Deeper Healing

64| Right There

Nikolai Coleman

"Take my hand," I said to Leilani, reaching out to her.

She smiled wider than she already had been, placing her hand in mine. "Thank you," she murmured politely.

I helped her up the treehouse's ladder, watching as the lights turned on and brightened with every step she took.

She looked mesmerised just as she had throughout the evening, looking around her.

"You do realise you're making all my childhood dreams come true in a single night?" she marvelled.

I looked at her, my heart full of warmth and love. "Is your inner child happy?"

She'd had an undeniably difficult and lonely childhood and had so many scarred parts inside her I knew would take time to heal.

I was patient enough to be by her side until she could fully smile again without any lingering pain or disturbing memories.

Leilani held onto my hand tighter, smiling back at me. "She's healing and so happy."

I nodded, content before pushing the small door open. The last time we'd been here, she was interested in the treehouse but we never got a chance to enter.

Now, it was better and upgraded with elements that suited her taste. This was for her and I'd been actively involved in the renovations. The happiness on her face as she looked around confirmed my hard work had not gone to waste.

While she looked around, I grabbed a bouquet of red roses I'd intentionally placed in the treehouse. When she turned to face me, I offered them to her.

"Pretty roses for my beautiful girlfriend."

My girlfriend. She had no idea how long I'd waited to call her that, to tell her I loved her and to make her feel the love I spoke of. I'd waited so long for this moment and now that I had it, there was no other place I'd rather be.

She received them and held them close to her nose, inhaling their scent.

"These are perfect, Nik," she smiled, inhaling their scent more. "Thank you. We'll take them home."

I stepped closer to Leilani, slipping one rose from the bouquet and tucking it behind her ear. "You're beautiful, Leila," I reminded her, gently brushing back her hair with my fingers. "You're the most beautiful thing that has ever happened to me."

"Stop it," she whined, averting her eyes from mine to look up briefly. "You're going to make me cry all over."

I took the bouquet from her hands and put it away carefully before closing my hands around Leilani's waist, gazing down at her gleaming eyes.

"I can never stop telling you that you're beautiful," I told her honestly, "and if you cry, I'll wipe away your tears and bring a smile back to your lips."

"Oh, Nik," she murmured, looping her hands around my neck. "You never fail to take my breath away."

I held her tighter with one of my hands tracing her spine delicately. "And right now there's nothing I crave more than to do exactly that— literally," I told her, leaning slowly into her with the tip of my nose digging into her skin.

She smelled so good I felt intoxicated. She always did and maybe that was why I couldn't stay away from her. I craved her like she was my next breath.

Leilani moved her hand to cup the back of my head, her eyes intently following mine. "So do it, Nikolai. Take my breath away because I'm sure we've both been dying for this all evening."