Break In My Heart

28. Plans

"Because I haven't brushed my teeth yet, Ty, and I just got you back. I don't want to scare you off again with my breath. Tell me where the bathroom is and after I brush my teeth, I'll kiss you."

He chuckled as he gripped my wrist and pressed a kiss to the palm of my hand. "Alright, come on follow me." With that, he hopped out of bed and grabbed some things from his dresser drawers.

I finally sat up and stretched, causing a few of my bones and joints to pop and crack causing Tyler to cringe. "Dude."

"Sorry, babe, I can't control my body."

He rolled his eyes before he extended a hand for me to take. I threw the covers from around my waist before I got up and laced my fingers with his. He looked me up and down and I couldn't help the slight blush that stained my cheeks not necessarily because I was embarrassed but because now things were...different. We had a different dynamic now. We'd told each other we loved each other, so things felt...different.

"Hey, sir, my eyes are up here," I softly joked.

"That they are," Tyler smirked before he looked me up and down one last time. "The rest of you isn't too bad either." I scoffed as he made a move to open the door, but I reached out and stopped him.

"Wait, what about your dad. I don't...I don't want him finding out about us while I'm in my underwear." It was already awkward enough for me to slip into the apartment while Mr. Barnett was watching TV, and the last thing I needed was for him to see me and his son walking out together almost naked.

"Addi, my dad's not here. He leaves early in the morning to get to work. He'll probably be home late tonight."

"Your dad is a hard working man, Tyler," I said as I removed my hand so he could open the door.

"He is. He has to be so he can support me and himself and pay his half of child support for Serenity. He's trying to get full custody of her, though. He's been trying since he got me out of that God forsaken place. He has to prove that he has enough income to financially support us all, and living in such an expensive city doesn't really help. But I love him a lot though. Even though he only came into my life two years ago, he's been more for me than my mother could've dreamed of being. He's supportive and loving, and though he's gone a lot, he makes up for it. It feels like I've known him my whole life in a way. "

I ran my thumb over Tyler's knuckles as he led me into the bathroom. It wasn't my place to say anything else. "Alright," he said as he put the clothes in his hands on the toilet lid before he let go of my hands and started rummaging through a few drawers. After a few moments, he emerged with a toothbrush in one hand and some towels in the other. "Here. Help yourself to the toothpaste and stuff. While you brush your teeth," he ducked into the shower and turned on the water, "I'm going to shower."

Heat rushed to my cheeks as I broke eye contact. I saw an amused grin take refuge on his face. "You look so cute when you blush, Addison."

I shook my head as I turned away from him in an effort to hide my flustered state. "I'm not cute," I grumbled.

"You definitely are," he defended. "Adorable even. But there's no need to be bashful, Addi. It's just like the locker room showers– I mean, unless I make you uncomfortable, in that case, I can definitely wait until you're done before I–"

"No, no, no, you're fine," I said, not wanting him to think he made me uncomfortable in any fashion. I actually felt safe and confident around him, especially when he looked at me like I was the most important person in the world.

He grinned. "Well alright then. Or, we could shower together, you know, save water and the earth and stuff."

I narrowed my eyes at him, seeing through his poorly hidden attempt at being flirtatious. "Non adesso. Dopo (Not now. Later)," I said, repeating the words I'd said when he came over for the dinner with my family, not expecting him to remember it.