“Could an imaginary boyfriend do this?”
He presses a gentle kiss to the tip of my nose, his lips lingering just long enough to make my heart skip a beat.
I open my mouth to speak, but before I can, he tilts his head, his lips brushing my cheek in a way that sends sparks across my skin. When his mouth moves to the corner of mine, the whole world narrows to this single, suspended moment. He’s so close but not close enough.
“Or this?” he murmurs.
And then, without another word, his lips finally meet mine.
The kiss starts slow, the unbearable longing burning through every inch of my body. His lips move against mine with a hunger that matches my own, and it’s impossible to hold back. My hands tangle in his hair, tugging him closer, every inch of me craving him. My body presses against his as if it’s the only place I’ve ever known, and the only place I ever want to be.
I needed this. Weeks of distance and emptiness fade into nothing and every second apart is wiped away, replaced by his heat and the raw urgency of our bodies colliding together. His lips are soft, but the kiss is anything but gentle. It’s desperate, frantic, like neither of us can get close enough, and I’m lost in it. Lost inhim.
When we finally pull apart, our foreheads meet, both of us gasping for breath. It’s still not enough.
“Real enough for you?” His voice is a deep rasp, but the tenderness underneath it makes my heart clench.
I laugh, breathless, my fingers brushing over his jawline as I nod my head slowly. “Yes,” I whisper. “You’re very, very real.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” he replies. “Not as long as you’ll have me.”
I pull him into another kiss. There are no words to express how much I’ve missed him, so instead, I let my lips do the talking. When he responds, pulling me deeper, every ounce of that need is met.
When we break apart again, his fingers glide over my cheek, tucking a loose strand of hair behind my ear. “I’m pretty sure I just kissed you into a puddle. Admit it. I’m unforgettable.”
“A puddle? Humble much?” I raise abrow, fighting a laugh. “Let’s not get carried away. You’re more like…mildly memorable.”
His jaw drops in offense. “Mildly memorable? I’m wounded. I crossed an ocean and faced your beast of a dog to get to you.”
“You’re lucky I like you,” I tease.
“Lass, I just kissed you like it was my life’s mission, and all I get is alike?”
“Well…” I drag the word out, tapping my chin like I’m deep in thought. “I suppose you could’ve done a better job.”
Before I can say anything else, he lunges at me, tackling me onto the couch with a playful growl that sends a rush of excitement through my veins. “Take it back!”
I burst into laughter, my chest heaving as I try to catch my breath. “Okay, okay! I take it back, you ridiculous man!”
I can see the satisfaction in his eyes as he hovers above me, still holding me down. “Better. I knew you’d come to your senses.”
I shake my head, my giggles slowing. “You’re impossible.”
“And you’re stuck with me,” he says softly, his voice turning serious as he rolls us onto our sides, wrapping his arms around me with a sense of finality that makes my heart swell. “Forever, if I have my way.”
Yeah. Me, too.
twenty-four
CALLAN
Bree’s curled up against me on the couch, her head tucked under my chin where she belongs. She’s out like a light, breathing slow and even. My arm’s completely numb under her, and I swear my neck’s going to start a protest any second now, but I don’t dare move. I’m not even thinking about it. No way I’m disturbing this.
Her fingers are tangled in my shirt, like she’s trying to anchor herself to me. It’s cute, even if it is painful. My arm’s about to fall off, and my neck feels like I’ve been holding it at an awkward angle for the last hour because, oh wait, I have. I couldn’t care less, though. I’d stay like this for days if it meant she’d stay here with me, looking all peaceful and…well, sleepier than I’ve ever seen her.
When I walked in earlier and caught the way her shoulders sagged and the dark circles under her eyes, it hit me hard. Her light had dimmed, and I wanted to punch something. But even with her exhaustion taking over, she’s still the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen.
My thoughts keep pulling me back to that conversation, to the way her voice cracked when she let those fears slip out. It cuts deeper than I want to admit, the fact that she’s been fighting this battle alone while I’ve been a world away. The space between us feels like an endless stretch of desert, wide and impossible to cross, and I don’t have a damn clue how to fix it.
