My pulse spikes, panic flaring. But he isn’t running, and I’m done hiding from it.
‘Would you say yes,’ I ask, voice barely steady, ‘if I was?’
His hand slides into my hair. ‘What do you think?’
Hope takes off like a living, breathing thing inside me. ‘Y-yes?’
He nods once. ‘Though I think hell just froze over.’
I let out a shaky laugh. ‘Oh yeah?’
‘Taylor Stone just agreed to be outed as someone’s girl.’
‘Please,’ I scoff, though the sound is anything but light. ‘What about you? MrI-don’t-do-relationships?’
His grin spreads – cocky, warm, and so damn tender, I can’t breathe. ‘Stranger things have happened.’
‘You reckon?’
‘Nah…’
My laugh catches in my throat as his fingers skim the edge of my sweater, tracing the line of my exposed bra strap.
‘You know…’ he murmurs, voice dropping into that gravelly tone that melts me from the inside out. ‘If it weren’t for Trouble here, I’d be showing you exactly how much I want to make you officially mine. Right now.’
Heat zips through me, my entire body prickling with awareness even though he hasn’t so much as touched me with intent yet.
Damn Mother Nature, and her God-awful timing.
‘You’d struggle,’ I tell him. ‘Time of the month, remember.’
‘You think that’s gonna stop me?’
A shiver shoots down my spine. ‘Ax?—’
‘Get the shower going, Baby Girl. I’ll get her settled and be there in five…’
Axel
I watch her go, head and heart racing. Did that just happen?
Did we just agree to be athing? An actual, out-in-the-open thing?
Taylor. Mine. Willingly. Not just behind closed doors.
She hasn’t said she loves me – but she has asked for this.
Is it the pressure of Theo and her sister catching on? The pull of doing what feels good right now? Or have her feelings towards me changed?
The shower kicks on down the hall, slicing through my thoughts, and I smile.
Good girl.
Because whatever this is, it gives me more of her. And I don’t have it in me to put the brakes on that. Not any more.
I came here tonight wanting more – fully aware I’d never ask it of her. And she handed me the whole damn package anyway. Whether it’s smart or reckless, temporary or permanent, I’m in.
Until she decides otherwise, I’m all in.
