Page 133 of Seal the Deal

“I love you, too.” Jake’s hands skate up to my shoulders and squeeze lightly. “Go get ready, I’ll make sure Nina has everything she needs with the kids.”

I close my eyes, shaking my head with a smile. Moments like this show me just how deeply Jake cares, how he’s always two steps ahead, thinking of me. He loves me enough to know all the little things as much as the big ones.

“You’re too good to me,” I say, pressing a soft kiss to his cheek.

“Trust me, Lady Lightning,” he says, pulling me in, voice dipping into that possessive timbre. “You make it easy. And it’s not about being too good, I want to be the man you deserve.”

I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Okay, I’ll go get ready.”

“Good,” he says, his hands sliding down to give me a light tap on the ass as I head for the stairs.

I laugh, already feeling a little lighter. Like he’s injected his own brand of sunshine into my veins, and I’m ready to take on the day.

Chapter forty-one

Push me, asshole. See what happens

Jake – 12 Years Ago

The sun’s setting, casting a golden glow across the field, but something’s off. Charlie sits alone in the bleachers, her head bent low, fingers twisting in her lap. The usual spark in her is dim. She’s closed off, and it sends a ripple of unease through me.

The rest of the group is still goofing around on the field, but I can’t focus on anything except her. Something’s wrong. I feel it, a heavy shift in the air that sinks into me. And I don’t like it one bit.

I move toward her, an instinct kicking in. I don’t know what’s wrong, but it doesn’t matter. She’s not okay, and that’s all I need to know.

I make it to the bleachers and slide in next to her, close enough to feel the tension. “Hey. What’s going on?”

She glances at me, her eyes rimmed red. My chest tightens—she’s holding back tears. “Nothing,” she whispers, voice small. “It’s stupid.”

I shake my head, jaw tight. “If it’s got you like this, it’s not stupid.”

She sighs, running a hand through her hair. “I don’t know... Everything’s just messy. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do when this is over.”

Her shoulders sag, and it’s like watching the strongest person I know crumble. Something inside me twists—hard.

“You’re not stuck, Charlie,” I say, voice rougher than I intend. “You’llfigure it out, you always do.”

She forces a smile, but it doesn’t reach her eyes. It’s hollow. “Sometimes it feels like I’m just pretending I’ve got it together.”

Anger stirs in me. Not at her, but at whatever or whoever has made her feel like this. Like she’s not enough. The need to shield her from it flares in me, fierce and possessive. I’ve never felt this surge to protect before. Without thinking, I reach out and place my hand on her knee.

“You don’t have to have it all together. Not with me.”

Her wide eyes snap to mine, startled. Something passes between us, unsaid but undeniable. I hold her gaze like I’m daring her to look away, but she doesn’t.

Her hand slides over mine, sending a jolt through me, solidifying this unspoken connection. It’s a move that’s too much for just friends. Too close. Too familiar. It’s something more, something deeper than either of us will openly acknowledge.

“Thanks,” she whispers.

I tighten my grip on her knee as I lean closer. “And if anyone ever makes you feel less than what you are, they’ll answer to me.”

The words come out fierce and low, more promise than threat. They hang between us, heavier than I intended. But I mean every damn word. The thought of someone hurting her, of making her feel any less than the magic she is… It sets something raw and primal alight in me. Something that says she’s mine to protect.

She laughs softly, but there’s a weight to it, like she knows exactly what I’m saying. Like she knows I’d go to war for her if I had to.

We sit there in the dusky light, my hand on her knee, hers on mine. The world around us fades, like it always does when it’s just the two of us. But this time, it’s different. It’s not just comfort in her presence—it’s the weight of something deeper. It’s the weight of realizing I’d do anything for her.

Always.

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