Page 96 of Pastel Kisses

For a while, we just lay there—satisfied, quiet, wrapped in a peaceful afterglow that feels like the whole world has melted away. But eventually, reality starts to creep back in, inching along the edges of my mind like a slow-moving tide.

I stretch across the tangled sheets, skin still buzzing, but my gaze flicks toward the clock on the wall. My brows draw together.

“They were only supposed to be gone for thirty minutes… forty, tops,” I murmur, more to myself than to him. “We joked they’d walk in and catch us in the middle of everything… or maybe try to join in, depending on who it was.” I let out a soft laugh, but it dies quickly.

He props himself up on one elbow beside me, eyes still half-lidded from our earlier high, but instantly more alert. “They’re fine, baby. It’s probably just traffic… or Liam convinced them to grab dessert and took forever picking the right one.” He leans in, brushing his lips over my shoulder. “You know how he gets about sweets.”

“I know,” I whisper, letting out a small laugh, but it’s laced with nerves. “I just… I don’t know. I had this picture in my head that they’d walk in mid-make-out or something. I didn’t expect… silence. For this long.”

Lennox pulls me closer, cupping my cheek with his palm. “They’re okay. I promise.”

I nod, but my eyes still flick toward the bedroom door. My instincts are better now—sharpened after everything we’ve been through.

“Come on,” Lennox says softly, pressing a tender kiss to my temple. “Let’s get dressed, and you can give them a call while we finish things up in the kitchen. You and Kam already did the heavy lifting—we’ll just plate everything and keep it warm so it’s ready when they get back.” He pauses, brushing his knuckles down my arm in that calming way he knows always grounds me. “It’ll help take your mind off the spiraling. I know you’re worried, but Sarah’s locked away for good this time. She’s not getting anywhere near us. Not now. Not ever.”

With a sigh, I nod again, slower this time. “You’re right.”

He flashes me a grin as he stands and pulls on a pair of joggers. “Aren’t I always?”

I toss a pillow at him and slip out of bed. “Only when I’m not.”

We dress quickly, the familiar comfort of moving around together in our shared space helping to ease some of the tension pulling tight across my shoulders. As we walk into the kitchen, the smell of roasted garlic and butter hits my nose—warm, homey, grounding. Lennox sets out plates while I reheat a couple of dishes and check the oven.

Just as I’m about to tap Liam’s name on my screen, ready to launch into a very concerned—and maybe slightly dramatic—where-the-heck-are-you monologue, the front door swings open.

Chaos follows.

Footsteps, laughter, the crinkle of shopping bags, Lexxas babbling loudly over it all like she’s delivering the evening news. The entire house shifts with their energy, warm and loud and full of life. Relief floods me, but it’s quickly overtaken by the fire of motherly indignation. They were gonewaytoo long for what was supposed to be a “quick trip.”

Lennox leans over and murmurs near my ear with a smirk, “Go get ’em, Mama Bear.”

Oh, I intend to.

“Where have you been?” I grill Jaxton, stepping out from the kitchen with my hands still dusted in flour, an apron tied securely around my waist and the smell of roasted herbs trailing after me. My arms fold instinctively across my chest—not out of anger, but from the quiet storm of worry that’s been brewing. “You were supposed to be back over an hour ago.”

The second I lay eyes on them, my heart skips—just a little traitorous beat—and the tension I’ve been holding starts to fray at the edges.

“We stopped by Mom and Dad’s,” he says, voice warm and low. “Wanted to introduce Lexxas... figured it was time.”

Everything inside me softens. My posture, my breath, the tight hold I had on my worry. “You should’ve told me. I would’ve gone too.”

“We’ll go again tomorrow,” he murmurs, brushing a loose curl away from my face like it’s second nature. “But next time, we’ll bundle Lex a little tighter. Weather’s dropping fast.”

I can’t help the grin that stretches across my face, excitement bubbling up like it always does this time of year. “They’re saying snow tonight.”

He snorts, rolling his eyes in the most adorable way. “In Louisiana? We haven’t seen a white Christmas since I was ten.”

“Let me have my dream,” I tease, nudging him playfully.

“I’ll give you anything you want.”

And then he kisses me—slow and sure and so full of meaning it steals the air from my lungs. My knees buckle, but he’s already got me, guiding me backward until I feel the cool press of the fridge behind me, his body shielding mine from the rest of the world. It’s not just a kiss. It’s everything we’ve been through—everything we’ve survived—wrapped into one breathless vow that he won’t say out loud, but I feel down to my bones.

Just when I’m melting completely into him, a familiar voice slices through the heat of the moment.

“Alright, that’s enough.” Lennox strides back in with Lexxas perched on his hip like a little queen, his brow furrowed and mouth drawn into his best imitation of stern dad mode. “You two are ridiculous. Bee, come sit down. You’ve been cooking all afternoon with Kam—you’re done for the day.”

I laugh, heart still racing from the kiss and the relief, and press one last soft peck to Jaxton’s jaw before turning to follow Lennox into the dining room.

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