Loyal Heir (The Heirs 4)

Her smiling face tips up to me. “Usually, the honeymoon phase is over the instant there’s farting involved.”

I brush her dark brown hair away from her face and murmur, “Which means we got the worst out of the way, and we can focus on enjoying the good.”

When she relaxes against me, I wrap my arm around her and give her a tight squeeze.

Positive that a relationship between us can work, I’m filled with excitement.

ARIA

Lying in Forest’s arms shouldn’t feel different because we’ve done this many times before. Every time he had to comfort me after a breakup.

But it feels new. It fills me with anticipation, which is something I haven’t felt before. Sure I’ve been attracted to some of the guys I’ve dated, and others I gave a chance because they were nice. But I never felt consumed by them. I never wanted to kiss them so badly it was all I could think about. I never felt good about myself when I was with them.

Lifting my head, I push myself up until I’m staring down at Forest. I place my hand against his jaw and feeling the day-old scruff, sends an electric current shooting through my fingers and up my arm.

I was starting to think all the things I wanted to feel when kissing a guy were only a stupid fantasy, and they didn’t really exist.

But they do.

Lowering my head, I press a soft kiss to Forest’s full lips.

He lifts a hand to my face, and brushes my hair back, then asks, “What’s going on in that head of yours?”

I rest my cheek against his shoulder and admit, “I started to think I was asking for too much. You know… wanting to feel butterflies.”

“And now?”

I glance up at him. “Now that I know it’s real, I’m kinda sad I wasted all that time on my previous relationships.”

“Don’t think of it as a waste of time, but that you got to figure out what you really want,” Forest murmurs while dropping his hand to his chest.

Has Forest been what I wanted all along?

I think back to my disastrous relationships and begin to frown when I realize I did compare every guy to Forest. It always annoyed me that I could never be myself with them. I was always too scared I’d do something wrong and had to pretend to be the perfect girlfriend. It was so damn exhausting.

“What if it turns out you’ve been the one all along?” I ask.

“Then I’d say we’re lucky. Not many people get to fall in love with their best friends.”

Fall in love. Is that what’s happening?

I glance up at Forest. “We already love each other. As friends, but how will we know if we’re… you know…” I take a deep breath, then say, “falling in love?”

A grin spreads over Forest’s face. “The day we rip each other’s clothes off, I think it’s safe to say we’re in love.”

“Oh… Yeah.”

Forest has only slept with one girl. Kennedy Quinn. She was his first everything. Honestly, they would probably still be together if she hadn’t moved away.

If we ever get to the point of having sex, I know it will mean Forest is serious. It’s not something he takes lightly.

God, if we even make it to that stage of the relationship.

I’ve only made it that far with Eli, and that turned out to be… I pull a disgruntled face at the memories I’d rather forget.

My thoughts return to Forest and how it felt when he touched me. I don’t think I would’ve stopped him if he had tried to go all the way.

The revelation brings my racing mind to a screeching halt.

Does that mean I’m already in love with Forest?

I reach for his hand and brush my fingers over his skin. Instantly I feel an invisible pull between us. Forest weaves his fingers with mine.

“Look at me,” he murmurs.

My eyes snap to his.

“Stop overthinking everything and enjoy what’s happening between us.” He leans into me and presses a kiss to my mouth. “I’ve never let you down, and I never will.”

“Okay,” I whisper, still feeling apprehensive.

“You trust me, right?” Forest asks.

“Irrevocably,” I breathe.

“Then trust me with your heart as well, Aria.” His eyes look like stormy clouds as he promises, “I won’t break it.”

Emotion makes my eyes tear up, and closing the distance between us, I kiss Forest. It’s not a peck. It’s not soft but filled with all my fears and hopes.

Eli hurt me in the worst way, and I never told Forest about it. Hearing those words from Forest, I wonder if he knows something.

God, I hope not. I won’t be able to live with the shame.

If the worst happens and Forest breaks my heart, I know I won’t recover. I’ll probably swear off men for good because if it can’t work out with Forest, who’s the best person I know, then what chance does anyone else stand.