I nod slowly.
“That’s for you, Maddox Barnes.”
My eyes widen and I shake my head as a shuddering breath escapes me. He grips my chin, halts my denial.
His expression turns hard. “For. You.” Firm. “For. You.”Resolute.
I swallow hard and dip my chin softly.
His features soften instantly. “I’ve been so blind, Maddy,” he whispers. “So fucking blind.” His thumb dances over my bottom lip. “It’s been you all along.”
My eyes burn and East grows blurry in front of me.
“I’m new at feeling this, at understanding what this has always been… I don’t know what it will mean physically, not yet. But I know one thing—I’ll love you. I always have. And now that I see it clearly? There’s no turning back.” He hesitates, glances away. “I… I understand if that’s not enough, though.”
“East,” I whisper, and his attention falls back on me. “I’ve been in love with you for nearly a decade. Without anything physical. I’d go the rest of my life without that if it meant having your love. Having you as mine. I don’t need that. I just need you.”
He sucks in a breath. “Okay. Yeah. Um. That’s good. Really good. Right? This is…”
A soft, slightly hysterical chuckle falls from me. “Good. I think so, East. I think this maybe is, like, really fucking good.”
His forehead falls on mine, and we just stand there, breathing each other in. I can’t believe this just happened. I can’t believe this is real.
Easton Winters is in love with me.
Easton Winters is mine.
fifteen
Easton
Myheadisspinning.I swear my heart is beating so fast it’s about to overheat. Short-circuit.
That kiss was…
Life-altering.
The minute my lips touched his, every part of me, down to the smallest atom, ignited. Colors, sparks, and crackling energy whipped around me like a lightning storm at sunset. It was the same feeling I had when Maddy and I got caught in a storm during one of our nights at the beach. It’d come out of nowhere—just like this. Torrential downpour, flashing lightning, thunder so loud I swore the earth shook. It had been exhilarating and terrifying all at once—just like this.
My blood thrums through my veins, my fingers shaking in the aftershocks. Everything’s unsteady, tipping, tilting. When the world finally rights itself, I know I won’t be the same person I was before.
But I don’t want to wait for it to right itself. For the storm to pass. I want to throw myself back into chaos, into eye of it. I want it to consume me.
To sweep me up with Maddy.
Pull me deeper.
Until I’m lost in him.
I need to kiss him again. Fuck. I want todevourhim.
My thoughts freeze. I cock my head. That…is a new thought. It’s not that I didn’t find him attractive before. God, Maddy’s beautiful. I’ve always known that. It’s almost like the sexual aspect didn’t hit until my brain finally saw this for what it was—romantic love. Maybe that’s how I work? I don’t know. All I know is that now that my brain and body are on the same page… oh God—it’s roaring through me like wildfire.
Maddy’s dark brows pinch together. I probably look like a lunatic, my head tilted like a confused puppy. “Are you all right, East?”
No. I don’t think I am. I take a step back and shake out my hands. I think I’m on fire. My lungs struggle for air. Something inside me is taking over—heady, uncontainable, wild. My gaze snaps back to Maddy’s. Overlong, inky black hair a mess from my hands. Lips swollen from my kisses. Sharp cheekbones flushed. He’s still got that stubble covering his jaw. I felt it—still feel it burning around my mouth. My groin tightens, and I suck in a sharp breath.
“East?” Maddy steps toward me. “East, what’s wrong? You’re shaking.”
