Page 87 of By Your Side
A laugh bubbled up, shaky and full of nervous energy. I glanced at Hunter, holding up the phone so he could read it too. His eyes warmed, his lips tipped up slowly.
“She’s not subtle,” I murmured.
“Not even a little,” he said, his voice low, rough with something I felt all the way down to my toes.
I typed back with trembling fingers.
Me: Maybe. I’ll let you know.
My thumb hovered over send, then I looked up at him again. His expression said everything—he wanted me to hit send, to let the night belong to us, finally.
But for now, I slid my phone back into my clutch and said softly, “Let’s just stay here for a little while longer.”
The way his gaze lingered on me told me he understood exactly what I wasn’t saying.
Chapter 29
Hunter
The gravel crunched under the tires as Paige’s car rolled into my drive, headlights sweeping across the front of the house before flicking off. My chest ached just seeing her pull up—like something in me had been holding my breath for years, and it finally let go.
She climbed out, the purple dress clinging to her curves, porch light catching the shimmer in the fabric. Her hair tumbled loose around her shoulders; her lips parted like she wasn’t sure if she should run toward me or keep up appearances and walk. I didn’t give her the chance to decide. I met her halfway, caught her hand, and held on like I was drowning.
“Hunter—” she began, but my voice broke over hers.
“I need to say this before I lose my nerve. Paige…” I swallowed hard, the words raw and jagged in my throat. “I’m in love with you. I’ve been in love with you for years. Longer than I could ever admit to myself. And I don’t care if this complicates everything—you deserve to hear it, and I need to say it. Out loud.”
Her breath caught, eyes shining, and then she whispered back, fierce and trembling all at once: “I love you too. I think I always have. I just couldn’t let myself say it or even feel it until now.”
The sound I made was half a groan, half a prayer. Relief and want collided in me, and I kissed her—hard, desperate, years of need spilling out in one breathless rush. She opened for me instantly, clutching at my jacket, pulling me in like she’d been starving for this too.
We stumbled inside, barely making it past the door before I pressed her against it, kissing her until her soft moan vibrated against my mouth. Her hands slid under my shirt, hot against my skin, and I nearly lost it right there.
“Bedroom,” she gasped.
I didn’t need to be told twice.
I lifted her, her legs locking around my waist as I carried her down the hall. She laughed breathlessly against my throat, the sound wrecking me, sweet and wild. By the time I laid her back on my bed, we were both shaking.
Her dress whispered up over her thighs as I pushed it higher, kissing down her neck, across her collarbone, lower until she arched up beneath me. Her fingers tangled in my hair, tugging, urging me closer.
“God, Hunter,” she breathed, her voice low and desperate with need.
I peeled her dress over her head, tossing it aside. She was flushed, gorgeous, laid out in lace and satin that made my head spin. I kissed down her stomach, slow, savoring, before coming back up to claim her mouth again.
“You’re so damn beautiful,” I whispered, meaning every word.
Her hands roamed over me—my chest, my back, down over my ass, and back up—pulling at my shirt until I stripped it off. Her touch was everywhere, hungry and sweet at once, and I couldn’t get enough of her.
We shed the rest of our clothes in a clumsy rush, laughing between kisses until there was nothing left between us but heat and skin. I fumbled for the condom in my bedside drawer, ripped it open, and slid it on. She watched me the whole time, lips parted, eyes dark with want.
“Come here,” she whispered. “Get inside me.”
When I sank into her, she gasped, clinging to me like she’d never let go. The sensation was overwhelming—heat, tightness, the pure rightness of her body around mine.
“Jesus, Paige,” I groaned against her mouth. “Nothing has ever felt more fucking right in my life.”
Her eyes shone, soft and fierce at once. “We belong together. We always have.”
