Page 130 of Ice Princess

Gunner takes my hand in his. “Can you give me some time?”

I glance away.

“Please.” He pulls me to him and gives me a hug.

I melt completely. “How many more secrets do you have?”

“What do you mean?”

“Apart from when you started liking me and why you ghosted me.” I lean back. “What else is there?”

He tilts his head.

“You don’t secretly collect toenails or anything creepy like that, do you?”

He gives me a blank look. “Do I look like the kind of guy who collects toenails, Rebel?”

“No, but you can never really be sure. Guys like that don’t walk around with a sign.”Usually.Although I’m sure I couldfind a toenail collection convention if I looked hard enough online.

He shakes his head in a silent ‘what have I gotten myself into’.

“You’re regretting this already, aren’t you?”

“Never.”

“Are you sure?”

He nods.

“Even though your mom still hates me and I still can’t stand your family and things are only going to get tougher and weirder from here?”

I expect Gunner to laugh, but he doesn’t.

Instead, he gets very, very serious and says, “No matter how tough it gets, the one thing I will never, ever regret for the rest of my days is being with you.”

CHAPTER

THIRTY-EIGHT

GUNNER

I see Rebel off,hiding my smile the entire time.

The moment her truck zooms off the property, I let loose the sappy grin that’s been tugging on my mouth.

Rebel Hart is my girlfriend.

How did I get so lucky?

As I near the house, Mom throws the front door open and launches down the stairs.

“I saw the Hart girl leave in her truck. Were you two on the farm?”

I don’t answer, but mom reads my face and her mouth twists into a scowl. “Howcouldyou bring that woman here?”

“She’s my girlfriend and this is where I live.”

“Yes, but it’s whereIlive too. She shouldn’t be here when she’s trying to take over the Society!”

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