Page 93 of The Confidentiality Clause
“I know you can go home and work without your laptop, but try to take my advice. I’ve been where you are. It’s only going to hurt you in the long run if you push too hard. At the end of the day, this is just a job.”
He nods, but I know he doesn’t get it yet. He will one day. I’ll make sure of it.
“Have a good night,” he says in response.
“I will.” I smile as Ariel comes to mind again. “You too.”
The drive home takes longer than I want it to, but five seconds is too long today. There’s an ache in my bones that can only be relieved by Ariel. I walk in, and pure comfort envelops my senses. The sound of jazz, the smell of delicious food, and the sight of Ariel moving around my kitchen in her favorite Duke sweatshirt. All of it combines to make the perfect balm for my weary mind.
I lean against the archway of the kitchen and watch her. She sprinkles salt on the two steaks on a wooden cutting board that she bought to keep here. There are touches of her all over my house. Blankets on the couch, snacks in the pantry, a mat by the front door. Every time she comes over, she brings something new.
“I know you’re back there,” Ariel says as she flips the steaks over with tongs to season the other side. “Quit being a stalker and come kiss me.”
I chuckle. “Yes, ma’am.”
I cross the kitchen and she turns to face me. She wraps her arms around my neck, and she pushes onto her tiptoes to give me a gentle kiss. The stress of the day disappears like it alwaysdoes in her embrace. I trail kisses from her mouth to her neck, then rest there, breathing in her warm, sweet scent.
“Long day?” She combs her fingers through the back of my hair.
I hum against her neck.
“Dinner will be done shortly. How about you get a shower and put on some sweats, and then we’ll eat on the couch?” She starts to massage the back of my neck, making me groan. No one has ever made me feel so cared for and understood as her.
“I love you,” I say against her skin and she stills.
“Did you just say you love me?” she whispers.
I pull back to stare into her beautiful blue eyes.
“I did,” I say, and frame her face with my hands. “I love you, Ariel. I didn’t plan on blurting it out like this, but every time we’re together, the feeling overwhelms me.”
She smiles, her eyes shining with tears. “I love you, too. I’ve been afraid I was moving too fast. I know I have a tendency to do that–”
I cut her off with a kiss. “I love how big your heart is. I want it to be mine.”
“It is. I think it has been for some time. You’ve been stealing pieces of it for weeks now.”
We share a long, full kiss that leaves us both breathless. I pull her against my chest and hold her tight.
“You said once that you wanted an earth-shattering love,” I speak into her hair.
“Yes,” she breathes, her voice thick with emotion.
“I promise to work every day to give you that. To give you exactly what you deserve.”
She squeezes her arms around me. “I-I don’t know what to say.”
I smile and kiss the crown of her head. “That’s okay. This is enough. Just holding you will always be enough for me.”
I spot her phone within reach. I grab it and change the song to one of her favorites by Wyatt Parker. She smiles up at me when it starts to play. We sway to the music. Lyrics about falling in love with someone you’ve known forever float around us as we share soft kisses. Ariel rests her head against my chest, and I realize with intense clarity what my friends have been saying for months. This is what I’ve been searching for. I thought accolades and money would fill the void, but it’s her. Her love mends every crack and fills in every crevice of my heart as if she were made just for me.
I made it, I think as she presses a kiss right over my heart.I finally made it.
Epilogue
Author’s note: Since this is the final book in the More Than a Game series, I thought it would be fun to visit each of our couples one last time. If you haven’t read all of the books yet, feel free to skip around to which ones you have! Thank you for reading. This whole series was so fun for me to write, and this final book was no exception. Be sure to read to the end to see what’s coming next! All my love, AC
Brock Jones
