learned that a long while ago.
The fear that used to cripple her when she thought
of loving and losing someone wasn’t all gone, but it was less and less with
each passing day. For the longest time she’d been so afraid of losing love,
she’d pushed it away, making herself and Reno miserable in the process, but no
more.
A month later, Reno moved in to her place. They were
as public as anyone in a relationship could be. Business was moving for Indy as
well. The housing market was picking up, slowly but surely, and though she
hadn’t been worried before, she was very happy about that. She
and Reno double-dated a lot with Arden and Cam. The first time they’d
seen each other after that voyeur episode, Cam had blushed furiously, all while
looking like the tattooed bad boy he was.
Such
contradictions.
She loved that. What she loved more than anything
was having Reno next to her when she opened her eyes in the mornings. Nothing
beat that. He was all she hoped he would be in a lover and a partner, and every
now and again, Indy bemoaned the time she’d lost with him. Time they could have
spent loving each other.
They took that time now. She shared more of her childhood
with him, and he listened when she talked and held her when she cried. Reno
squeezed her shoulders and rubbed her back when she grew angry at the parents
who’d abandoned Indy and her sister in favor of drugs and God only knew what
else.
She spoke about the group homes she’d grown up in.
She shared it all, and Reno listened without judgment. She’d been so afraid of
sharing herself with him, and he was perfect for her. A
shoulder to lean on, to cry on. He was there to touch her just right, to
bring her body alive. Their sex life was lively and colorful. Nothing was off
limits. They got to indulge in their fantasies, like Reno’s to have sex in
public. They’d almost gotten caught while he had her on her back, her legs
around his waist on the hood of his car in the parking lot of Kelly’s.
In fact, she was pretty sure a few patrons had
indeed taken notice of them, but they were too into each other to notice or
care. She loved that.
She loved him.
****
After another double-date with Arden and Cam, the
two couples made it back to Indy’s place where they sat outside on her balcony,
drinking wine and laughing. Reno looked over at Indy, at the way the moonlight
hit her smooth cocoa skin, her wild hair a dark halo around her head, the jeans
she’d paired with a simple top tight enough to cut off circulation.
He’d seen a definite change in her, an opening up,
and loved it. He loved that the moment she’d committed to trying, she’d gone
all out. It helped that no one cared one way or the other.
It wasn’t a big deal, hadn’t ever been, except in
Indy’s own mind. Now she saw that it wasn’t, and she embraced it. They’d moved
in together, but hadn’t exchanged words of love. Not that he needed it. He knew
he wouldn’t be with Indy if she didn’t love him. Just his presence in her life
proved her love, and he was okay with that, but he wished to hear it, even if
it was only once.
Indy laughed at something Arden said, her head
tipped back, graceful neck exposed. He smiled. Reaching over, he slid a hand
down her arm, to feel the silk of her skin and to stay connected to her, any
way he could. She looked over at him, a flirty smile teasing her lips, eyes
soft. He’d never seen her like that before, relaxed and happy and content.
He wanted to make sure she was always in that frame
of mind.
He watched as Cam sat in one of the chairs, and then
Arden plopped down in his lap. Cam wrapped an arm around her waist, wide palm splayed
over her middle. Reno moved closer to Indy, until their arms brushed, and when
she leaned in close and tucked her chin into the side of his neck, he couldn’t
help the shiver.
Paradise. He’d
found it in Indy’s arms.
He listened with half an ear as Cam talked about his
garage and Arden spoke about expanding her
The fear that used to cripple her when she thought
of loving and losing someone wasn’t all gone, but it was less and less with
each passing day. For the longest time she’d been so afraid of losing love,
she’d pushed it away, making herself and Reno miserable in the process, but no
more.
A month later, Reno moved in to her place. They were
as public as anyone in a relationship could be. Business was moving for Indy as
well. The housing market was picking up, slowly but surely, and though she
hadn’t been worried before, she was very happy about that. She
and Reno double-dated a lot with Arden and Cam. The first time they’d
seen each other after that voyeur episode, Cam had blushed furiously, all while
looking like the tattooed bad boy he was.
Such
contradictions.
She loved that. What she loved more than anything
was having Reno next to her when she opened her eyes in the mornings. Nothing
beat that. He was all she hoped he would be in a lover and a partner, and every
now and again, Indy bemoaned the time she’d lost with him. Time they could have
spent loving each other.
They took that time now. She shared more of her childhood
with him, and he listened when she talked and held her when she cried. Reno
squeezed her shoulders and rubbed her back when she grew angry at the parents
who’d abandoned Indy and her sister in favor of drugs and God only knew what
else.
She spoke about the group homes she’d grown up in.
She shared it all, and Reno listened without judgment. She’d been so afraid of
sharing herself with him, and he was perfect for her. A
shoulder to lean on, to cry on. He was there to touch her just right, to
bring her body alive. Their sex life was lively and colorful. Nothing was off
limits. They got to indulge in their fantasies, like Reno’s to have sex in
public. They’d almost gotten caught while he had her on her back, her legs
around his waist on the hood of his car in the parking lot of Kelly’s.
In fact, she was pretty sure a few patrons had
indeed taken notice of them, but they were too into each other to notice or
care. She loved that.
She loved him.
****
After another double-date with Arden and Cam, the
two couples made it back to Indy’s place where they sat outside on her balcony,
drinking wine and laughing. Reno looked over at Indy, at the way the moonlight
hit her smooth cocoa skin, her wild hair a dark halo around her head, the jeans
she’d paired with a simple top tight enough to cut off circulation.
He’d seen a definite change in her, an opening up,
and loved it. He loved that the moment she’d committed to trying, she’d gone
all out. It helped that no one cared one way or the other.
It wasn’t a big deal, hadn’t ever been, except in
Indy’s own mind. Now she saw that it wasn’t, and she embraced it. They’d moved
in together, but hadn’t exchanged words of love. Not that he needed it. He knew
he wouldn’t be with Indy if she didn’t love him. Just his presence in her life
proved her love, and he was okay with that, but he wished to hear it, even if
it was only once.
Indy laughed at something Arden said, her head
tipped back, graceful neck exposed. He smiled. Reaching over, he slid a hand
down her arm, to feel the silk of her skin and to stay connected to her, any
way he could. She looked over at him, a flirty smile teasing her lips, eyes
soft. He’d never seen her like that before, relaxed and happy and content.
He wanted to make sure she was always in that frame
of mind.
He watched as Cam sat in one of the chairs, and then
Arden plopped down in his lap. Cam wrapped an arm around her waist, wide palm splayed
over her middle. Reno moved closer to Indy, until their arms brushed, and when
she leaned in close and tucked her chin into the side of his neck, he couldn’t
help the shiver.
Paradise. He’d
found it in Indy’s arms.
He listened with half an ear as Cam talked about his
garage and Arden spoke about expanding her
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