“I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
His lips tilt up. “I know. But we’ll figure this out so we’re not depriving ourselves of sleep, yeah?”
“About that…” I bite my lip. “We didn’t get a chance to talk too much when I was visiting, but…uh…just wanted confirmation. We’re doing this, right? Like long-distance relationship. Because I don’t know if I made it clear, but that’s what I want. I’m all in. I want to make this work.”
He grins at me, and my insides melt. God, I love it when he smiles.
“I was hoping that’s what our confessions of love meant.” His dark brown eyes dance. “So, yes, Sunshine, we’re doing this. And so there’s no mistaking how serious I am about this—us. I was kind of hoping…once off-season hits…you’d want to move in with me?”
Oh wow. Wowowow. I’m nodding like a fool and literally all I can see in my little window on the screen are my fucking teeth from my ridiculously huge smile.
He lets out a relieved breath. “Okay. Good. That’s good.”
“You thought I’d say no?”
He pops a shoulder and his nipple piercing peeks into the screen. “It’s fast. I didn’t want it to be too much, too soon.”
“Not too fast. There is no such thing as too fast for me with you. Like, literally, you could ask me to go to Vegas right now, and I’d be packing my bag. Once we hit off-season, I want every second I can get with you before we report back.”
He cocks his head, eyes crinkled. “Did you just…” He gasps, his frame shaking with suppressed laughter. “Drop that you’d get Vegas married to me?”
“I did, didn’t I? Whoops. So, like, probably shouldn’t go do thattomorrow. And maybe not Vegas. But one day? If that’s something you want?”
“You asking me if marriage is on the table, Sunshine?”
Heat spills over my cheeks. Shit. I guess I am. Woof. And the way he said that? There was something heady in the low timber of his words, a dark satisfaction. I nod slowly.
“You’d be all right with that? Marrying a man…I just want to make sure you’ve thought that through.”
The hesitation in his voice kills me. I’ve introduced a layer of insecurity to what’s between us with everything that happened with my father. I hate that. I hate that I questioned myself. That I questioned us.
“Yeah, JJ.” I sit up and hold the phone in front of me. I want him to know how serious I am. “I know the past week I haven’t inspired the most confidence in you when it comes to us, but I’m all in. I want to be your person, your support. I know it’s not always going to be easy, and I know there are going to be haters. I can handle that.”
The doubts hit me hard after my dad. I was nervous Iwasn’t enough for someone like Jed. He’s…God, he’s fucking perfect. And then there’s me. The poor kid from Tampa, a guy who couldn’t even land a best friend until he was twenty-one. No one has ever wanted or needed me before, besides my amazing momma.
Until East and Pauls. Until Jed. Iamwhat he needs. When he fell apart, he soughtmeout. I saved him. Just like he saved me. Partners. Fighting the world together, weathering any trial life throws at us.
I’m fucking ready.
He’s my Batman, and I’m his Robin. All day.
I draw in a breath. Then let it out. And with it, something I’ve held on to for far too long.
“I amdonewith that asshole. I wish I’d written him off sooner. But he doesn’t deserve to know me, and he doesn’t deserve to have an impact on me or sway in my life. I’m not going to let him get in the way of loving you. So whatever you want, I’m there for it. You want to publicly come out, I’ll be by your side bragging about getting to be your man. You want to get married, just let me know how wild I can go with my tux. You want kids? My only question will be how many.”
“Easy there, Surfer Boy.” He covers his smile with his hand and shakes his head. I can see it dancing in his eyes:You’re something else, Sunshine.
And he loves it. That I’m ridiculous. That I’m kind of extra. He truly does.
He lovesme.
“I hope that wasn’t too much, but I kinda can’t be anything else with you. I want it all.”
His smile fades, and his gaze turns fond. “Me too, babe.” His throat bobs. “It’s not something I even dared to contemplate before you. My future wasn’t up for grabs. Butyou slid into my life, all stupidly smooth base stealing and blinding smiles…and stole my forever along with it.”
“I amreallygood at stealing. Plus…you did steal my position. It’s only fair I stole something of yours.”
His face splits into a beaming smile. “Tit for tat.”
