Page 63 of Some Kind of Forever
“She’s going to hear that shit though, and probably already has before. You can’t protect her from that kind of stuff, Chase.”
“I can try!” I say, adrenaline making my voice more forceful than I mean it to be. Lacing my fingers at the back of my head, I blow out a puff of air as I pace, trying to rid myself of the pounding energy coursing through me.
“You love her, don’t you?” His question catches me off guard, and I don’t answer, choosing to stare at the sand and toe the edge of the bluff. “Have you told her yet?”
I shake my head.
“Whyhaven’t you told her yet?”
With a deep breath, drawing out the exhale, I run my hands through my hair. “It’s too soon. The timing’s not right.”
“I mean, sure, if you’d only spent a few days together. But it’s been almost every day for the last two months, working together, saving her from a nasty fall,andsupporting her through a family secret that left her devastated. If you’re feeling it, maybe it’s not too early.” Hunter kicks at the ground, watching the spray of sand.
I shake my head again, trying to breathe out the rest of the aggression in my body. “I can’t. If I tell her now, she’ll run, and I don’t want to lose her,” I say finally, swiping my hands through my hair.
Hunter nods, watching me as I unravel in front of him. “Fair enough, but maybe no more boxing, eh?” he jokes, punching my shoulder. We stay out on the beach for several minutes, listening to the whirring of the tide until I feel calm enough to rejoin the party. The chaos from outside has left me extremely tired, and when we get back to the house, all I want to do is fall into bed.
Finding Kayla, I wrap my arms around her from behind, breathing her in. “Can we stay over here tonight?” I ask, hopeful she won’t make me drive her back across town. She nods, and we make our way around Kendall’s place to say goodbye.
My arm fliesto my wide-open mouth as I stifle a yawn at the sight of my bed. I kick off my shoes and catch Kayla watching me. She tilts her head before putting her palms on my chest, wheeling me backward until I’m sitting on the bed. “You’re sleepy, so let’s go to sleep,” she says, slipping off her shoes and letting the bun out of her hair.
“I’m okay. I need to talk to you about something first.” Unable to catch myself, I yawn again.
“It can wait for the morning.” She moves around the bed, plumping up pillows and turning down the bedspread. “Lie down.”
Shaking my head and trying to keep my eyes open, I mumble, “It’s gotta be tonight.”
“Okay, well, let’s snuggle, and then you can tell me. Deal?” My exhaustion can’t really argue with that logic, so I lay back on the pillow, arms open, waiting for her to climb in. As soon as her head lays against my chest, I cling to her, resting in her warmth as my heartbeat slows. All the worry dissolves under her touch, and the only thing I’m concerned with is being here, right now, with her. Maybe my messagecanwait until the morning.
I start to doze before my eyes pop open, remembering what I needed to tell her. “I have to leave Friday,” I murmur, waiting for her to tense beside me. She doesn’t move, taking so long to answer that I wonder if she’s fallen asleep. “Baby?” I crane my neck to peek at her face.
“Okay. We’ll figure it out in the morning.” She squeezes me a little tighter, and there’s only a few deep breaths between me and sleep before I’m out.
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
KAYLA
The morning sun streaming through the curtains wakes me. I don’t know the last time I slept in this late, but it’s nice to feel rested for once. Family dinner last night was better than I could have ever imagined. Even though things are still a little awkward between us, I’m excited to learn more about my newfound family.
Blinking to help the room come into focus, I look up to see Chase is still asleep, his lips parted slightly. The rays cast angelic golden highlights across his mussed hair, making it almost impossible for me to look away from the unbelievably caring soul beside me. He gave them the idea for dinner last night.For me. For my comfort. That thought alone makes me feel giddy inside. I like the way I feel when I’m with Chase—cherished and safe, and undeniably wanted.
As my sleepy thoughts shift into awareness, I remember what he told me before falling asleep last night. I’m torn between memorizing the lines of his chiseled face and closing my eyes to keep cuddling for a little longer. He’s leaving Friday; less than a week away. It feels too soon, like we have too much to figure out between now and then. I don’t even know where to start. Apart from deciding to continue seeing each other once I head back toschool, we haven’t talked about any kind of logistics. Between my internship, his new job, an hour-long distance, and whatever else life tries to throw in, there just seems to be a lot of obstacles. My mind races through everything that could go wrong. Trying to control the spiral before it takes hold, I look back up at the peaceful face stirring next to me. I trace the line of his jaw, the hair on his face tickling my fingers as I go.
“You having fun?” Chase smiles with his eyes still closed.
“And what if I am?” I tease, jumping as he tickles my side.
“Well, by all means, don’t let me stop you.” He moves my hand back to his face, keeping it in place with his own.
I slip out of his arms, sliding my legs over his until I land in his lap. Running my fingers through his wavy hair and down his cheeks until I reach the muscles in his jaw, I lean forward to caress his lips with my own. Morning breath be damned, I just want to melt into him and ignore my racing thoughts.
Chase’s hands find my waist, his touch gentle and firm—possessive, but tender. These moments where it’s just us—no diner, no family or friends—make me want to freeze time and stay suspended with him in our own little world. This tiny island of happiness is the best thing I never knew I needed. I pull away slowly, keeping my fingertips on the edge of his jaw as I fight the urge to dive back into his comfort.
“Wake me up like that every morning, and I might just have to keep you around…” he mumbles. His hands travel up the back of my dress, making my skin prickle in response to his touch. I want so badly to tangle my legs with his, hoping to keep the morning at bay. A moan escapes my lips as his warm hands rub circles on my back.
“I have to go,” I say, biting my lip, fully enjoying the way his fingers dance across my skin.
“Mmm, nah… I don’t think so…” He pulls me down toward him, his lips finding my neck.
