Breaking Even (Sterling Shore 5)

“Really?”

He shrugs as his grin grows. “They suit you. And I love you the way you are. Everything is always different, fun, and sexy in an entirely new way. These damn things shouldn’t be sexy, but you looked so fucking good that night you were letting me pull those shorts off you for the first time.”

Those words... He really does love me, and he’s saying it aloud. I never thought it would happen. I keep expecting to wake up and realize this was all a torturous nightmare.

I smile and return my attention to the present, trying not to show how completely excited I am over something so simple. Then I pull out a white sundress. I grin bigger as I look at him, and he shrugs in response. On the next layer, there’s a bottle of food coloring, and I laugh.

Under that are several other things. There’s a Camry keychain hooked to a Porsche keychain, and I grin while I continue snickering. The box of baking soda and bottle of Febreeze makes me chuckle louder, and he pulls me to him.

“I was trying to make you play with me. I was pretty damn desperate.”

I smile up at him, and put the things aside. Then I wrap my arms around him while he falls to his back, dragging me down with him.

“I’m glad I didn’t open it. We wouldn’t be here right now if I had. We’d be in the loop your father warned me about.”

He tilts his head in confusion, and I realize he apparently hasn’t talked to his dad about our visit, so I try to elaborate without all the details.

“I would have played. You wouldn’t have ever thought of anything more with me,” I say to clarify.

His eyes soften, and he presses his lips against mine.

“Then I’m glad you didn’t open it.”

I push my hips back, slowly sliding down on him, impaling myself, and feeling the full, stretching sensation moments before that metal bar does that divine thing of touching a place that has never felt so stimulated before him.

Ruined. He’s ruined me forever, and I love it.

When I rock my hips, he groans. Each breath exchanged is a new breath of a freedom I never thought I could feel.

And he’s mine.

Epilogue

One week later...

RYE

“We should probably get out there,” Brin says breathlessly against my lips, but she feels too good to leave right now.

“One more time,” I murmur, still panting.

“No. We have guests, and this is your house. It’s rude, and I’m starving. We can continue this when everyone is too drunk to notice we’re missing.”

I frown, but she laughs, and I can’t help but smile. With a reluctant sigh, I stand and pull my jeans back on while she wraps the sheet around her.

“This could be your house, too,” I say, trying to make this sound as casual as possible while I grab for a shirt.

She’s silent. I hate it when she’s silent.

“What does that mean?” she asks in a hoarse whisper that forces her to clear her throat directly after.

I keep my back turned, shrugging as nonchalantly as possible.

“You could move in.” I pull on my shirt, still refusing to look at her. “You’re here every day and night, so it only makes sense for you to move in.”

I turn to see her frowning. She has that confused wrinkle on her brow. This is moving fast, but I love her, so it only makes sense. I’ve spent my entire life playing it safe and staying detached from anything that could pose a threat. I want to live now, and there’s no reason to waste time. I know exactly what I want, and for the first time in my life, there’s nothing stopping me from having it.

“I’m not moving in for the sake of convenience,” she says, still wearing her sweet frown.