Back to Me (Carolina Rebels 1)

“Can we talk about something before you stop thinking like a normal human being and strip us naked?” she asks as I push her on her back and start unbuttoning her jeans.

“What?” I don’t pause with what I’m doing.

“What’s your schedule like next week?”

Now, I do pause because I have to think about my days and dates. “I leave next Friday for two weeks. They send us out on a bunch of road games because of the state fair.”

“For two weeks?”

Something in her tone causes me to look up at her. It almost reminds me of my nervousness over her leaving. Is it possible that she has some sort of fear when I leave? I crawl up her body, resting my elbows on either side of her face and place my forehead against hers. “Yeah, and I’m going to miss the hell out of you. Leo will be here to keep you company, but I’ll be calling, videochatting, and texting.”

“Promise?”

“Promise to contact you as much as I did when you went to Pittsburgh.”

She laughs. “That’ll work.”

Leo, the ba

stard, has come around to try crawling between us, wiggling his little body with a purpose. The first hand he finds, he starts nudging it with his nose.

“He probably needs to go out and you’re still dressed,” Mere says in a sweet voice.

I warily eye them both. Technically, this is her dog. He is kinda cute, and if someone has to leave this bed and walk him, I’d rather it be me than her. “Be naked when I get back,” I order her.

She grins. “Was already planning on it.”

I walk into the living room in my suit with my duffel bag hanging off my shoulder. Marc is handing Meredith’s phone back to her. I wonder what he’s doing with it to start with, but I don’t ask. Mere throws her arms around me the second I’m close enough.

“You look hot,” she whispers. “I’m going to miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too.”

“I’m feeling left out over here,” Marc adds, causing us to laugh.

“I’ll miss you too,” Meredith assures him as she lets me go and turns to him. “I’ll fix you guys dinner when you come back.”

“You don’t need to do that, Mere. We’ll be busy doing other things Marc doesn’t need to be here for.” This is a short trip, only for one game, and we’ll need to prepare for when I’m gone for that two weeks. Marc can go home and have fun with his hand.

Meredith ignores me. “Anything you don’t like?” she asks him.

“I’m not picky. Thanks, Mere.”

We both lose our smiles at that.

“Uh, Meredith,” he corrects with a roll of his eyes. “You ready, Rams?”

“Yeah, I’ll meet you down there.” I pull Meredith against me, already ignoring him. How is this my life? With Meredith back, living with me, giving me someone to kiss goodbye and come home to. I’m mesmerized by her smile and the spark in her eyes once again.

Marc has to go and ruin my moment by speaking. “What if I want to say goodbye to her too?”

“Then say it and get out.”

“Bye, Meredith,” he says, and I’d bet he has a stupid grin on his face.

“Bye, Marc,” she replies without looking away from me. Her fingers are digging into my waist, and I wish we had time for a quickie. As soon as she hears the soft click of the door closing, she lifts onto her toes and presses a kiss to my mouth. Her tongue sweeps into my mouth immediately. I’ve always known I was meant to kiss Meredith for the rest of my life.

But this feels like a goodbye kiss, full of desperation and a hint of sadness, and we are not saying goodbye.