Penny's POV
"So… you're really staying," Andrew murmurs as the apartment door clicks shut behind us. His hand lingers on the frame as if he's afraid I'll change my mind.
I laugh softly, my chest still humming with adrenaline from the family meeting. "I already told them, remember?" I tease, nudging him with my hip.
He grins, that cocky tilt of his mouth I've come to love. "Yeah, but hearing it from you… right here, away from everyone, makes it… different."
I blink, my heart fluttering, and I lean against him without thinking. "Different how?"
Andrew tilts his head, his jaw tightening a little as if he's trying to figure out the right words. "Like… like this is exactly where you belong. Not a rehearsal for life or a sidestep to independence. But here. With me."
I press my hand to his chest, feeling his heartbeat under my palm. "You really think I belong anywhere else?"
