“We’ve been looking for you everywhere.”
“I’ve been right here,” I say shortly, trying to put some chill into my voice.
“You’re avoiding us, and that’s okay. But we’re not going to let you.”
“Not going to let me?” I ask, raising an eyebrow and folding my arms over my chest. It is really hard to be a stone when he’s smiling at me like that.
I back up and step up one of the stairs, then another, so I’m at his height. I knew I should have left home earlier. Since they moved to the lighthouse, I’ve gotten too confident here.
“Mm. You can say there’s nothing between us, you can pull away and pretend-”
“I’m not pretending it didn’t happen, Devon. I just need a little bit of space to think.” Meeting his eyes is impossible. I hate how emotional I sound, but I haven’t heard back from Aunt Ophelia yet.
He stops moving, his shoulders slump, and he gets serious.
“How much space do you need? I think we’re all worried you’re going to hop out of town, and we’ll never see you again.”
My frustration dies, and I reach out to him, pulling him until his face is buried in my neck, and his arms are wrapped around me.
“You’ll always have me in your life, Devon. I’m not going to run and cut you out completely. I’m just trying to see if Sunshine fits me now.”
“Like a glove,” he mutters.
I laugh despite myself. “I need to figure that out for myself, Devon.”
“How long?” He pulls back, looking up at me. “How much longer do you need?”
I shake my head. “I don’t know.”
“Fine, what does space mean? I need an exact clarification.”
I smile, liking this sulky alpha. “It means I don’t stay at your place at night, and I spend some of the day alone.”
The intense unhappiness vanishes instantly.
“Really? So, you want to go to lunch with us, then?”
I laugh because he’s so cute, and I am so happy right now.
“I give you an inch,” I tease.
He touches his lips to mine. I don’t look away from him as I kiss him back. He’s got beautiful brown, almost black eyes, the kind you can fall into forever. There is so much emotion in them.
“I’m not gone, Devon. I’m right here.”
His arms tighten around me.
“Come out with us. We need to see you. Let’s go on a lunch date and do something wild.”
I laugh softly. “A lunch date?”
“Yeah, or just a friendly gathering, it can be whatever it’s going to take to get you to say yes.”
I waver, but in the end, there is no choice. I have missed them maybe more than they’ve missed me. Saying no isn’t really an option.
“Let me go up and grab a coat and get Danger.”
His hand trails down my back and over the curve of my ass as I step back up the stairs. It’s hard to look away from him, but as soon as I do, I rush up to get my coat so I can come back.
