The Fae Book 3: Butcher and Raine

Chapter 31 (Raine): Barely Moving

I stood in the middle of my brand-new house, trying to absorb the fact that Butcher had casually said it was mine.

"Why?" I finally managed weakly, and that wasn't the right question, but it was all I had at the moment.

"It's OK?" 

I'd only seen the downstairs, but what little I'd seen was perfection. The kitchen was open to the large family room that had a beautiful stone fireplace at one end.

"It's amazing."

"You like it?"

"I do. I love it," I assured him.

"You can pick out furniture. Whatever you want."

"Right. Furniture." Then I forced myself out of the shock of being handed a freaking beach house and pinned Butcher with my stare. "Let's get real for a minute, Butcher. I know you just said you'd be wherever I am, but what does that mean? Will you be stopping by every day? Will you be staying here in the guest room? I don't know how to navigate this...whatever this is between us."

That fucker took his time answering. "Raine, I want to be near you. All the time."

That seemed positive, but I needed more. 

"Does that mean you like me?" I asked carefully, feeling like I was back in elementary school, ready to shove a note at him that said, Check Yes or No if you like Raine.

Once again, that fucker took his time answering. "Yeah."

Taking a step toward him, and then another, it felt symbolic to me. "So what do you want?"

"You." This was like pulling teeth. Something I had no doubt Butcher had done many times to his guests.

"Break that down for me, Butcher. What does that mean?"

"I want you near me. I want you on my lap. I think about touching you all the time."

"Touching me how?" I asked.

"Like I touched you when we were fucking."

So he wanted sex. 

"I also want to just feel your skin. Like when I hold you on my lap."

Then he took a step toward me, and that giant hand traced a finger along the neckline of my shirt. I shivered and he started to take his finger away, but I grabbed his hand and flattened it against my chest.

"What else?"

"I want to protect you. You and our son."

These were all very good things.

"Anything else?"

"There are six bedrooms in this house, Raine, in addition to the master."

This seemed like an interesting factoid but completely off topic, and I wondered if this was his way of changing the subject because it was getting too deep for him. I had to keep reminding myself that this man was new to emotions, and it must have felt overwhelming at times.

But then he tied his change of subject together with our conversation.

"I'd like to fill the bedrooms with more raindrops."

I sucked in air so hard I choked for a good minute.

"Butcher, do you realize what you're implying?" I gasped.

You want a life with me.

"I'm not implying anything. I'm telling you what I want."

"Spell it out, please."