Page 67 of The Rules

“You missed the end of the movie.” Dylan stretched too, groaning in a way that he knew showed his age. “It was the mother the whole time.”

“Obviously.”

“Oh. You knew that, huh?” He poked her arm.

She groaned. “I should have known you wouldn’t have figured it out since I had to explain the ending ofShutter Islandto you twice.”

He cracked up. It was his favorite part about her, the way she had no mercy when it came to his ego. He banded an arm around her waist and held her in place. “Be nice,” he said, his fingers creeping along her sides.

“Tickling a woman with cramps is a good way to get a broken nose.”

“Aw. You still have a tummy ache, Dani-pie?” He let his tickle threat fade into a hug, tugging her onto his lap and bending to set his chin on her shoulder. She made a little sigh that wormed its way straight into his bloodstream.

“I feel better actually,” she said, snuggling closer. “Your heating pad might actually be magic. Sorry if I was snippy.”

“You weren’t.”

She nuzzled her face into his neck, slipping her arms around his back in a hug that was so affectionate it made his chest tight. A wave of longing washed over him. The same one he’d felt in the water last weekend. He had her in his lap, her flesh beneath his fingertips, but it wasn’t enough.

“Dani?” he whispered.

“Mmm?”

“Can I stay tonight?”

“Yes,” she said, snuggling closer. “I want you to stay.”

He nodded. Everything felt tense. He couldn’t pull in enough air, like the room itself was holding its breath, waiting for him to figure out where he was going to take this. Dani was right. Something had happened in the water last weekend. Something hadbeenhappening.

He squeezed her tighter, every cell in his body screaming at the idea that she was only halfway his and only in secret.

He couldn’t take it anymore. How could some website say she was supposed to be with someone else when he was the one who knew all of her little secrets? The way she’d toss her hair and push her lips into a pout when she didn’t think she was getting enough attention. How just before she fell asleep, she’d flop onto her stomach and kick one leg out of the covers. That bringing her coffee in bed was the best way to convince her to share a shower.Hewas the one who knew all of the spots that made her scream his name, and he was the one who’d made her laugh when she was heartbroken. Maybe he’d never been “the right guy” before, but he also wasn’t the guy who let something he wanted stay just outside his reach. And God damn it, fuck it, he wanted Dani.

All of her.

He cleared his throat, his heart hammering. “Do you ever think that maybe this whole soulmate thing might just be a fairytale?” he asked.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean of all the people in this world, you’re supposed to be out there looking for one match?”

Her brow furrowed. “You don’t believe there’s one person for everyone?”

“I think it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.”

She leaned her head on his shoulder, her breath on his neck. “Explain.”

“Take Josh. He’s had too much shit go down in his life to chalk it up to chaos or chance. It would be too hard to wrap his head around, so he believes there’s a plan, and Cat is it. He’ll spend the rest of his life dedicated to that. Even if there was someone else out there, he’d never see her.” Dani gave a tiny nod. “Me on the other hand, I hate the thought of some predetermined plan for me. What’s the fucking point of living if I don’t have a chance to make some choices?”

“I get that,” she said, “but the thought of choices like that, the big ones, in my hands only? It’s terrifying. Look at all the ways I could mess up my life. I like to think there are some safety features on this ride—someone making sure it doesn’t go off the rails.”

“What about people like my mother?” he asked. “Who was supposed to buckle her seatbelt?” A little voice told him to shut up, leave his dirty laundry out of this, but something about talking to Dani always made that little voice sound further away.

“My father was a monster,” he said. “Treated her like shit, and then left her to work the rest of her life for his mistakes. Was that sad life her destiny? Or did they both make choices that put them there?” He tipped her chin with his fingers, looking her in the eye. “You met Josh the same night as Cat. You met him first. He’s a good looking guy, you’re a beautiful woman. What if Cat wasn’t there that night? Maybe you two’d be married right now.”

A laugh bubbled out of her, shaking her shoulders. “No way.”

“Why not?”

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