“I had to come looking for you,” I whisper.
He brushes a curl off my forehead, and my skin sparks where he touches me.
“I thought you were there for the literary atmosphere, not me,” he says, giving me a teasing smile.
I scowl.
“You knew why I was there.”
He lets out a soft laugh.
“True. I did know why you were there. Seeing you glaring at me from behind that ficus made me very happy.”
The look he gives me now isn’t teasing anymore. It makes me feel hot and bare and completely seen.
“I never wanted you to think I didn’t care. I didn’t ask you out in the car because I didn’t want the adrenaline from the library to be the reason you said yes.”
My mouth opens as understanding hits.
He was protecting me. Even then. Especially then.
“Thank you,” I say.
His gaze is so intense I panic.
“I’ll make you a sandwich,” I blurt.
Silence. Even the cicadas cringe.
“On our second date,” I add quickly, dying a little more with each word. “If you want one.”
“I most certainly do,” he says, like I’ve offered him my hand instead of bread.
I kind of feel that I have.
My feelings are spilling, no, flooding out of me, and then I can’t hold them back anymore. I barely register I’m moving, barely realize I’m kissing him before his hand cups my jaw and the other steadies my back, grounding me completely.
He lets me be clumsy, needy, and overwhelmed.
He lets me taste him.
He helps me and holds me when something breaks open in my chest.
A broken little sound escapes me.
There goes gravity. There goes my sanity.
But it’s okay. Caspian’s got me.
His hand is still firm at my back, his breath warm against mine, and his thumb brushes my cheek, keeping me anchored.
Keeping me safe. Safe in the light.
CHAPTER 43 – CASPIAN
The smile Cole calls dopey keeps sneaking onto my face as I drive to hishouse. I’m taking Noah to his summer preschool class today. Noah’s classisn’t the reason I’m up this early, though.
I’m awake because I’m an idiot in love.
