Jesse studied me for a long moment, his eyes searching mine. “On one condition.”
“Anything,” I said immediately, meaning it with every fiber of my being.
“No more hiding,” he said firmly. “Not from each other, not from ourselves. I’m not saying we need to announce it to the world tomorrow, but I won’t go back to pretending this isn’t real.”
I nodded, understanding what he was asking. “No more hiding,” I agreed. “I promise.”
“And no more cruel words when you get scared,” he added, his voice hardening again. “I mean it, Cole. I won’t put up with that again. I deserve better.”
“You do,” I nodded. “I promise I won’t do it again.”
Jesse took a deep breath, his shoulders rising and falling with the motion. My heart was in my throat as I waited for his response. He reached out slowly, his hand finding mine, his fingers threading through my own.
“Okay,” he said softly. “I believe you.”
Relief washed over me so intensely my knees nearly buckled. I gripped his hand like a lifeline, afraid to pull him closer, afraid to do anything that might break this fragile peace between us.
“I’ve been miserable without you,” I admitted, my voice rough. “These past three weeks have been hell.”
A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. “Good.”
Despite everything, I laughed. “You always were a little shit.”
“Part of my charm,” he replied, but the humor faded quickly from his eyes. “I meant what I said at New Year’s, Cole. I’m falling for you. Hard. But I need to know if you’re going to run scared every time something gets difficult.”
I shook my head, squeezing his hand. “I won’t run. Not anymore.”
“Promise?” His voice was barely audible, vulnerable in a way that made my chest ache.
“I promise,” I whispered, finally daring to step closer. “I’m done fighting this. Fightingus.”
Jesse’s free hand came up to rest against my chest, right over my heart. I could feel it pounding beneath his palm, giving away every emotion I’d spent years trying to hide.
“I love you,” I said again, the words coming easier this time. “I think I’ve loved you since before I even understood what that meant.”
He looked up at me, those hazel eyes searching mine for any sign of hesitation or doubt. Whatever he saw there must have satisfied him, because the next moment he was pulling me down into a kiss that stole the breath from my lungs.
It was different from our previous encounters… not desperate or frantic, but deep and achingly tender. His lips moved against mine with a gentleness I hadn’t known I craved until now. I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him against me, feeling the solid warmth of his body pressed to mine.
When we finally broke apart, I rested my forehead against his, unwilling to let any distance come between us. “Stay with me tonight,” I whispered. “Not for sex. Just... stay.”
Jesse nodded, a soft smile playing on his lips. “Okay.” He paused, a grin pulling at his lips. “But can we do the sex too?”
I laughed, unable to stop myself. “God yes.”
Chapter 24
Cole
Itook Jesse’s hand, leading upstairs toward my bedroom, my heart lighter than it had been in weeks. The sound of our footsteps on the stairs echoed through the quiet house. Jesse’s hand felt warm in mine, his fingers interlaced with my own like they belonged there. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d simply held someone’s hand like this. It was so innocent yet somehow more intimate than anything else we’d done.
When we reached my bedroom door, I hesitated. This felt different. Before, our encounters had been driven by lust and need. Our desperate, frantic sexcapades that we both pretended meant less than it did. But tonight, everything had changed. I’d finally said the words I’d been holding back for years. Tonight, Jesse knew the truth.
I pushed the door open and led Jesse inside, suddenly nervous in a way I hadn’t been since I was a teenager. My room was cleaner than his. There weren’t any clothes strewn about, and everything was in its place. Usually we went to his room, but this was new for both of us. The moonlight spilled through the window, casting long shadows across the hardwood floor.
“I haven’t had anyone in here… well, ever… I guess…” I trailed off, realizing how strange that must’ve sounded. Not oncein fifteen years had I brought anyone home with me. My mind and my heart had always been too full of Jesse, too locked up to allow anyone else in.
Jesse seemed to understand the significance. He squeezed my hand gently before letting go to explore the space. He ran his fingers along my dresser, picked up the single framed photograph I kept there. It was of my father, my mother, and me, taken when I was about seven.
