Page 93 of The Midseason Fakeout

“What is it?”

She shakes her head, pressing her lips together. “After. We can talk about you.”

“Bullshit,” I tell her. “My girl’s in pain, and I want to know why. Is it Darrin? Did he say something to you?”

Her lower lip trembles, and Darrin’s words come rushing back to me.I just watched my sister have a complete meltdown.

“You better tell me before I burn the world down trying to figure it out myself.”

“It’s…everything,” she says, more tears tracking down her face, and she gives me a wobbly smile. “I got a text from my mom. She’s coming here tomorrow. Darrin tried to kill himself in high school. I found out Mom and Dad already signed us up for Carnegie. But I’m…I’m in love with you, Aidan, and I’m worried.”

Her words are an onslaught. Blow after blow. Until I hear those five words.

I’m in love with you.

Then nothing else matters.

I dip down, claiming her mouth again. Her lips are salty. I kiss and wipe the tears away as they fall down her cheeks. Very few people have told me they love me. I can’t even remember my birth mother saying that. I’ve tried and tried, but the few things I can remember aren’t words of love or devotion. They’re words of goodbye.

A few words, a simple hand squeeze before a car pulled up to the curb. She straightened my shirt, and then off I went. I didn’t even realize it was forever until I was introduced to my new parents in a sterile office.

I kiss Bailey until my lips ache. Until I’m tired, but I’ll never be tired of hearing what she just said. “You love me?” I ask when I finally let her come up for air.

She nods.

I can probably count on one hand how many times I’ve said those words in my life. What a strange, odd feeling that it’s bursting out of me. That I feel like I will come apart if I don’t say it. The words are missiles, counting down to ignition.

“I love you, Bailey Covington.” The raw honesty escaping me makes tears form in my eyes. “I fucking love you. Everything you just said, we’ll figure it out together.” I grab her hands and hold them in front of me before dropping my forehead to hers. “I promise.”

She gives me a wobbly smile. “You do?”

I nod, and she throws herself at me. Catching her in my arms is a moment of pure bliss. Second to none. It’s Bailey’s heart in my hands and then the feeling I get when I run out onto the field. Both of them are like soaring through the clouds but having roots at the same time.

Chills run up and down my arms. West was right. I can have both. Actually, the more I think about it, the more complete my life will be when I have both.

I kiss her again, my hands roaming freely. She arches into me and any resolve I came in here with melts off me.

I choose love.

I choose to live in the moment.

I could let the other things threaten to take me down, but not when I have this.

“I want to feel you,” I tell her, kissing up her neck.

“We should talk,” she whispers, but her hips move against mine.

“Mmm,” I moan into her ear. “We should.”

My words belie my actions. I squeeze her ass, then work her shirt over her head so I can bury my face in her cleavage, nipping and sucking.

She throws her head back, gasping. “There are things to discuss,” she tells me, her voice wavering as I work her core over my lengthening cock.

“Important things,” I agree.

“Aidan, we have decisions to make.”

I nod, moving the cup of her bra out of the way with my teeth so I can take her nipple into my mouth, lashing at it with my tongue.

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