She nods, that grin spreading across her face. “They only take a few people each semester. I figured it might take a while, but I found out I got in.”
“That’s amazing, Sug,” I say, unable to stop my smile.
She shrugs, but her eyes give her away. “It just feels good, you know? Like I’m finally getting somewhere.”
I brush a strand of hair from her face. “Yeah,” I say quietly. “Feels like we both are.”
She tilts her head, teasing. “Maybe things are finally starting to go our way.”
“About time,” I mutter, pulling her in until her laugh hums against my chest. I glance down at her, smiling. “I’m proud of us.”
Her breath catches as I lean in, my mouth finding hers. The kiss starts slow. Her hands slide up to my shoulders, fingers curling in my shirt, holding me against her.
When she finally pulls back, her lips hover against mine, her voice barely a whisper. “You could show me how proud you are.”
That’s all it takes.
I lift her, her laughter slipping out against my ear as her legs lock around my waist. Everything else fades until there’s only her breath and the warmth of her smile against my lips.
Between kisses, I whisper, “I love you.”
She pauses long enough to meet my eyes, the corner of her mouth lifting. “I know,” she says softly. “I love you too.”
I press her back against the wall again, hands sliding down her sides. Her fingers curl into my shirt and tug, pulling me closer. I feel the quiet hitch of her breath when I dip my head, kissing the line of her throat.
“Clay,” she whispers, breathless.
That sound alone is enough to undo me.
I pull back enough to look at her—the flush on her cheeks, the way her eyes have gone heavy with desire, the small tremor in her hands where they rest against my chest. My thumb grazes her jaw, tilting her face back up toward mine.
“Goddamn, I love you so much,” I murmur again, voice rough.
She smiles, the kind that starts small and grows, touching everything. “Then show me.”
I set her on the edge of the counter, flour dusting her thighs, her baking completely forgotten. My hands grip her hips, my breath hot against her neck. “Screw the cookies,” I mutter. “I just want you.”
She lets out a quiet laugh, her breath catching when I kiss her again, deeper this time.
My Sugar.
Epilogue
Tessa – Christmas – One Year Later
Christmas looks a little different this year, but at the same time, nothing has ever felt more right.
Clay and I decided to host this time. It just made sense considering it’s his first Christmas as coach of the Kolmont Kings. I just started an internship at the beginning of the month and, while I could’ve taken time off, I didn’t want to be away from Clay either.
We didn’t have as much space for everyone as we did at the lodge, but it didn’t matter. Both of our families rented a house only a couple of miles away that was big enough to fit everyone.
It worked out better than any of us expected.
Evan got a few days off between road games and flew in to spend Christmas in Kolmont. He showed up last night with a girl named Harper. We hit it off right away. She’s the kind of person whose infectious smile and energy fill a room without even trying.
Still, there’s something about the way they move around each other that feels… careful. Like they’re trying to convince everyone—including themselves—that it’s real.
I don’t know what their story is, and maybe no one wants to ask. But when he walked in last night, smiling like nothing had ever gone wrong, something in my chest pulled tight and let go all at once.
