Page 70 of Lessons in Falling
I blinked at her, rapidly.What?Why are you apologizing?
Nowherbrows furrowed, confusion replacing what had definitely been guilt in her features.For what?
He was there because of me.He heard because of me.He told the rest about Anova because he was asking about—
You,I figured, and she nodded, looked away.Shamefully?That still doesn’t mean it’s your fault,I explained, tilted her head back up to look at me.I’msorry,I finally said.I should’ve fucking talked to you before just telling your friends about us.I realized that now—about four hours too late.Jumping to conclusions had always been my thing, though.I shouldn’t have—
But apparently she was still stuck on,You’re not blaming me?
“You didn’t say anything, did you?
No, but—
No, then.If you didn’t say anything, it’s obviously not your fault.
She blinked at me, perplexed again.The past fifteen minutes seemed like a rollercoaster of emotions for her.From guilty, to confused, to angry, to perplexed—back to guilty, then perplexed again.And I am sorry,I repeated, just to add to it.Exaggerating, I said,I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.
And thank God, it made her laugh.Like a burst bubble, the sound catapulted past her lips.She giggled, and I knew she didn’t mean to when her hands shot up to cover her mouth, and her head fell against my chest to hide it.
I’m sorry, this is not a laughing matter,she said, but I could still hear her smile.
Val.My hands wrapped around hers, guiding them away from her face, making her look at me again.There’s no need to apologize for laughing.It’s the most beautiful sound in the world.
Her lips pursed, brown eyes wide.Caden, she mouthed, almost like a warning.And I wasn’t sure if she’d meant to actually say my name, and the words had simply died on her lips.She looked at me like that might’ve been the case.
What?I tilted my head, couldn’t help the hint of a smile on my face, given the same thing happening on hers.
Instead of answering, she got onto her tiptoes, wrapped her arms around my neck.Her body was almost flush with mine, and her back hit the door behind her.She placed a single kiss on my cheek, and that innocent touch from her did more than any much-less-innocent touch from another woman couldhave.Shot blood into my cheeks, made my skin tingle and my heart skip a beat.You need to stop,she whispered against my skin before kissing my jaw, then my neck.
My head fell back, eyes closed, all my senses focused on the way her lips felt against me.Distractedly, I asked,Stop what?
Saying things like that if you don’t mean them.
My gaze snapped back to hers.Lids heavy, breath heavier.You can’t possibly still think I don’t.
She shrugged, letting her eyes trail the room behind me.Behind my neck, I could feel her hands fidgeting.You’re not exactly known to care about the girls you sleep with.
You’re not just a girl I slept with, though.
And just like that, her attention was on me again.Gaze flicking from my eyes, to my lips, and across the rest of my face.Restlessly, she took me in, tried to figure me out.Her breath hitched, just lightly, but I was attuned to her quirks better than my own.
No?she asked.What am I, then?
Technically, she wasn’t anything to me.The question shouldn’t be what she was, but what could she be?What did I want her to be?
Fuck holding back.Fuck my fear of opening up and losing her.
Everything,I breathed onto her lips.You’re everything, Valentina.
And she looked at me like she might feel the same way.
CHAPTER 34
VALENTINA
Mild afternoon sun.Green grass so vibrant it seemed painted.Ocean glittering a beautiful blue.A bench by the edge of a cliff, overlooking it all—and my friends, panting and gasping for air and, for once, not laughing.
Exercising had never been a laughing matter to them.
