Page 36 of Forgotten Romance

But my hand is frozen, and I’m shitting myself with the thought.

“Mack …?”

“Yeah?”

“You need to let me go if I’m going to put Kiera to bed.” His voice has deepened. This is my chance.

Kiera will be okay on the couch. If I let Davey go now, I might never get this courage again.

“You …” I’m debating what I’m going to say next until the words are already out. “You made tonight magical. You’re always so good at that.”

“It’s nothing.”

“It’s not. I’m not the only one who feels it. There’s a special sort of something in the air when you’re here with us.”

“Me?” Davey steps closer, shaking his head so those glossy black curls dance with the movement. “You’ve always been the one we center around. Just look at what you planned for us this weekend. I never would have thought of tonight if it wasn’t for you.”

“Except my plan crashed and burned.” I sigh, still not letting go of him. “Sorry. That I couldn’t make the weekend perfect.”

“Perfect?” Davey steps closer again, and this time, his hands find my face. “My only perfect weekends are the ones with you.”

11

Davey

I’m trembling on the edge, looking into the sweet blue eyes of the man I love, begging myself not to follow my instincts and kiss him. But he’s here, and his face is so warm, and the way he’s looking at me is taking me back to all those endless moments we’ve spent together.

I swallow roughly, thumb dusting over stubble, and Mack leans into the touch. Like he’s starved for it.

My eyes mist, making the sight of him dip in and out of focus, and when he becomes clear again, his eyes are glassy too.

We’re suspended in a moment that doesn’t feel real, neither of us wanting to break the magic building around us.

His full lips part like he’s about to say something, bottom one trembling.

“I love you so much,” he whispers, and it kills me.

A stray tear finds my cheek, and I blink the rest of them away. “Mack …”

His hands cover mine, holding them to him, even as his expression turns from yearning to determined. “I know nothing has changed. Nothing. I think I love you more every day.”

“Stop.”

He steps in so our chests are touching.

I step back, but my hands are clamped in his, so I can’t go far. “Don’t do this.”

He tugs me back closer, and this time, he releases one of my hands to wrap his around my back. “Please? I know what this is. I know that loving you won’t change anything, and I’m not asking for you to give me anything more than one night. Just one. One where we shut the rest of the world out and ignore it until tomorrow.”

My heart is aching to say yes. Every cell in my body is straining toward him, wanting Mack more in this moment than I’ve ever wanted anything. How can we both be so completely on the same side when it comes to our feelings but be on polar opposite ones when it comes to what we need from our relationship?

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

His forehead meets mine. “What if I want you to?”

“I can’t.”

“You can.”

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