This flash-fic takes place after Fresh Start (Cedarwood Beach #1)
DAWSON
“This is it, isn’t it?” Leo said in my ear as he wrapped his arms around my waist from behind and we both stared at what could be our first house together.
It had been a long time coming, and we’d waited so long for the right property to come along, it was almost surreal that we were standing in this brilliant house now.
“Hell yeah, it is,” I said.
“Oh God!” he exclaimed.
I unhooked myself from his hands and turned to look at him.
“What happened?”
Leo took a deep breath and blinked like a maniac until he finally said, “Nothing. I’m just thinking about the housewarming party already, and I’m so not ready for it.”
I laughed out. Yeah, things would be intense with the whole family in one house. Not that this house didn’t have the space to host them. I’d have to make sure it’s something special for the both of us.
“You had me worried there for a minute,” I said.
“Why?”
“I don’t know. I thought maybe you felt a presence or some bullshit,” I said.
Leo put his arms around me and gave me a kiss.
“Wait a minute.” He looked up at the ceiling and pulled away from me. “Now that you said it…”
He walked out of the room with slow measured steps.
“I think there’s something...here,” he said and only disappeared for a second, before reappearing with a little box in his hands.
“What is this?” I asked, and Leo gave me the little book-shaped box.
“Well, it’s World Book Day,” he said, his hands finding their way to my hips, as he pressed close to me. “And I know how much you love reading, so I got you something.”
“You shouldn’t have,” I said, tearing through the wrapping paper. “Oh. My. God. H-how?”
It wasn’t just any old book. It was the, as-yet, unreleased James Sky book. In hardback.
“It’s not that difficult when you’ve got a kick-ass agent and quite the name in the industry,” he said. “Open it.”
I opened the book, and right on the title page was a handwritten note.
“Thanks for being my number one fan, Detective. I’m yours, James,” it read.
“James Sky knows who I am?” I marvelled at the dedication over and over again.
“And apparently he’s a fan,” Leo added. “Although he’s a liar.”
“Why is that?”
“Well, he says he’s your number one fan, but that’s me,” he said.
“I can have more than one number one fans, you know,” I said.
“No, you’re not.”
I held the book tight to my chest and kissed him.
“You’re the best,” I said.
“I know that already,” he said.
We stared into each other’s eyes inside what was going to be our house, hopefully, and I couldn’t believe how things had turned around. I didn’t deserve this much happiness. What had I done right to deserve him?
“You’re my world,” I said when the emotions became too much to rein them inside.
“And you’re mine.”