I fight the glimmer of hope away that’s poking at my heart like an incessant itch. If I let it in and I’m wrong, then I don’t know what I’ll do, or how I’ll survive.
“Whatdoyou want?”
Her eyes are glassy, her voice thick with emotion. “I told them if I couldn’t work remotely from New York, then I wasn’t taking the job.”
I stare at her, speechless.
“I said I’d love to work with them. But that I loved two people in New York more. And without them, I wouldn’t be able to write any songs, because their loss would be louder inside me than anything else. So, if they wanted songs, then I’d need to stay in New York in order to write them.”
The itch cascades like a waterfall, transforming into a rushing blur of thundering noise.
“You love two people in New York more?”
She nods. “Molly and my dad.”
She bites her lip, failing to hide her smile.
“I mean you, Sullivan,” she whispers, reaching up to stroke my hair. “I love you. And I’m staying in New York. With you and Molly.”
“You are?”
She nods.
I exhale shakily.
“Thank you.”
I cup her neck between my hands and tilt her face up, searching her eyes.
“I love you, Tate. I love you sofuckingmuch.”
I don’t care that my voice cracks as I speak. I don’t care that I’m trembling. I don’t care that my head’s so light I’m in danger of passing out.
“I love you too,” she whispers, drawing my eyes to her soft lips.
“Please, say I can kiss you,” I choke. “Show me you mean it. That you’re really in this with us.”
“My heart’s always been with you and Molly.Always.”
She still hasn’t moved closer, despite her reassuring words. Despite the way her pulse is thundering erratically beneath the pads of my thumbs like it’s beating out my name in morse code.
“Please, Baby,” I beg.
Her breath hitches, and for an agonizing second she’s silent.
Then she nods.
One tiny, subtle movement.
But it’s all I need.
My mouth descends on hers with fevered hunger.
I waste no time in making her mine again, tasting and exploring every inch that I’ve missed. Molding us back together, piece by piece.
I groan into her mouth, and she pulls back, biting her lip in a smile. “Sullivan?”
“What?” I groan, slanting my mouth over hers and kissing her again.
