I don’t. I won’t.
I kiss her slow, controlled, savoring every second, every sound she makes, every warm press of her mouth.
When I break away, it’s only because I need air.
I rest my forehead against hers, my breath uneven, her scent wrapping around me like it belongs in my lungs.
“Bayleigh, when you’re ready… I’ll give you everything.” I know she can’t hear me, but I can’t help but say it.
Her body melts into mine. And for the first time in my life, I feel what it means to choose someone so completely it borders on instinct.
She’s mine.
And when she finally opens her eyes again, I see the truth of it reflected right back at me.
She wants me too.
48
Milton
My foot bounceswith nervous energy.
“Dude, can you fucking stop? I can’t concentrate,” Lincoln growls.
Concentrate. Him. More like me. Bayleigh’s on a date with Korbin. Alone. I know they need this, but I can’t help but worry that he’ll stick his foot in his mouth in some way and screw this up for all of us.
Has he made progress?
Yes. He’s admitted his feelings for Bayleigh. Smoothed shit over with Benton. And he’s even learning some signs so that he can communicate with her.
But he’s still Korbin, and sometimes he speaks without thinking.
“You know, you wouldn’t be worrying so much if you’d find something to occupy your time. Maybe join me in learning some signs,” Lincoln boasts, with just a hint of cockiness seeping through. We all know he has far more skill in signing than us. But he started first, so that’s a little unfair if you ask me.
“Fine, teach me something,” I finally relent.
“Okay. Do you know the ABCs?”
I shake my head.
“Well, that’s a good place to start. Then even if you don’t know how to say a word, you can spell it.”
We go through them one by one until I know them perfectly. My chest puffs out with pride, knowing that I did this for my girl. That I’m bridging the communication gap between us. But even with being able to sign, I still love the little notes we shared on our date. I have them tucked away in a binder in my room so that I can look at them whenever I want. Which, is every fucking day.
“Not bad. Ready to tackle some more words? Phrases?”
“Fuck yeah. Why should you be gatekeeping everything?” I swallow, biting the inside of my jaw. “How do you think the date is going?”
Lincoln just sits there for a minute, then blows out a deep breath. “I think it’s going well. Korbin won’t do anything intentionally to fuck it up. And if he does, then we’ll be there to play mediator and fix it. That’s what a pack does. What brothers do.”
I nod my head. And we continue working. Lincoln teaches me everything he knows, and I soak it up like a sponge. Then we pull up videos and start learning something new.
Our heads pop up when we hear the door opening.
“We’re back!” Korbin shouts for us, and Lincoln and I both sit upright, waiting for them to enter through the kitchen. We don’t breathe, a tinge of fear festering that the date went like shit.
I feel it before I even see her—her lighter scent drifting into the room, the warmth blooming under her skin.
