“Okay, bye-bye, Frankie.” Jonah’s eyes never leave mine as he hangs up his phone and slips it into his pocket. He smiles. “Hi.”
“Hi.” I laugh, feeling giddy.
He ducks his head. “Sorry I lied to you about not coming down?—”
Only Jonah would feel guilty about keeping a surprise party a secret. I place my fingers over his lips. “You’re such a good guy.”
He pulls my hand down and smirks. “You like that about me.”
“I do.”
“And,” he says, moving closer, his hands going to my hips, “I’m not always nice.”
“I definitely like that about you,” I say, wrapping my arms around him. Jonah is more comfortable with punishing me now that he knows how much I want it. Need it.
“Kiss him already,” Greta shouts.
“Oh my God.” I hide my face in Jonah’s chest. “We have a cheering section.”
He keeps his voice low. “Good thing you perform well under pressure.”
Greta’s cane clicks against the floor—I know that sound well—and it sounds like she’s getting closer. “Move, Vivie. I’ll show you how it’s done.”
Laughing, I hold up a finger to stop her. And hope I don’t have to take down an older woman with a cane. There’s no guarantee I’ll win. “I’ve got this, Greta.”
Then I focus on my man. Grabbing Jonah’s shirt, I pull him against me and kiss him. Not a peck on the cheek. A real kiss. Right here in the Cut & Curl with half the town watching, and our parents beaming at us.
His lips are warm and sweet, tasting like Jonah and Red Bull Summer Edition. There’s an edge of urgency as our mouths find familiar ground. My stomach swoops with excitement. Later, his man will be in my bed doing all kinds of naughty things to me. And tomorrow, we will be in our bed. In our home. Starting our life together.
I cling to him, overwhelmed by the moment. This man was once my enemy. My stepbrother. The person I disliked the most in the world. And now?
He’s my best friend—don’t tell Frankie—and the love of my life. My person. But even more than that, Jonah is the one thing I never thought I’d get to have.
He’s my home.
