Page 51 of Fumbling Forward
“That I should probably call Mark tonight. Get ahead of this before the security footage leaks.”
“We’ll call him together.” I squeeze her hand. “First thing tomorrow morning.”
“He’s going to be furious.”
“Probably.” I glance at her. “But he’ll get over it. And if he doesn’t, we’ll deal with it.”
“You make it sound so simple.”
“Because it is.” I turn onto my street. “We’re together. We care about each other. Everything else is just noise.”
She’s quiet for a moment. “What if he fires me?”
“Then you’ll find another job. A better one. You’re brilliant, Olivia. Any team would be lucky to have you.” I pull through my gates and park in the driveway. “But I don’t think he will. Mark’s a businessman. He’ll want to control the narrative. Make it work in the team’s favor.”
“You really believe that?”
“I do.” I kill the engine and turn to face her. “And even if I’m wrong, we’ll figure it out. Together.”
She stares at me for a long moment, then leans over and kisses me. Soft. Sweet. Full of promise.
“Thank you,” she whispers against my lips.
“For what?”
“For making me brave enough to take this risk.”
I cup her face, holding her gaze. “You don’t give yourself enough credit. You were always brave, Olivia. You just needed to remember it.”
She kisses me again, deeper this time, and I lose myself in the taste of her. When she finally pulls back, her eyes are dark with want.
“Take me inside, Carter.”
I don’t need to be told twice.
We barely make it through the front door before my mouth is on hers again. She kisses me back with the same desperate hunger, hands already working the buttons on my shirt.
“Upstairs,” I manage between kisses.
“Too far.”
She’s right. I back her against the wall in the foyer, hands sliding under her pullover, feeling the warm silk of her skin. She gasps against my mouth, arching into my touch.
“Carter—”
“Yeah?”
“I’ve changed my mind. Bedroom. Now.”
I lift her, her legs wrap around my waist, and carry her up the stairs. She kisses my neck, my jaw, anywhere she can reach, and by the time we make it to my room, I’m ready to explode.
I lay her on the bed, and she looks up at me with so much trust, so much want, it nearly brings me to my knees.
“I love you,” I say. The words slip out before I can stop them, raw and honest and terrifying.
Her eyes widen. “Carter—”
“I know it’s fast. I know we’re still figuring this out. But I need you to know.” I brush her hair back from her face. “I love you, Olivia. And whatever happens tomorrow, it will not change.”
