“I’ll reach out,” I say. “Ask to see him. Alone.”
“Are you ready?”
“No—yes.”
Without disentangling herself from me, she grabs my phone and holds it out. “This started as a fantasy. Let’s see if it’s real.”
I take the phone and consider what I’m going to say, then tap in a message and show it to her.
Me: If you’re passing through Dublin when you’re done with the European tour, maybe let’s talk.
“Perfect.” She kisses me. Her mouth tastes like citrus and honey and heat.
I hit send, put my phone on the table and savor this moment with her. The life we’re building.
I want her. I love her. She’s not only choosing me, she’s choosingus.
“You still give me goosebumps.” My mouth brushes her throat.
She smiles, close enough for me to feel it. “Same.”
Later, when she rests against me, Avonna asks so quietly I almost miss it, “Will we be okay if he says no?”
I think about it for a second. What we’ve built and what we stand to lose. Realize my truth.
“Yes,” I assure her. “You’ve always been more than enough. You make me happier than I’ve ever been.”
Her body softens at the words, trust settling deep.
“At the same time, we won’t know unless we try,” I add. “No matter what comes next, we’re solid.”
She nods, buries her face into my neck, and pulls me closer.
The rest can wait until morning.
thirty-seven
Liam
Present Day
Thedoorclicksshutbehind me.
Sealing off the world beyond this room.
The floorboards creak. Once. Twice. I hear nothing else but the sound of my heartbeat collapsing into dust.
When I turn, Linus is there. His eyes graze my body. Up. Down.
My mouth goes dry.
He steps forward. Measured. Controlled. Stops in front of me, eyes locked on mine as he lifts one hand like he’s touching a ghost. Fingers trail along my chest. Testing.
Are you real?
I shiver.
His lips crashinto mine. No warning. No pause. Teeth. Tongue. Heat.
