Page 107 of No Way Home
“Youdidn’t hurt him. She did. You were just collateral damage.” My thumbs stroked over his cheeks. “But, yes. I understand.”
“I’m not going to hurt you anymore,” he said, full of conviction.
“Okay,” I said, but it came out unsure. The past had taught me not to get too comfortable around Bowen. That wouldn’t disappear in a day. It was going to take time.
“I’ll pay all the penance,” he pleaded like he’d let me whip him if I wanted. “Whatever you want, you get, as long as you’re mine.”
“I’m not going to punish you for the past. That’s not what this is,” I said, needing him to understand.
“What’s wrong then? It feels like you’re still…wavering.”
My stomach clenched, unable to relax, because I had bigger concerns than the past. It was the future that terrified me. “What if…” I chickened out, too afraid of the answer.
“What if Griffin comes back?” he guessed.
“Yeah.” I nodded, my teeth trying to chatter.
“Too bad. I choose you,” he said stubbornly. Defiantly.
My head tilted as I studied him. “He’s yourbrother.”
“Yeah. A brother who won’t even text me back,” he bit out. His eyes burned into me. “But you’re myeverything. And you’re here, giving me a second chance.”
I froze, heart swelling, not certain he understood the depth of what he’d just said.
“Here, I’ll prove that I’m serious.” He pulled his phoneout of his pocket. “Let’s take our first couple’s selfie right now. I’ll post it on my Instagram and tag you in my profile.” He angled the screen toward us.
“Don’t you dare.” I grabbed his wrist. “First of all, I look like a drowned rat.”
“A goddess,” he murmured, eyes twinkling.
My lips pursed, but it was no good. My cheeks were on fire, which was something of a miracle for how cold I was. “And second, my dad stalks my socials. He will murder me if he finds out I even talked to you.”
Bowen rubbed my arms, trying to warm me. “What will it take for him to give me a chance? Do you think he’ll be able to forgive me?” The worry in his voice undid me.
In that moment, I finally admitted what I already knew. “He’ll have t-to…” I breathed, my pointer finger tracing over his piercing scar. “Because I’m ch-choosing you too.”
His eyes brightened. “You are?”
The relief in his voice broke what little reserve I had left, and all the love I’d been holding back burst open in my chest. I smiled so wide. “Y-yes.”
“Thank you, God,” he uttered. One of his hands slid up, cradling the back of my head, while the other pulled me so tight.
I looked into his beautiful eyes. “W-wah,” my teeth chattered. I concentrated, trying again. “Wah-h-hoo-wah, B-bowen.”
But he didn’t say it back this time because…
He was too busy kissing me.
His mouth claimed mine, gentle but confident. Treating me like fine china, while also making it clear that he was done telling me how he felt. Now he was going to show me. His hands gripped my hips, guiding me back until the cinderblock wall caught me. My fingers dug into his neck, kneading his muscles right along with the rhythm of our lips. The heat, the clarity, the rightness—it felt like breathingafter drowning. Like too much and not nearly enough. My lips were searching, lungs inhaling, like a single kiss could make up for all the years we’d lost and all the hurt between us.
His mouth left mine just long enough to breathe out, “Magnolia.”
A wild, searing wave rolled over me, leaving my knees buckling, my stomach buoyant. Then I stole my name straight off of his lips, kissing him even harder. Or I was trying to. I couldn’t stop my jaw from convulsing. He didn’t seem to mind. Just tilted his head, deepening the kiss.
His tongue slid across mine in warm, breath-stealing strokes, and I thought I might explode from the hormones pounding through me. While he pressed kisses across my jaw and down my throat, I tipped my head up to the sky.
As the rain washed over us, I felt whole for the first time in years—like maybe we were being cleansed of our past sins. This felt so incredibly right, and I knew at that moment, of all the places I’d lived and all the people I’d known, kissing Bowen felt like…
