Page 242 of Cloudy With a Chance of Bad Decisions

“I’m glad.” George’s cheeks were flushed, but his eyes were unguarded. His walls were gone. Left somewhere back at the airport where he’d had to tear through them to chase me down. Because that’s what he’d done. Worked through his own fears to meet me halfway—the way I’d always dreamed a partner would.

For the desperation we felt to be a mutual affliction.

We had more in common than we didn’t, despite being opposites.

Maybe that was what happened when you fell in love with your best friend.

Because, despite how odd that felt—considering we’d just met—I knew for a fact it was true.

George relaxed, the tension in his frame dissipating as his fingers slid up my arms to tangle in the back of my hair once more. The icy bite of his fingertips against my scalp sent a shiver down my spine.

He needed out of this rain.

Needed to be warmed up and kissed silly.

“So…what does that make us then?” I asked. Another honk sounded, but again, we ignored it. When I kissed the vulnerable shell of his ear, he tasted like summer rain. “Real boyfriends?Lovers? Love birds?—”

“Equals.” George’s voice was soft.

“Equals,” I echoed, squeezing him tight. “That’s the most poetic shit I’ve ever heard, you giant sap.”

“Shut up.”

“I won’t,” I grinned. His frame trembled with laughter, betraying his amusement. “You have to know that.”

George snorted in agreement.

And suddenly I had to taste him again. Had to taste that mouth, and its laughter. So I did. It was easy to yank him into my arms—to pull his soaked sneakers from the asphalt and support him with my bulk well above the ground. Reed thin, and lovely, George was the most welcome weight I’d ever carried.

He made this delightfully shocked sound as he stiffened—then relaxed, meeting my kiss bite for bite, lick for lick.

Equal, the way all partners should be.

Equal, the way I’d never felt with anyone else.

My family was ecstatic to say the least when they found out I was staying for a few more days. Even more so, when I explained that I was moving back indefinitely. Missy, my roommate, was equally unhinged in her reply when I’d told her what happened.

“I honestly never would’ve expected this,” she said over the phone, sounding amused and delighted for me in equal measure. “Good for you, George. Taking a chance on the unpredictable.”

The truth was, I’d never expected this either.

Falling in love in less than a week.

Abandoning my life—and all I’d known—to chase a fairy tale that shouldn’t have made as much sense as it did.

But…every time I saw Alex’s grin, I was reminded why being illogical might be the most logical thing I’d ever done. Because picking this “ending” for my story had meant that I was going to see as many of those smiles as I wanted.

And Christ, that was a gift.

I’d never forget the way he looked at me, standing in the rain. Drenched. Eyes red-rimmed. Defeat written over every inch of his large, drooping body. He’d looked so small. So needy, and so grateful to see me.

All it had taken was one glance at that tear-streaked, heart-broken face to know that I’d been right. Been right about everything. And I’d never been more glad in all my life that I’d taken a chance on something with no discernable outcome.

Alex needed me the same way I needed him.

We filled each other’s wells.

I’d never regret my choice.

---