Page 82 of Second Quarter Comeback
“Yeah, well,” I say, glancing at Sarah, who’s now lounging by Lucian’s feet like she hasn’t just caused complete mayhem. “Your brother’s dog is the real mastermind here.”
Lucian smirks. “She’s brilliant. You just have to keep up.”
“Next time, you’re chasing her,” I shoot back, heading toward the house.
“Next time just tell her to stop. Very simple,” he calls after me, laughing.
As Killion falls into step beside me, he takes my hand, bringing it to his lips with a kiss so soft it sends a shiver through me. The gesture is effortless, like he does it without even thinking.
“I love you, you know?” he says, clearing his throat he adds, “Thank you for coming with me.”
His words land somewhere deep, unraveling a knot I hadn’t realized I’d been carrying. My steps falter slightly, and I glance up at him, my heart doing thatannoying thing where it skips like it’s auditioning for a romcom montage.
“You really love me?” I ask, my tone light and teasing, even though his words hit me like a tidal wave. “Are you sure?”
“Of course I am, Cam. You’ve always been it for me. My soulmate, the love of my life,” he
“I love you too,” I finally manage. The words feel big, bigger than the moment, but true all the same.
His grin fades into something warmer, more serious. “Yeah?”
“Yeah,” I say, though, every part of me feels like it’s teetering on the edge of something terrifyingly wonderful.
We stop just a few feet from the porch, the glow of the house spilling out around us. He turns to face me fully, his hands coming up to frame my face, his thumbs brushing lightly over my cheeks.
“Sorry again for . . . you know, fucking up fourteen years ago,” he murmurs, his eyes locked on mine like he’s afraid to blink and miss my reaction.
“We were young,” I say, my voice soft but steady. Then I let out a breath and break his gaze, staring at the ground like it holds all the answers. “And if I’d been in your place . . .” I trail off, forcing myself to meet his eyes again. “I probably would’ve done the same. Leave because everything back then felt huge—like life-or-death huge. And now? It’s just . . .” I shrug, letting the words hang between us.
And then he kisses me.
It’s not rushed, not one of those desperate, pin-you-to-the-wall kind of kisses. It’s slow—deliberate. Like he’s testing the waters, waiting for me to pull back. But I don’t. God, I don’t.
His lips are soft but firm, and the way he tilts his head just right makes my brain short-circuit. I feel it everywhere, from the tips of my fingers gripping his jacket to the slight tremble in my knees. It’s like he’s rewiring something inside me, flipping switches I didn’t even know were broken. Every moment I doubted this—doubted us—just dissolves.
By the time we pull back, I’m breathless. My lips tingle like they’ve been electrocuted (in the sexiest way possible), and my thoughts? Oh, they’ve completely abandoned me, probably off sipping margaritas on a beach somewhere.
He leans in, resting his forehead against mine, and his breath mingles with mine in the crisp night air. “You have no idea how much I love you,” he whispers, his voice low and thick with promise. There’s something tender there, too, and it makes my chest ache. Not in a bad way, though. More like my heart’s growing three sizes, Grinch-style.
I manage a smile, though I’m still working on that whole breathing thing. “I might, Crawford.”
His laugh is soft and warm, and it curls around me like a blanket fresh out of the dryer. He presses anotherquick kiss to my lips—just a teasing brush—before straightening up and taking my hand.
“Come on,” he says, his thumb sweeping over my knuckles as he tugs me toward the house. “Let’s go back inside. Maybe we can . . . head to bed?”
I stop dead in my tracks, my brow lifting. “Huh? We’re sharing a bed? Are we talking actual sleeping, or are we finally breaking the no-sex clause you’ve been clinging to like it’s some sacred vow?”
His lips twitch like he’s trying not to smile, but he fails miserably. “We can break it, but only if you’re a good girl.”
A laugh bursts out of me, sharp and loud, and I don’t even try to smother it. “Oh, I can be very good.” I lick my lips.
He grins, all wicked confidence now, and it sends a shiver down my spine. “We’ll see about that.”
And just like that, he tugs me inside. But the heat in his eyes? That promises we won’t be doing much sleeping.
Chapter Forty-Eight
Killion
