one of the sexiest things I had ever seen her do and she was completely dressed. By that I mean she was wearing tiny shorts and a thin tank top. All the same, the parts I would most want to play with were covered.

When I was about to come, my hand covered hers and she leaned down to take just the head of my cock in her mouth, and her tongue swirling around it pushed me over the edge. She had a smile in her eyes when I came, and she swallowed everything as she usually did when I finished in her mouth. Her moans and the firmer grinding of her hips told me she’d had at least a small orgasm, and then she released me from her mouth.

I gave her a smug smile which was the closest I was going to get to saying, “I told you so.”

“What?” she smiled back. “I couldn’t just waste a good hard-on.”

“I’m not saying a thing,” I continued to smile at her.

“And that’s why I love you,” she said, and leaned down to kiss me.

Saying something definitely would have lost me sexing privileges so I was more than happy to keep my mouth shut. Besides, I would have folded even quicker than she did so I was in no position to judge.

“Guess we should get back to packing, huh?” I asked after she pulled back.

“Yes we should,” she nodded, and climbed off of me. “Are you ready to get up and help me now?”

“Yes, I am,” I said and got myself all adjusted and properly dressed before getting up and following her out of the bedroom.

“I think I have everything pretty organized in here, so it should go smoothly.”

“What would I do without you?” I kissed the top of her head.

“I have no idea,” she smiled.

Thanks to Sookie’s organizational skills the rest of the packing did go pretty quickly. In the morning we’d load up the truck and start taking things over. Jason, Alcide and Tray had offered to help as well, so between the four of us taking the furniture over to her house would be no big deal. The trickier thing was going to be rearranging her house as it was now. By the time we were finished it was almost ten, and I, at least, hadn’t eaten dinner.

“Hungry?” I asked her after we both plopped down on the couch.

“Starved,” she sighed, and patted her stomach.

“Got a taste for anything in particular?”

“Just as long as it’s edible at this point…”

I laughed and said, “I’m feeling tacos right about now. I can run out and pick up some for us if you want.”

“Let’s go together,” she said, and got up. “If I stay here I’ll fall asleep.”

“Yeah, same here,” I said, and forced myself to get up.

We got our shoes on and I grabbed my keys before we headed downstairs to my truck. Since most places were already closed for the night we had to settle for fast food. On the way back I pulled into the gas station figuring I might as well fill up then instead of waiting until the next day. Sookie stayed in the truck while I got out to pump gas.

“Want anything from inside?” I asked her since I was going to have to go in to pay. The credit card reader at the pump was busted.

“Nope, I’m good,” she said.

“Not even ice cream?” I arched an eyebrow.

“Oooooh get me a chipwich,” she smiled.

“You got it,” I leaned forward and kissed her through the window.

I headed inside the little convenience store and went to the little freezer where the ice cream was all divided by kind. I found her chipwich and grabbed a Snickers for myself, and then went to the counter to pay. I was waiting for my receipt when I heard a familiar voice behind me, accompanied by a screeching child. A chill ran up my spine and I looked in the mirror in the corner that allowed the clerk to see the rest of the little store.

Of fucking course, it was the Red Menace.

As soon as the receipt was handed over, I signed that thing and made a run for it. I did not want to talk to her. I hauled ass out of the store and jumped in the truck like the cops were chasing me.

“Whoa, what’s going on?” Sookie asked.

“Did you see the woman with the red hair and shrieking banshee of a daughter?” I asked as I started the engine.

“Yes, why?”

“Because that’s the redhead from Hooligan’s, and I don’t really want to talk to her,” I said, and put the truck in reverse.

Her eyes went wide, and she said, “Did she see you?”

“I have no idea. I was waiting for my receipt when she walked in and as soon as I signed it, I hauled ass out of the store,” I said as I pulled out of the lot.

“Oh, Eric,” she smiled, and shook her head.

“Trust me, you don’t want to meet her, and she would definitely want to meet you,” I rolled my eyes. “Besides, we have dinner to eat before we pass out for the night.”

“Why on earth would she have wanted to meet me?”

“Because she’s crazy, and just when you think you’ve reached the bottom of her craziness there’s like a crazy underground garage, that’s why.”

“You know all that from one night with the chick?” she raised an eyebrow at me.

“Sook, she had a kid and didn’t tell me, and then when the kid was in bed with us the next morning, she didn’t think there was anything wrong with it. She told her daughter to call me Uncle Eric,” I explained.

“But she met you in a bar. You generally don’t tell guys you meet in a bar that you have a kid,” she said. “But, the Uncle Eric thing is a little creepy.”

“You think?”

She reached over and patted my knee. “Oh it’ll be alright, sweetie.”

“Yes it will because I am going to avoid that nutter every chance I get.”

“That’s a good plan,” she smiled.

“Uh huh,” I agreed, and a few minutes later we were back at the apartment.

“I’m so hungry,” she said as she climbed out of the truck with the food. “I can’t wait to stuff my mouth with fake Mexican.”

“It’ll do,” I sighed, following behind her with the ice cream. “Besides, at least you’ve got a chipwich to get the funky taste of fake Mexican food out of your mouth.”

“I haven’t had a chipwich in so long.”

“You know, I don’t know if I’ve ever had one,” I told her.

“You can have a bite of mine.”

“You’re the greatest,” I smiled at her and went to the kitchen to grab a couple of paper plates and extra napkins since it would take way more than the four shitty ones I’m sure they stuffed in the bag with our food. Those napkins were always a waste.

“I always feel like such a pig when we get food there,” she said as she started pulling the food from the bags. “It just takes so much to fill you up.”

“Yeah, but it’s so damn tasty,” I sighed, and sat down next to her on the couch. I flipped on the TV while she divided up the tacos.

“Yes it is.”

“What do you want to watch?” I asked her since I was content with Law & Order reruns.

“Whatever you want is fine.”

Law & Order it was.

We sat side by side on the couch, chowing down on cheap, greasy tacos until we were both stuffed. Sookie, the angel she was, was kind enough to throw away the trash. She came back to the couch with her chipwich, although I had no idea how she could eat it right away. All I wanted at that point was to take a quick shower and then pass out. I didn’t even want to have sex at that point, but if Sookie took some initiative I wasn’t so tired that I would be able to turn her down.

“I’m gonna go take a shower,” I told her.

“Okay,” she smiled at me and held out her chipwich. “Want a bite?”

I leaned over and took a taste. “Mmmm… that’s pretty good,” I smiled at her.

“I know,” she said and took another bite.

I got up and paused to kiss the top of her head when I walked around the couch. Water always took a minute to warm up so I got that going first and then stripped off my clothes and brushed my teeth to get that taco taste out of my mouth. They were delicious, but the aftertaste started to get annoying after a while. Once I started to see steam rising behind the curtain, I got into the shower and stood under the hot water.

If I was already tired from just packing, I suspected I was going to be completely wiped out by the end of the next day. Even with Jason, Tray and Alcide’s help moving the furniture; it was still heavy stuff that had to be taken downstairs. I was facing the showerhead, just letting the water fall on me when I heard the scraping of the shower curtain moving back.

“Room for one more?” Sookie asked.

“Always,” I smiled over my shoulder and watched her step in.

She’d piled her hair up on top of her head, and as soon as she was standing in the tub, she wrapped her arms around me and kissed my chest. We shifted around so the water was hitting her back and shoulders, but we just stood there together.

“I’m glad we’re moving in together again. I miss waking up everyday to your face,” I told her.

“I miss it too,” she said softly.

“Thank you for all of your help.”

“You don’t have to thank me,” she smiled up at me. “I’m glad to help. This is for us.”

“Yeah, but you still didn’t have to do any of the stuff you’ve done, and I appreciate it,” I leaned down and kissed her. “So thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” she said, then kissed me right back.

We didn’t stay in the shower for long which was fine with me because I really was tired. It had been a long ass day between work and coming home to finish up packing. With my father retiring in the next couple of days there was a lot going on all at once, but there wasn’t much I could do about it. I wasn’t going to sign the lease for another year and Dad was ready to be done with working, so I just had to suck it up and deal with it. I was the first one out of the shower, and handed Sookie a towel after wrapping one around my own waist.

I yawned and asked, “Is it just me, or are you exhausted, too?”

“I’m actually feeling pretty energetic,” she said. “I was hoping to get some of it out with you, but you look like you’re ready to pass out.”

“Long day. I was in the office at seven this morning,” I said as I dried myself off.

“Ouch. I was hoping that long nap we had would help, but you have looked tired all day.”

“Too much burning the candle at both ends, I guess,” I sighed. “Once everything is settled with the business and we’re all unpacked and organized, I’m taking a week off.”

“Listen, with everything being crazy for you the next couple weeks, feel free to tell me when you need space to just be alone or breathe or something, okay?”

“I will, but you’re never a problem,” I smiled at her.

“I should hope not,” she laughed. “I know you’re going to be stressed out though. I don’t want us to get into stupid fights over it.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” I promised. “Just come visit me sometime so I can show you my new office. I’m pretty sure there’s a really comfortable leather couch going in there next week.”

“Oh I’ll come visit. I don’t want to do it right in the beginning though. You’re going to be so busy.”

“That’s true,” I agreed. “Thankfully I’m not just some new guy that’s stepping in, so at least people know me already. That might make things a little easier.”

“And you’re no idiot. You know how to do the job.”

“That’s also true. Dad wouldn’t be handing things over to me if he didn’t really think I could do it, so I better not fuck it up or I’ll never hear the end of it.”

“Which means that when I visit, there will be no sex on that leather couch,” she said, and dropped her damp towel into the hamper.

“Of course not,” I followed her after dropping my towel in there as well. “That’s what the desk is for.”

“Hmm, I don’t believe I’ve ever had sex in an office on a desk.”

“Oh you will,” I promised. “More than likely many times. Hell, we might even conceive a child that way someday.”

“That’s a distinct possibility,” she said with a smile.

“Here’s a weird thought,” I said as I climbed into bed. “Did you ever wonder what strange place you might have been conceived in?”

“Ew!”

“I know,” I laughed. “But that thought just popped into my head. I don’t really want to know the answer, but…” I stopped talking when I saw the look on her face.

“No. Eric. Just no,” she said. “Though for our own kids, it would be fun to tell them when they hit sixteen or something.”

I busted up laughing for a few seconds and then said, “Oops, careful, son, that’s where your Mom was sitting one night and nine months later you were born.”

“They’re going to hate us so much, but it’ll be hilarious,” she laughed. “But you’re still on that son thing, huh?”

“Honestly, it doesn’t matter,” I sighed, and stretched out on my back.

“I still want both,” she smiled down at me, and then straddled my lap.

“Not right now, I hope.”

“Nope,” she shook her head. “I still want you all to myself for now.”

“Good, because I prefer the one thing at a time way of doing things,” I said, even though I definitely wasn’t getting that currently. But I couldn’t imagine throwing a baby into the mix in a few months. Just the idea of it freaked me the fuck out.

“Honestly, I don’t see myself having kids for a least another couple of years.”

“Me either.”

I didn’t think we had to be married first, but I wanted us to at least be a little bit more stable before we started talking about that. Then again, sometimes things happened out of order, or when you least expect them to so anything was possible.

“So we’re on the same page on the kiddo front then?”

“Sounds like it, and surprisingly enough, my mother will be thrilled about that,” I smiled up at her. “A grandkid would cut into her travel plans.”

Sookie laughed, and then leaned down to kiss my neck.

“So I have a proposition for you,” she said.

“What’s that?”

“If I’m willing to just let you lie back and enjoy it, for the most part, can we have some sex before you pass out?”

“I think that’s doable.”

“You’re not going to fall asleep on me?”

“I promise I will not fall asleep on you… or under you,” I grinned.

“Oh good,” she smiled, and sat up again. “Oh look! I’m already naked!”

“I love when that happens.”

She giggled, and looked down innocently. “Oh my stars, you’re already naked too! It’s my lucky day.”

“That does make things a little easier, doesn’t it?” I set my hands on her hips.

“Oh yes it does,” she smiled, and wrapped her hand around me. “This seems a little familiar. Did we do this once already today?”

“We did. As I recall someone had a difficult time controlling herself,” I teased.

“And as I recall, someone else had a little too much fun tempting me,” she said, as she stroked me.

“In all fairness,” my hand moved up to her chest. “You did ask for it.”

“So now the question is who was really playing who in that game.”

“I don’t know if the answer really matters since we both seem to have gotten what we wanted.”

“You’re right about that,” she smirked.

“Although, there is one problem,” I said, letting my face slip into a more serious expression.

“What?”

“I seemed to be the one having the majority of the fun earlier,” I said, and let my other hand move around behind her and between her thighs. She gasped and I said, “That won’t do.”

“Reason number five thousand and two that I love you.”

“That’s a lot of reasons, Stackhouse. I might ask you to write up a list someday,” I smirked.

“Focus, Northman,” she said, and gave me a bit of a squeeze on an upstroke.

I groaned, and that was the last talking either of us did for a while.

“Now that was just what I needed,” she panted after she rolled off of me.

“Expect a repeat performance in the morning,” I warned her.

“I think I’d be more than okay with that,” she smiled over at me.

“Good. Then I think you’ll be getting woken up your favorite way.”

“With pancakes?”

“Sadly, no, since my kitchen is all packed up, but there will be eating involved,” I winked at her.

“I have a feeling you’ll be the one eating,” she snickered.

“Well, if you could do that yourself my presence in your life might not be necessary,” I chuckled.

“Oh yes it would,” she laughed. “If that’s all I ever needed, I’d just find a woman.”

“I’m not gonna lie, that’s kind of a hot image in my head,” I rolled on my side.

“Never gonna happen, Northman.”

“I’m aware, but it’s still going on in here,” I tapped my head.

“You’re a big dork,” she laughed.

“Nope, just a typical guy in that capacity,” I admitted.

“Yeah, well… maybe you’ll get a threesome for your fortieth birthday or something.”

“Oh really?”

“By threesome, I definitely just mean you sitting in a chair and watching me and another chick.”

“That works for me.”

“And you can feel free to return the favor for my birthday,” she teased.

“You want to sit in a chair and watch me with another chick?” I smirked.

“No!” she said, and smacked my arm. “With another guy.”

“Allow me to count the ways in which that is never happening, despite what Alcide says,” I laughed.

“Oh come on. I’d do it for you.”

“Hey, I’d only want you to do it if you were into it. I wouldn’t be into doing another guy.”

“I’m not that into doing another girl,” she sighed. “Maybe we’ll just have to accept that we’re never having a threesome.”

“That’s why there’s one going on in here,” I tapped my head again.

“Then I’ll just have to keep picturing you and Alcide in my head too,” she sighed.

“Have at it, sweetheart,” I leaned a little further and kissed her shoulder.

She closed her eyes and smiled, then said, “Alcide looks so hot fucking you.”

“Ugh, you just lost your spoons,” I said, and rolled the other way.

“I was kidding!” she laughed, and pulled on my shoulder. “You weren’t the bottom.”

“Too late. No spoons for you,” I smiled, but she couldn’t see it.

“Pretty please?”

I rolled on my back and said, “How about we split the difference?” I lifted my arm so she could scoot over.

“Perfect,” she smiled, and kissed me before settling into my side.

“I love you, Sookie,” I wrapped my arm around her.

“I love you, too.”

I don’t know how much longer she was awake after that, but I dropped off to sleep pretty quickly. We had another long day ahead of us.

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