Page 232 of Make the Play

He stills, just for a second. Then he kisses me deeper. Slower, this time. The kind of kiss that brands, staking his claim all over again, sealing it with heat and reverence. When we break apart, he rests his forehead against mine.

“I meant every word,” he whispers. “I’ve loved you since the first time you rolled your eyes at me and told me I wasn’t funny.”

“Tell me again.”

His grin curves up on one side, hands framing my face as if I’m something fragile and holy. “I love you, Zoe Carlson. You make everything else make sense, even the chaos. Especially the chaos.”

I lean in and nip his lips. “This isreallyreal now, huh?”

“Reality squared, baby,” he says, bumping my nose with his. “The realest fucking real.”

My hands slide over his shoulders and into the hair at the nape of his neck. I pull him in and kiss him again, moaning as he presses closer and nudges a knee between my thighs.

And then—

click

The door swings open.

Logan freezes in the doorway, blank-faced, holding a PR folder and wearing the expression of a man who just walked in on a crime scene.

There’s a long, heavy pause.

“I swear to God,” he mutters flatly. “This is why I don’t leave my house. I’m here for a sponsorship meeting, not an exorcism.”

Chase doesn’t move. “We’re having afeelingsmoment!”

“You’re dry-humping a desk and three seconds from a felony,” Logan replies, backing out.

“I told you we needed a lock,” I mutter, burying my face in Chase’s hoodie.

“Mm, don’t worry. This was just foreplay.”

From the hallway, Logan yells, “You’re both banned from furniture!”

“Rude,” Chase calls back. “You walked in onlove, Pookie!”

“I walked in ontrauma!”

Chase lifts a brow, nuzzling my neck. “That went well.”

I snort. “HR’s gonna need therapy.”

He grins, tugging me close by the hips. “I’m absolutely getting banned from this building.”

“Good. Less paperwork.”

He leans in to kiss me again, but I plant a hand on his chest and push him back.

“Go. Before someone else walks in and has an aneurysm.”

He backs out slowly, his stupidly beautiful face locked on mine. “Reality squared, baby.”

I roll my eyes. “You’re never letting that go, are you?”

“Not a chance.” He winks. “Specially when it got me the girl.”

The door swings shut behind him, and I stare for a second, lips still tingling, heart still punching through my ribs.

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