Loved & Loyal | 1

xii

"I love this picture. That day was so much fun."

I gently took the photo out of her hand and put it back on the board, right in the middle.

"Yeah, it was pretty great. I remember what you said after that. That you want a love like that someday, and I do, to."

She sucked in a breath of air through her teeth and turned to the side, away from me.

"I'm going to get ready for bed."

I let her go to get ready in my ensuite while I pulled the covers down from the pillows, ready for us to get in. When Abby came out, her breath smelling like mint and her face clean, she smiled and I went past her to brush my own teeth after returning the smile.

I looked up at my reflection in the mirror. At the stubble along my jaw because I haven't shaved in a few days, my eyes now green like they are when I'm happy, and my hair, a mess, sticking up everywhere. I looked down at my body, admiring my muscles as I let them release and contract. I finished brushing my teeth and spit into the sink, then washed my mouth out with Listerine. I gave my reflection the most dashing, charming, panty-melting smile I could, showing my pearly white teeth and the dimple in my right cheek. I was a lady killer. I knew it. But I wasn't interested in all those girls. I didn't want a supermodel. I wanted a real girl that made me feel as handsome as I knew I was. But, until then, I would fuck all the pretty girls I wanted.

I walked out of my bathroom to find Abby already asleep on the right side of the bed. I liked to sleep on the left and her on the right. It was always this way. I smiled to myself and walked to the other side of the bed. I crawled under the covers and pulled Abs into my chest. She smiled lightly and snuggled in closer. Guess she wasn't asleep.

"Took you long enough."