“Trust me. You’d know.” I drag my hands down my face. “And it’s never happened before. Ever.”
“It’s because you love him.”
“Okay, you’re not twelve, and this is serious because now we’re going on a date.”
“Because of the squirting?”
“Yeah.”
“Honestly? That’s fair.”
“Obviously, it’s a lot more than that, but in the moment, I agreed, and then I saw my fucking wings tattooed across his back, which meant he had my sketchbook, and then I lost my shit… and then he kissed me, and I—” She just sips her coffee with the look of someone who absolutely saw this coming and has zero intention of pretending otherwise. “Lianna… I have never been kissed like that in my life. There are no words. My soul literally left my body.”
“Okay, back up,” she says, narrowing her eyes. “He has your wings? What does that even mean?”
“I’ve been sketching phoenix wings for years—don’t ask. I know I’m a mess. But he stole my sketchbook and got them tattooed on his back before the reunion.”
“Holy shit… Okay, I have something to tell you.”
“What?”
“I knew he had your sketchbook.”
“How? And why the hell didn’t you tell me?”
“Remember when I told you I followed him down to his apartment with a knife? Well, he admitted he had it. I threatened him and everything, so I’m glad he finally told you. I wanted to say something, but I also wanted him to come forward on his own.”
“Well, he didn’t. I found out because he accidentally showed me his back, and I recognized it.”
“Weird, I thought he’d be smarter than that.”
“I mean, I’m not surprised he wasn’t thinking clearly. He’d just gotten his first hand job.”
“Fair,” she says, smirking. “But still, he’s gone and branded his body with you again. If that’s not romance in its most deranged form, I don’t know what is.”
“Ugh, I know.” I groan, burying my face in my hands. “I hate that it’s working. I hate that he knows it’s working.”
“And then he kissed you?” I nod, and it’s ridiculous how fast my mind goes right back to being pinned between cold metal and the heat of his body. The second his tongue slid over mine, I remember thinking,Please don’t stop,because nothing has ever felt that good.
“So… is this you letting him back in?”
“I think I have to. I’ve tried denying myself, denying him. I’ve tried pretending I could shut it off, whatever this is, but I can’t do it.”
“If I’m honest, I don’t think there’s any ending to this where you don’t give in to what you feel for him. You two are clearly in a can’t-live-without-each-other, soulmate situation.”
Even though I pushed James back an hour to fit Lianna into my morning, I still ended up coming into the office. I could’ve worked from home. I have the space for it, but after spilling every feeling I’d been holding onto, staying there felt like I was trapped inside Phoenix’s world, and for a moment, I just needed to breathe.
I didn’t make it three steps inside my office before I froze.
The flowers James sent—those loud, ego-drenched monstrosities—are gone, replaced by deep-plum peonies and violet calla lilies, their petals so dark they’re almost black at the edges, spilling elegantly out of a gold vase.
They’re beautiful.
Infuriatingly perfect, actually.
My throat tightens as I move closer, my fingers trailing over velvet-soft petals, when I spot a card propped against the vase. I already know that possessive bastard is responsible for this, and when I carefully open it, I can’t stop the grin that spreads across my lips.
For you, pretty girl. Because if you’re going to have flowers… they should be something you love. From someone who loves you.
