Page 54 of At the Edge with You

My thoughts never really stop, but in his arms, I can just be without them taking over.

Jett presses a soft kiss to the crown of my head, and then against my hair, he whispers, “I’ve got you.”

I almost come undone in his arms. I cling to him as I nuzzle my nose into his neck, and the moan that comes from the back of his throat has me burning from head to toe. His thumbs rub circles along my hips as he holds me, and I’ve never felt so safe in my life. His scent intoxicates me as I inhale him greedily, needing it to steady me.

And he holds me.

For what seems like forever, when really, it’s only a minute or two. When I feel somewhat steady, I pull back to look up at him, and his eyes are filled with apprehension. “Tell me what’s going on in that head, princess.”

My lip quivers as I clench my fingers in the front of his hoodie, still needing his support. My voice is rough as I admit, “Inside is a storm. I just can’t let it out.”

I don’t want to unload on him. It’s all too much, and I refuse to let anyone else carry my burdens. His eyes darken as he gathers me closer. “Let it out, princess. I’ll weather it with you.”

A sob rips from my throat as my heart skips at his words, and our eyes stay locked. No one has ever reacted that way to my saying, but I should have known that Jett would. “It’s a lot.”

“I can handle it.” He squeezes my chin. “I can handle you.”

Tears spill over my cheeks again, and I can’t look away. A blush fills his cheeks like he hadn’t meant to throw those words out there, but they are in the air now, and they’re mine.

I never want to let them go. Lethimgo. But is that a reality for us?

I don’t know, but I unload all my thoughts—about the community and my parents. He listens intently, his eyes never wavering and his lips pressed firmly together. When I finish, I let out a long breath, and he nods. “I told you I’d go with you to the meetings. It’ll make people more open to what you’re selling if they see us as a team.”

“I don’t want to bother you with it,” I admit, still clinging to him. “You don’t want to do any of this stuff, and I wanted to do it on my own.”

“But you’re not alone,” he tells me, holding my gaze. “We’re partners, right?”

I chew on the inside of my cheek, running my fingers along the stitching of his hoodie’s pocket. “We are.”

“I’ve let you down, and I’m sorry. I want to do this with you.”

I look up at him through my lashes. “Only because you want to kiss me.”

His chuckle is low, dark as he gathers me closer. “I want to do more than kiss you, princess,” he says in the same rough manner as his chuckle. The words burn through me like a wildfire, and I don’t want to put out the flames. “But that’s not the reason I want to do this with you.”

“Then why?”

“Because we work great together. I had to swallow my pride to realize that and listen to my mentor from heaven. Now thatI have, I want this to work.” He exhales a long breath. “Phillip was right to get you to stay here. I’m fighting you at every turn, the town is being…the town, and you’re still pulling in kids and selling ad space. I was wrong.”

I press my lips together as my pride overflows. “I don’t want to let you down.”

“You’re not.”

His words are so solid, like a promise. “Now, your parents… Shit, I don’t know. They are a piece of work, but with you moving out, I know it’ll help.”

“I don’t want to be near them.”

“Then don’t. That’s your choice, no one else’s.”

I meet his gaze again. “Can I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

“You acted as if you were used to my mom treating you that way. I know she was always stuck-up, but did they tell you to stay away from me?”

His lips quirk up, but I see so much pain in his eyes. “Every day.”

I blink, my heart breaking in my chest. “Why? Why would they do that?”

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