Forty-Four: Reciprocation

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OF COURSE

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OF COURSE.

Of-fucking-course Beau Martin had to be sitting in this coffee shop. All I wanted was some caffeine as a pick-me-up, but the universe didn't want to make today easy on me. This must be payback for handling this whole situation so poorly.

Beau's eyes found mine, surprised, and I realized how I must look. Gone was the girl from last night. No red dress. No perfect hair or make-up. The only thing on my face today was likely tear stains.

Why had I said his name? Why hadn't I just walked past or, better yet, walked out?

Walking away from Beau felt really hard—that was why. But it shouldn't be. We weren't anything to each other besides one night in bed—just one night.

So I forced my feet to turn, and I ran into the one place he couldn't follow me: the bathroom.

But not even thirty seconds passed before there was a knock on the door. Followed by my name.

"Collins?"

_

A car.

He bought me a car.

"I'm gonna spoil you, baby. And there's nothing you can do about it."

I remembered that night in the taxi when he said that to me, and I thought that there was no way he would do half the shit he'd already done in our short, one-month relationship. Part of me felt guilty for letting him treat me like a queen when I so often felt unfit for a crown, but another part of me—a bigger part—felt good sitting on a throne when I usually settled for any chair with four legs. Even wobbly ones.

What I wouldn't do to spoil him back, though. I'd never be able to do that—not like he did with me. But I'd remembered today. I'd known that Beau wouldn't let an anniversary, small though it was, pass without making a commotion about it. So I made sure I had a gift for him, too. But it was...it wasn't a car. That was for damn sure.

As soon as Beau opened the rear passenger door of the SUV, I took a step back and pushed him into the rear seats ahead of me. He laughed as he scooted across the bench, half-laying, half-sitting against the opposite door and window. After crawling in after him, I closed the door behind me.

The interior had a really pretty leather that I would never have included if I were the one picking out the car. Not because I didn't like it. I loved it. But I would have stuck with the base model and applauded myself for even being able to afford that.

However, this moment with Beau wasn't about the car. It was about him, and I eagerly went in for a kiss, a deep and slow one. Beau's grin curved against my lips like he couldn't hold it back. He was so happy.

Not all the time. I'd learned that Beau wasn't nearly as happy as he wanted people to believe, but his happiness was infectious right now. And I let his pure joy leak into me, into the kiss, as I pressed my smile to Beau's lips.

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