Page 55 of Unexpected Pass

“Phileigh, you were excellent!” Brittani exclaimed, giving me a warm hug.

“Thank you so much for this opportunity. I had so much fun!” My heart was still racing.

“Thank you for accepting the invite. Will I see you tomorrow, or have we run you off?” she joked.

“You’ll definitely be seeing me tomorrow,” I said before stepping off the stage and heading toward the back.

I barely made it two steps into the dressing room before I saw Kellon grinning like he’d just won the lottery. He was holding a vibrant bouquet of roses and sunflowers and some fluffy pink flowers I couldn’t name.

“You did so good!” He stepped forward like he couldn’t get to me fast enough. “I’m so proud of you.”

As he handed me the flowers, my heart felt like it might burst. I buried my nose in them and inhaled the sweet scent. “These are gorgeous… and completely unexpected. Thank you.”

He leaned down, his lips grazing my cheek. “You deserve them. And I’m not done yet. Do you trust me?”

I blinked up at him, already warm from his closeness. “Always.”

“Good.”

He linked his fingers through mine and led me down the hallway, into the elevator, and to the rooftop. The doors slid open, and early morning New York City greeted us like a live postcard. I gasped. My eyes doubled in size.

“Kellon, this is… stunning,” I whispered.

“I thought it was only right that we celebrate. It’s not every day you and our little plus one make a talk show appearance.”

He guided me toward a cozy corner of the rooftop where a picnic blanket was spread out, surrounded by candles in glass jars. A basket sat in the center, overflowing with orange juice, fruit, and little breakfast pastries he definitely didn’t get from a grocery store. Nah, this stuff was special ordered. I wondered how he could pull off something so beautiful in such a short time.

“How did you do all of this?” I asked, sitting down beside him.

“You know I’m Kellon Barnes, right?” He shrugged like it was nothing, though I could see the proud look in his eyes. “Nah, I just wanted this day to feel special. You killed that shit, Phee.”

“I was shaking like a leaf the whole time.”

“Couldn’t tell. You looked like you belonged out there. Sexy, confident… like a boss.”

“Sexy, huh? You think I looked sexy out there?”

“Did.” He leaned in. His eyes were low and dark.

“Is that so?” I giggled.

Before I could say anything else, he leaned closer. His hand slid along the curve of my jaw.

“Yeah,” he murmured. “And now I’m sitting here trying real hard to respect your boundaries and this friendship?—”

“Don’t.”

“Don’t what, Phee?”

“Don’t hold back.”

I could barely finish my sentence before he kissed me. My hands tangled in his hoodie as he deepened the kiss, forcing my lips apart like he was hungry for my tongue. I let out a soft moan as his hand slid down my back, pulling me into his lap.

“We gotta stop kissing like this,” he admitted, brushing his mouth against my neck.

“Why?”

“’Cause I want to be inside you. I need to be inside you.” He kissed the corner of my mouth. “And I said I wouldn’t slide up in you until you saw the doctor.”

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