“I’m guessing you saw your mom?”
“I can’t believe you got her there.”
“I was worried she would hate me after, but I just…you deserve to have someone in your corner. All the time. I know I need to let you in and not keep things from you, but you shouldn’t have all that weight on your shoulders. You’re allowed to fall apart and ask for the things you need.”
“I’m seeing that,” he agrees. “Neither of us want to be seen as a burden.”
“I think maybe you’re not good at knowing what’s a burden.” I call back to when he tried to convince me I wasn’t inconveniencing him.
“Is that so?”
“Definitely. Hanging out with your sister, cheering for you at your games, baking, spending time with you…not even one of those things feels like a burden to me.”
“I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Please do.” I smile before he kisses me again. “We should…” I don’t know if I’m about to suggest we go to his bedroom or put a hold on things until we get somewhere else, but the kisses are no longer the slow, overjoyed to be back together ones anymore, they’ve grown hungry, and I don’t want his mom walking in on us like this.
“I might have convinced my mom to go talk to Doug,” Noah informs me.
“Because he’s madly in love with her?”
“And us Callahans need to start fighting for the people we love.”
“That’s all you do,” I point out.
“For you,” he specifies. “Not letting you run away again unless you have a damn good reason, which I don’t see happening.”
“I’m very okay with that.”
“The kids are sleeping?” he asks, nibbling at my earlobe, and I know he’s talking about his siblings that I was babysitting, but there’s a half-second where this is our future, making out on the couch after our kids are in bed, and I really don’t hate it. Not that I’m in a hurry, and I think Noah deserves to enjoy what it feels like to not have so many responsibilities and the world on his shoulders, but God, someday I want all of it with him.
I nod, because he’s leaving kisses down my neck, and I’m pretty sure any words I tried to say would turn into moans anyway.
Noah scoops me up into his arms as if I weigh nothing and carries me towards the stairs.
“What are you doing?” I ask.
“Carrying you to my bedroom so I can show you how much I love you.”
I don’t think I will ever tire of hearing that.
“And how will you do that?”
“With my fingers,” he says, and suddenly one arm is supporting all my weight while the other caresses my cheek. “My tongue,” he continues before capturing my lips in a searing kiss that sends heat to my core. “And my…”
“Sh!” I warn as we pass his sister’s bedroom, but I cannot wait.
Chapter Sixty-Eight
Savannah
Any objections?
There’s a crowd in the dorm lobby when I come down from Lacey’s to get something from my closet. I knew I might have to avoid Anna, but a mob wasn’t on my Bingo card. On the plus side, no one pays any attention to me when I slip into my old dorm and get the fanciest dress I own, but on the way back up, someone calls my name.
A beanie wearing, very conspicuous someone who nearly has to fight his way through the mob to get to me.
“Maybe I should have called first.” Clay looks apologetic, like he knows exactly what this means for me, but I practically jump into his arms instead of reproaching him. Talking on the phone is nice, but I’ve missed his hugs, especially this past week.
