Page 18 of Boarding Pass
When you know, you know.
I wonder if it could be so simple.
Chapter ten
Iwakeuptothe steady sound of Miles breathing.
My cheek rests on his chest as the initial vestiges of morning light filter through the curtains into the room. I feel safe here, wrapped up in him. His warmth anchoring me to the moment.
Miles smells like clean soap, cedar, and a hint of salt from the ocean air—comforting and familiar, with a trace of leather and citrus.
I decide to keep my eyes closed. Stretch this quiet bubble of time just a little longer. I notice something’s off, though. Miles’s breathing is steady, but there’s tension in the rise and fall of his chest—like he’s somewhere else entirely.
When I’m ready, I tilt my head up to find him staring at the ceiling, brows slightly furrowed, lost in thought.
“Morning.” I stroke his nipple gently until it puckers.
He glances down at me, forcing a smile that doesn’t quite reach his eyes. “Morning.”
My heart pinches at how far away he looks. Like he’s here, but not really. “You’re quiet. Is there something wrong? Did my parents scare the shit out of you?”
“No. Well…” For a moment, I think he’s going to brush it off, but instead, he lets out a slow breath and rubs his hand over his face. “I’ve been thinking about something I did a while ago.”
“Oh?” I prop myself up on my elbow.
He hesitates, like the words are heavy and he’s not certain he should let them out. Eventually, he glances at me, his eyes raw and uncertain. “Have you ever said something you regret? Something making you wonderif you’re even capable of not screwing up the things that matter?”
The gritty honesty in his voice catches me off guard, but I nod. “Yeah. Of course. I think everyone has.”
“God.” He exhales again, his thumb tracing absently over my shoulder. “It’s about Shay and Austin. When I found out they were together, I didn’t handle it well.”
He doesn’t say anything else at first. It’s almost like he’s wading through the memory and picking his words carefully.
“I said things to her I can’t take back about things she can’t control. She’s my twin. I love her more than anything, and I still managed to hurt her.” His gaze fixes somewhere past me. “I mean, we’re all good now. I think. Sure, I lashed out because I was scared. I didn’t know how to deal with the thought of losing her. Of losing Austin, too. They’re the two people I’m closest to and it felt like they lied to me when they got together. Shut me out. I was so afraid of being left behind, I didn’t realize how much damage I was doing.”
I watch him carefully as he speaks. How his expression shifts between regret and something deeper—making my heart ache for him.
“I thought I was protecting her,” he continues. “But I was just protecting myself. I didn’t get it. Ididn’t understand what it meant to care about someone so much you’d risk everything for them. I thought they were being reckless, but the truth is…theyknew. They knew what they felt, and they chose each other.”
Miles turns to look at me, his eyes holding mine like he’s searching for—reassurance, maybe? Understanding. “I didn’t get it until now. Untilyou.”
His words unravel something inside me I didn’t know was wound so tight. My heart stutters and I feel my pulse race as the weight of what he’s saying sinks in.
For a moment, neither of us speaks. I can see how hard this is for him. How much it took to let me see this part of him. I grip his hand, lacing my fingers through his and squeeze gently.
“You’re not going to hurt me, Miles.” I trace the scruff on his chin with my free hand. “I know you won’t.”
His lips twitch like he wants to believe me but doesn’t quite know how. “I don’t want to mess this up,” he whispers against my ear. “Whatever this is. Sophie, it feels huge. I want to be worthy of it. Of you.”
The vulnerability in his voice makes my chest tighten, and I lean in, brushing my lips against his. Our kiss is slow and soft. A promise as much as a kiss. When we pull back, I let my forehead rest againsthis.
“You are,” I whisper. “You already are.”
“Fucking hell, do you know what you do to me?” Miles growls as he moves over me, each muscle flexing with his movement.
He places one leg between mine against my core, cups my breast and kisses me like we didn’t spend all night making love. I have no shame in grinding against him, whimpering when the stimulation to my clit sends zings up my spine. “Oh, Miles.Yessss.”
“You’re so fucking perfect.” He kisses down my neck to my collarbone. “I can’t keep my hands to myself. Your body is what dreams are made of.”
