Whatever I expected his response to be, it wasn’t anger. “Are you out of your right mind?”
I scowl. “I’m only as crazy as you, apparently.”
“You can’t drop everything and move to Sydney, love.”
“If it means I get to be with you, then—”
“I already made up my mind!” he growls. “I’m staying here.”
Throwing my arms down in frustration, I step forward and glower up at him. “You’re not leaving your team and your home and yourparentsjust because of me!”
“You’re not quitting on True Fuel to follow me across the globe like a groupie,” he snarls back.
“True Fuel is nothing compared to you playing on one of the world’s best rugby teams!”
“To hell with rugby! All I care about is you!”
I stand on my toes to be closer to his level. “And I love you too much to let you throw your life away for me!”
“Are we arguing about who loves who more?”
“Apparently!”
He grabs me by the arms and slams his mouth into mine in a bruising and surprisingly fantastic kiss. He guides me back until I hit the counter, then teases my mouth open and dives deeper.
I’m not sure how long it takes before we come up for air, and it’s only because Beef gets his claws stuck in my hair doing who knows what. Seriously, does he want us to be together or not?After multiple attempts to trip us into each other, you’d think this was what he wanted.
Gasping, Logan drops his head to my shoulder. One of his hands is on my back, the other on my neck. “I know exactly what I’m giving up,” he says into my collarbone. “I have spent my whole life pretending I don’t need connections or relationships. Pretending I was happy battering my body to rise to the top instead of spending time with my parents while I have them.
“Then you came along.” He lifts his head to look into my eyes, and I’m stunned to see tears pooling in his. “You and that proper beast you call a cat.”
Beef chirps and headbutts Logan’s arm.
Sighing, Logan presses a soft kiss to my forehead and moves his hand to my hair, smoothing it down. “I had every plan to keep on running from real life until you waltzed right up and tripped me with that sassy, spitfire mouth of yours.” He brushes my mouth with his, the barest of kisses. “Let me make this choice, Sav. Let me massacre your potatoes and carry your heavy loads and keep your mental cat from getting depressed.”
“I don’t want you to resent me when you wake up one day and realize what you’ve missed,” I say weakly, overwhelmed by his words. “You only get so many years to play.”
“I could never resent choosing you. Rugby is temporary. You and Beef are forever.”
My heart is so full it might explode, and I wrap my arms around his neck, pulling myself in for a hug. He wraps me up tight, just like I hope, and I take a moment to imagine this being my future. Warm, solid hugs that hold me together. Passionate arguments that end in kisses so sweet that we forget why we werefrustrated. A giant, many-toed cat who is a little too good at interrupting us right as we’re about to burn.
What more do I need?
“Logan?”
“Yeah, love?”
“Don’t be stupid.”
Tensing, Logan slowly releases me and meets my gaze. I can practically see his thoughts, and I don’t miss the bit of hope peeking out from behind his stubbornness.
I shake my head. “You need to go back to Australia. To your parents, and your team, and the life you’ve built for yourself.”
“But—”
Pressing my fingers over his mouth, I narrow my eyes and do my best to glare at him. It isn’t easy, with a growing excitement building inside me. “Listen. You came here to talk to Lola, and you did that. You wanted to be able to tell your parents that you won’t be alone when they’re gone, and you can do that now. Because I plan on being at your side, no matter where that is.”
His shoulders sink, and he looks around my tiny apartment. “You’d be giving up your home. Your family.”
