I can’t stop the bubble of joy exploding from my lips.
He mirrors me and smiles, holding me close. “It’s all okay, I promise.”
I let out a breath, leaning my forehead against his chest. “Okay.”
His other arm slides around my waist, warm and easy, knitting me back together. “Okay.”
“Kiss me, Olivia, then we’ll go out there and eat too much pie with our friends.”
I obey without hesitation, and the buzz under my skin starts to fade. The neon sign in my head, the ants crawling, all of it quiets down until it’s just me and him and the steady thud of his heartbeat against my ear. It feels ridiculous that I was convinced the world was about to collapse around us when he makes it seem this simple. We don’t need to hide; there’s no sneaking around for fun or for a secret significant other, and the sooner my body gets the memo, the better.
When I pull away, my lips tingle with the feel of him. I hum in contentment, and he presses a kiss to my forehead.
“What are you doing next weekend?” he asks, and I’m not ready to open my eyes yet, so I rest my head in the crook of his neck instead, basking in the bliss rushing into my bloodstream.
“You, hopefully.”
The rumble of laughter vibrates under my cheek, and it makes me smile. “My parents are having an anniversary dinner at their house.”
Lifting my head, I look into his dark-blue eyes.
“But I’d really like it if you came with me.”
My heart flutters like wild, untamable butterflies. I blink to try not to stutter with my words. “You want me to meet your family?”
He brushes a stray piece of hair from my cheek and tucks it behind my ear, before using that same hand to push his glasses up his nose, and something about that continued connection feels like a live thread spinning between us. When he lowers his nose to softly nudge mine, sparks fly along that very connection.
“I will warn you, it’s going to be loud and crazy, and my sisters all have multiple children who have no chill whatsoever.”
I hide my lips in my teeth as I try not to smile. “That sounds—”
“Wild, I know, and it will be, so I understand if you don’t want to go.”
I rise to my tiptoes and hold his face between my hands. “Amazing. I was going to say that sounds amazing.” I pull him closer to me and press my lips to his, feeling his pulse thrum beneath my fingers. “I thrive in crazy, you know.”
His smile breaks free, and he pulls me into another kiss that feels like maybe I don’t need to brace for the worst all the time.
Chapter thirty-nine
Jay
Webarelymakeitback to my car, and Liv is kissing me.
Her hands fist in my jacket, pulling me closer, and all I can do is let her, because there’s no part of me that doesn’t want this.
It’s messy, rushed, sloppy, and so fucking hot, and when she finally pulls back, she’s grinning against my mouth.
“Sorry,” she whispers, though she doesn’t sound sorry at all.
I brush my thumb over her cheek, already leaning back in. “Don’t be.”
I take her mouth again, running my tongue along her lips, and she opens so willingly for me. Every time I think I’ve had enough of her, it turns out I haven’t even scratched the surface.
When she finally breaks away, we’re both breathing hard, our foreheads pressed together, her smile stretched wide and a little wild.
“Friendsgiving was a success,” she pants.
“It was. Finn’s stuffing was good.” I run my hands around her waist, pulling her closer again, not missing the hitch in her breath.
