“You aren’t delusional,” I say softly. At the same time, a tear makes its way down my cheek, prompting him to stroke it away with his thumb. “But I’m a mess and all over the place… lost. You deserve someone better. Someone who’s not falling for you as much as she’s falling for your brothers.”
He pulls his hand away from my face, shock written all over his.
Now you’ve done it, Sloan.
At least I was honest, and he knows it’s not about him and not his fault.
He needed to hear that.
“You’re falling for me?” he asks me, his voice barely above a breath.
I nod fast, feeling like a bobblehead while tears stream down my cheeks. “I am, but?—”
He grabs my head between both hands, leaning in, his gaze finding mine. “I can live with a little competition,” he murmurs before bringing his lips to mine.
My hands come up to hold his wrists, kissing him back, amazed again by how good of a kisser he is.
God, I missed this.
Now I know what Saylor meant. My insides are tingling like crazy.
He breaks the kiss but places a few more soft pecks on my lips. “You’re staying,” he murmurs against them.
“I can’t, Hunter. I’m going to mess things up for you guys,” I whisper.
“Let that be my problem, okay? I promise everything will be all right, just stay here. Let me take care of you.” I look up into his beautiful ocean blue eyes.
That doesn’t change the fact that you’re weird, Sloan.
“You don’t know me. If you did, if you knew everything about me, you would want me to leave.” My heart breaks telling him, but it’s the truth.
He puts his forehead against mine. “Not possible, Shortcake. I will never want you to leave. I will always want you here.I promise.”
Hope flares inside me. Maybe, just maybe, he’s telling the truth.
If someone would mean it, it would be him.
And I’m so desperate for someone to mean it. To want me, flaws and all.
So, I take the leap. “Okay,” I whisper, knowing I might have just signed up for even more hurt.
He stands back straight and declares, “Now, let’s get your bag back in your room. You’re not going anywhere.”
An hour later,I’m sitting at the kitchen table with Hunter and Lio.
Hunter has made some delicious French toast, and I groan with delight after taking a bite. Closing my eyes for a moment,I savor the taste and when I open them again, I’m met with Hunter smiling warmly at me.
I bite my lip, thinking about kissing him again just as Nash makes his way into the kitchen, ruffling Lio’s hair and leaning down to kiss the top of my head.
And it begins.
He sits down beside me, grinning. “Morning, pretty girl.”
I glance at Hunter, ready to see him hurt or angry, but he still has a soft smile on his lips, so I mutter a quiet, “Morning.”
“Li-Li, are you ready for our day today?” Nash asks Lio, who gets all giddy.
“So ready. I did practice my whale song like you told me,” Lio announces, making noises that are anything but whale sounds, causing me to scrunch up my face because it hurts my ears.
