Chapter Eleven
TULIP
One day turns into two, then three and then four. Finally, I have a night off from the club. It’s been one full week since Louis has come back into my life and to say that it’s been the best week of my life is a complete understatement.
Last night, he picked me up from the club, like he’s done every single night and instead of going to his place, we went back to mine. We made love, talked until we both fell asleep in one another’s arms. This morning we woke up, made love again and he made me breakfast as I got ready for the grocery store.
He’s nothing short of amazing. I could fall in love with him in a heartbeat. It would be easy, so simple that I can’t deny my heart is already taking baby steps in that direction and I’m not exactly thrilled about it.
When he’s gone, he’ll be the great love of my life, but will my heart survive or will it shrivel up and die?
“You ready, baby?” Louis asks.
He’s got his back to me in my small kitchen and my lips tip into a small smile when he turns around with a plate of food in his hand. I don’t think that I’ve eaten so well in my entire life. On the plate there is half an English muffin, a pile of delicious looking fruit and a scrambled egg.
“You’re going to spoil me,” I say as I reach for the plate of food.
Together we walk over to my small dining room table and sit down. I don’t bother looking at his plate, knowing that he has eggs over easy, turkey sausage, and sweet potatoes. He has become a creature of habit and has informed me that he’ll be this way until he fights.
Louis’ eyes lift to mine and his lips turn up into a sly grin. “Good. You’ll stay right next to me then if I do,” he says with a wink.
Shaking my head, I don’t doubt that he’s right. I stayed with Joey way past the expiration date of that relationship and I know that with Louis, he will have to be the one to leave me because I’m falling for him too hard, too fast, to even think about walking away.
“You ready for work?” he asks after he finishes his plate.
Stabbing the last piece of strawberry, I shove it in my mouth with a nod. “I am.”
The ride to work is quiet and by the time we reach the grocery store parking lot, I can’t help but think that something could be wrong.
“My trainer, publicist, and agent are coming here tomorrow to stay with me until the fight,” he explains.
“Why?” I immediately ask.
He shrugs a shoulder, but the haunted look that crosses his face makes me think that he knows exactly why. “There’s something else, too,” he says.
“What?” I ask, reaching out and taking his hand in mine. He squeezes me and lets out a deep breath.
“We can’t have sex after tonight.”
“Ever?”
My heart starts to pound in my chest at the thought of never feeling Louis’ touch, at never having him fill me so completely again.
He chuckles, shaking his head. “Just until the fight.”
“How long is that?” I ask.
“Twelve weeks. I need to focus. I need to sustain my endurance. I don’t need physical distractions.” he explains. My breath hitches at the thought of not being with him for three long months. “I usually go back to Nevada for camp, but I declined this time and asked my team to come to me. My chef and sparring partner will be here the day after tomorrow. But tomorrow is just my immediate team who are going to go over the complete schedule.”
“Why are you having them all come here?” I chance asking.
He arches a brow toward me before his lips twitch. “Partially because I don’t want to leave you, but also I have no desire to be in Nevada right now. I honestly have no desire to even train or do this fight, but it seems as though I don’t have much of a choice.”
“Well as long as it’s not all me.” I smirk.
Louis leans forward, his mouth touching my own in a brush of a kiss. “You’re the biggest reason,” he whispers against my lips.
“Louis,” I groan.
He chuckles, sitting up and breaking the touch of our mouths. “Go on in and have a good day at work. I’ll be here when you’re done and we’ll have a nice quiet night alone.” He grins.
Nodding my head, I open his truck door and slowly slide out of the front seat until my feet touch the ground. Lifting my gaze up to meet his, I can’t help but smile up at him.
“That sounds perfect,” I breathe.
“See you later, baby.”
With a small wave, I turn around and head into the grocery store to work for the day. All I want to do is turn around and jump back into his truck and spend the rest of the day with him, but money doesn’t grow on trees and I’m trying to get ahead in life, not fall behind.
Once I’m clocked in and standing at my cash register, I look up to greet my first customer and blink at the sight of Channing standing in my line. Her belly has grown just since the last time I saw her about a week ago. She looks up at me with a yawn. Reese is in the basket at the front of her cart, babbling and I can’t help but smile over at him.
Moving from around my station, I begin to help her unload her groceries from the cart. “Oh, thank you so much, Tulip. I seriously can’t believe how out of breath I am this pregnancy,” she sighs.
“What are you doing out and about so early?” I ask as I continue to place everything in her buggy on the conveyor belt.
“Rylan informed me this morning that he may want to have a small get-together tomorrow night. So, of course I’m here getting things. He wanted to talk to Wyatt about helping us get the baby’s room together,” she sighs as she places her hand on her belly.
Once I’m finished, I hurry over to the cash register and begin to ring her up. “I’m so happy for y’all,” I say.
It’s true too, I am happy for her, even if I am a tad jealous. She’s married to Rylan who seems like a really nice guy, they have one child and another on the way. It’s everything that I’ve ever wanted for myself.
“All y’all are invited of course. Rylan told me that he was going to call Louis when he got a break today, so consider this your official invite.” She smiles.
Pressing my lips together, I realize that not only do I have to work tomorrow night at Headlights, that Louis’ team will be in town as well. Shaking my head, I politely decline, letting her know about Louis’ team and hoping that it will be enough of an excuse for her.
Channing frowns as she tugs open her purse and takes out her debit card. Her gaze lifts to mine and she tilts her head to the side. “You know you can come if he can’t make it, right? You’re our friend, Tulip. No matter what, we all love you,” she offers.
My heart leaps at her words, it completely stops beating for a moment before it eventually begins again.
“Thank you,” I whisper as I continue to ring her items. “I have a second job and I have to work tomorrow night though.”
Channing blinks at the mention of my job, but then she shrugs a shoulder. I hold my breath, waiting for her to ask me where I work, but thankfully she doesn’t. “If something happens and your shift gets canceled or something, please come by, promise?”