Page 153 of My Only

It felt real.

It felt damn good.

But none of it mattered if I didn’t have Ayla.

After a quick shower, I pulled on some sweats and made my way down the stairs, toward the guest bedroom.

For the first time in days, I felt clear-headed.

Last night, I couldn’t face her. I was too ashamed, too drained, too disgusted with myself for letting Harper outsmart me.

The night before that, she locked the door.

Tonight?

If she locked the door again, I’d do whatever it took to get her to open it.

To open her heart to me again.

Because I wasn’t giving up.

Not now.

Not ever.

The guest room’s door opened with ease, and I exhaled with relief.

Ayla was in bed, facing away, but I knew she wasn’t asleep. Not yet.

She turned onto her back as soon as I stepped inside, her eyes meeting mine in the dim light.

I didn’t say anything. I just climbed into bed beside her, lifting the summer down and pulling it over me.

This bed was smaller than ours. A queen-sized mattress in the guest room that was never meant for me. With my tall frame and long limbs, it didn’t fit. But Ayla was here, and so, I would be too.

I laid my head against the pillow, locking eyes with her as she shifted to face me. Her expression softened as she studied me, her gaze searching my face. Taking me in. Reading me like she always did.

Then, without a word, her hand came up to my face. I closed my eyes at the warmth of her touch, pressing into her palm.

A moment later, she wrapped her arm around me, pulling me into her.

And God, I needed it.

I let go. Just for a second. Let myself sink into her embrace, breathing her in, feeling her against me, her warmth, her heartbeat.

I held her tighter. Buried my face in her shoulder, inhaling the scent of her skin. I kissed her there.

Once.

Then twice.

Soft, lingering kisses trailing up toward her lips.

She moaned the second we kissed, and that sound? That sound did something to me. Like always.

Our lips parted, tongues brushing, searching. Slow, deep strokes as we got lost in each other again.

I pulled back first, needing to breathe, but barely able to let her go.

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