Page 64 of Bookworm
Dad chuckled. “Then that must be a lot of hate in your life. You should really learn to love when I’m right. It’d be a lot easier on you.”
“Har-har.” I poked him in the ribs. “I just wish I knew if Adam was coming home tonight. I’d be able to sleep if I knew he was safe in bed at home.”
“I’m here,” Adam said from the open front door.
I hopped to my feet, rushing over to him as Dad stood, tightening his robe. “Well, I’m off to bed. G’night you two.”
I threw my arms around Adam’s neck, hugging him, holding him as Dad’s footsteps grew quieter and quieter as he went upstairs.
“Sorry I worried you,” Adam said, his mouth pressed against my neck as he spoke.
“Don’t apologize,” I said. “I knew you needed time. I was just antsy and worried. I’m sorry if I was hounding you all day.”
I desperately wanted to ask him how it went. I wanted all the dirty details. But based on his messy hair and red, tired eyes, I was going to guess it didn’t go very smoothly.
“Sorry my dad’s an ass,” Adam muttered, head still pressed into the curve of where my shoulder met my neck.
“Don’t apologize,” I threaded my fingers through his hair, holding him close to me. “Not for that. He’s your family and always will be. We’ll make it work one way or another.”
I wasn’t entirely sure I believed my own words. Not when said father was actively trying to sabotage us. Even still, it was the right thing to say. And it was true enough… Ididwant to make it work. I didn’t want to split up a father and son, no matter how big a dick that father was.
With a sigh, Adam pulled back from the hug, looking down at me with weary eyes. “I hope you’re right. I do want to make this work. I don’t want to lose you again.”
“Whatever happens with us this time, it won’t be because of your dad.”
He smirked, but even that looked forced, tired. “It will be a fuck-up of our own accord?”
“Exactly.”
Despite the morose words, he gave a little chuckle. “Not exactly comforting words, Harper.”
I shrugged. “Comforting or not, it’s true. But also, I believe in us, Adam.”
His eyes widened as they searched my face. “You do?”
“I do. We’re a lot more mature than we used to be. And I think we’re really good together. And I trust that even if we’re not going to work out romantically, that we can end our relationship with the same respect and love we’ve had during it.”
The hope in his expression sank so slightly it would have been imperceptible to anyone but me. “There’s one problem with that, Harp. I don’t want us to end.”
I cupped his jaw and pulled him down to me so that our foreheads were pressed together. “I don’t either,” I admitted.
“Good.” Bending, he pressed his mouth to mine, his tongue slipping between my lips. It didn’t take much coaxing for me to open to him. His tongue, gliding across mine, licking intomy mouth. His hands fell to my hips and gave them a gentle squeeze.
The kiss left me panting as he pulled away. “I’ll see you in the morning,” he whispered, his voice graveled.
“In the morning,” I repeated. As badly as I wanted him right then, I wasn’t about to have sex on my dad’s couch while my little brothers slept just upstairs.
I turned to head to the stairs as Adam reached for the basement door. “Hey Harper,” he whispered, stopping me. “I believe in us, too. And I believe we can make it without another breakup.”
His faith in us made me smile. But I couldn’t agree just yet.
I didn’t know where I’d be in a month. Or a year.
I had already stopped myself from following Adam into adulthood like a lost puppy once. He already knew what his adult life looked like. But I needed to find my path…
And from there, we could see if our roads intersected.
“Good night, Adam.”
