“What happens after that?”
He was quiet for a long moment, his hand stroking up and down my spine. “I don’t know,” he admitted. “But I don’t want this to end, Xavier. I don’t wantusto end.”
My chest was suddenly so tight I could barely breathe. “I don’t want that either.”
“Then we’ll figure it out,” he said, pressing a kiss to the top of my head. “Together.”
I closed my eyes, letting myself believe it could be that simple. That maybe, despite everything, we could make this work somehow. The details could wait. For now, I was exactly where I wanted to be.
In Marcus’s arms, finallyhome.
Chapter 22
Marcus
It was nearly nine o’clock and I was still in bed. Xavier was snuggled nearly on top of me, his face buried in my chest hair. His fingers swirled through it, drawing little patterns before stroking it all away. I wanted to stay with him like this all day, just him in my arms where he belonged. But I had a job, and I never took a day off unless I was on death’s door.
Actually, you know what? Fuck that.
I reached over to the bedside table, grabbing my phone and hitting the speed dial button for the office. It only rang once before Mrs. Baxter picked up.
“Sheriff’s office,” she said simply.
“Hey Mrs. Baxter,” I replied. “I’m going to be working from home today.”
Xavier looked up at me, a surprised expression on his face.
“Everything alright, Sheriff?” she asked.
“Oh yeah, everything is fine. Better than fine actually.” I glanced down at Xavier, running my fingers through his dark hair. “I’ve just got some things here that really need my attention today. Call me if there’s an emergency, alright?”
“You got it, Sheriff,” she replied. Then there was a pause. “Tell Xavier I said hello.”
The line went dead and I couldn’t help but stare at my phone, a smile pulling at my lips.
“What?” Xavier asked, one eyebrow lifted. “What are you grinning about?”
“Nothin’,” I said, shaking my head. “Nothin’ at all.”
I set the phone back down on the nightstand, feeling Xavier’s fingers still tracing lazy patterns through my chest hair. The morning light filtered through the curtains, casting golden streaks across the bed. I’d never called in to work like this before, never prioritized anything over my duties as sheriff. But lying here with Xavier, I realized I’d been prioritizing the wrong things my whole damn life.
“Did Mrs. Baxter just...” Xavier started, his eyes searching mine with a mixture of amusement and disbelief. “Did she know I was here?”
“Apparently,” I said, unable to stop the grin spreading across my face. “Guess we’re not as subtle as we thought.”
He propped himself up on one elbow, looking down at me with those beautiful light brown eyes. “And you’re okay with that? With her knowing?”
I reached up, cupping his face in my palm. His skin was smooth against my calloused hand, warm and perfect. “Yeah,” I said, surprised by how much I meant it. “Yeah, I think I am.”
Something shifted in his expression, a softness mixed with something deeper that made my stomach burst into butterflies. “Who are you and what have you done with Sheriff Marcus Webb?”
“Maybe I’m tired of hiding,” I admitted, my thumb stroking along his cheekbone. “Maybe I’m tired of being scared all the time. And maybe...” I paused, swallowing hard. “Maybe you’re worth the risk.”
Xavier’s breath hitched, and for a moment I thought I’d said too much, pushed too hard. But then he was kissing me, soft andsweet and full of promise. When he pulled back, his eyes were suspiciously bright.
“You can’t just say things like that to me,” he murmured, his voice rough. “I’m supposed to be leaving in three days, remember?”
“I remember.” My hand slid down to rest on his hip, keeping him close. “But that doesn’t change how I feel.”
