Page 99 of Crash & Burn

I know I will fall for Eddie. Hard.

Because I already have.

“Whoa, whoa. I see the wheels turning, sunshine. Come back to me,” he says.

“What?” Eddie is now right in front of me, using his vampire-speed again because I didn’t even notice he closed the space between us until I felt his hands on my cheeks.

He gently angles my head up towards him, so I’m no longer looking at his chest.

“I can tell when your mind starts racing, you go quiet, and I can almost see the thoughts spinning around in your head. Tell me what you’re thinking?”

I sigh, letting out a humorless laugh becauseof courseEddie can tell when I’m spiraling. He is full of shit when he says he can’t read me as well as I can read him.

“I think we should keep things between us. For now. Until we figure out whatweare.”

Eddie ponders for a moment, his brows knitting together, repeating my words in his head. Realization must hit him as to why I think we should keep things a secret for now because after a second or two, his face relaxes, and he gives me a soft smile, and he drops his hands from my face.

“You don’t want Mateo to find out?”

I let out another sigh, bigger this time. That is part of it. Abigpart of it. “I just don’t want to cause issues between you two or between me and him or us and our friends. Mateo’s the only family I have and you guys are best friends. If we keep things between us there is no risk of anyone having to pick sides.” I don’t tell him about my thoughts about Nico. I think of Nico often; I always will. But bringing that up now will only complicate this already-complicated situation.

Eddie nods, and I can tell his wheels are turning too, but I know him well enough that he will keep it to himself.

Something we definitely need to work on.

“Whatever you want, sunshine,” he finally says. “But, I want you to know, I’m all in. I told you before, you saying you wanted me made all my dreams come true. I’m yours, and I want nothing more than to shout it to the world, but if you want to keep things a secret for now, I’ll do it.” He wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me into him and taking my breath away. “You’ll just have to let me know when you’re ready.”

I nod, forgetting how to form words at his admission.

“The last thing I want is to come between you and your brother or you and your friends. I told you, I’m not going to be a burden to you. You’re taking a chance on me, and I’m going to work my ass off to show you that it wasn’t wasted.”

“Eddie,” I start. I want to tell him that I don’t see him the way he sees himself. The picture he paints of himself, the one he convinces himself that is therealhim, is a construed version built from years of unresolved trauma and unfinished healing and putting everyone before himself.

Something else we need to work on.

But none of it leaves my head because he continues before I can say a word.

“And one more thing, while we’re ‘figuring things out,’” he adds. “Even if I can’t show it, you aremine. No one else’s.” He pulls me in for a kiss that makes my head spin. His lips moving against mine reignites theneedfor him that sparked in his truck, and honestly way before that, but he pulls away before I can wrap my arms around his neck and bring him to my bed. “And don’t test me, sunshine.”

“What?” My lips feel tingly with the aftermath of that kiss, and I don’t even know what he is talking about.

“If I see someone’s else’s hands on you, or even their eyes on you for too long, no matter where we are, I don’t care who sees. I will make it known that you aremine.”

He smirks and taps me on the nose with his finger before turning to leave me standing in the middle of the apartment, speechless.

Chapter 33

Eddie

Ask me how I feel about keeping Mia a secret and I can’t say that I’m in love with the idea. While I get the intention, her wanting to figure out what we are before we possibly cause Mateo to go into cardiac arrest, I don’t like it.

I’ve waited for Mia for months, wishing she was mine since I realized how well she fits into this mess I call my life, and when she said she wanted me.All of me. I was done for.

No more telling myself I can’t have her because Ican.

She’smine.

Even if I don’t deserve her, I’ve been saying for months now that I am too selfish of a man to deny myself of her for any longer.

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