Chapter 5 #2
My throat went tight, and I had to look down at the ground for a second, blinking hard. I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and pulled her closer, pressing my lips to the top of her head because I couldn’t not touch her, couldn’t not acknowledge what she’d just done.
“Since when?” Colin asked, his brows drawing together as he looked between us, like he was trying to put together a puzzle but half of the pieces were missing.
Stella shifted her weight and wrapped her arms around my middle. “Officially? A few days ago, but … ” She trailed off, her gaze dropping to the ground. “Things kind of changed for me last year, around Thanksgiving.”
Colin's mouth fell open. “A year ago!”
I felt her head move against my chest as she nodded. “Yeah.”
“And you didn’t say anything?” I caught the flash of hurt on his face before he tried to cover it with a forced smile. He shoved his hands in his pockets, his shoulders hunching slightly. “I mean, I’m your brother, Stel. I thought we told each other stuff.”
Stella lifted a shoulder. “I didn’t know what it was at first. And then I did, and it scared the shit out of me, so I ignored it. I told myself it wasn’t happening.”
“Until New Year’s Eve,” I added quietly.
Her eyes flicked up to mine, and something soft passed between us.
“Until New Year’s Eve,” she agreed.
Colin let out a low whistle, some of the hurt fading from his expression. “This is wild. I didn’t think you’d ever actually—”
“Want to jump his bones?” Stella supplied dryly.
“I was gonna say give him a shot, but yeah, that too.”
She rolled her eyes. “Well, I did. And here we are.”
“Here we are,” I echoed, pulling her into my body.
Colin’s face suddenly split into the widest grin I’d ever seen. “Do you know how long I’ve wanted you two idiots to get together?”
“We’re not idiots,” Stella muttered.
“You absolutely are. But you’re my idiots, and I love you both, and I’m so fucking happy right now I could cry.”
“Please don’t,” Stella said.
“No promises.” He pulled out his phone. “I gotta tell Zach.”
“Colin—” Stella started.
“Too late. Already sent.” He pocketed his phone and looked between us, his expression turning serious for a second. “For real, though. You guys are going to be so good together. Like, really good. Do me a favor, and don’t fuck it up.”
“We won’t,” I assured him, my voice firm.
And I meant it. I’d move heaven and earth to be what this woman needed. Whatever it took—patience, space, time, reassurance—I’d give it to her. No question.
Stella glanced up at me, and I caught the flicker of uncertainty in her eyes before she masked it.
I knew what that look meant. Stella didn’t trust things to come easy.
Didn’t trust men not to be assholes who’d say all the right things and then bail when it got hard or boring.
But I’d prove to her I wasn’t like them.
I’d make damn sure she never had reason to doubt me.
Someday, she’d be as certain as I already was.
“Good,” Colin said. “Because if either of you hurts the other one, I’m taking both your sides and will make your lives miserable.”
“That doesn’t even make sense,” Stella pointed out.
“Don’t care. It’s happening.” He clapped me on the shoulder. “Congrats, man. You finally got the girl.”
I looked down at Stella, at the way the firelight caught the flecks in her eyes, at the small smile tugging at the corner of her mouth.
“Yeah,” I said softly. “I really did.”
We stayed at the bonfire for another hour, but everything felt different now.
Stella didn’t pull away when I stood close. She held my hand when we stood in line at the whoopie pie truck. And when someone asked how long we’d been dating, she didn’t hesitate before answering, “It’s new, but it’s good.”
By the time we said our goodbyes and headed for the parking lot, my chest felt too full to breathe.
“That wasn’t so bad,” Stella said as we reached my truck.
“You’re kidding, right? I thought I was going to spontaneously combust every time someone looked at you.”
She laughed, the sound bright and carefree. “You did fine.”
“I lasted an hour before Colin figured it out.”
“To be fair, we weren’t exactly subtle.”
“You think?” I backed her up against the passenger door, my hands bracing on either side of her. “But I was trying so hard.” I leaned in, my hips pressing against hers, and waggled my eyebrows. “So very hard.”
She let out a surprised laugh, her cheeks flushing. “You’re ridiculous.”
“You like it when I’m ridiculous.”
“I really fucking do.” Her hands slid up my chest and around my neck, and she pulled me down into a kiss.
I forgot about the cold, the crowd, everything except the taste of her and the way she melted into me.
When we finally came up for air, we were both breathing hard.
“Take me home,” she whispered against my mouth.
“Yours or mine?”
She pulled back just enough to look at me, one eyebrow arched. “Cade. Your roommate is my brother. And I have plans for you that require absolute privacy.”
I groaned, picturing what those plans might be. “Right. Your place it is.”
“Good call.” She kissed me again, quick and teasing.
I opened the passenger door and helped her in, then walked around to the driver’s side. As I slid behind the wheel, I caught sight of Colin standing near the bonfire, watching us with a stupid grin on his face.
He gave me a thumbs up.
I flipped him off.
He laughed.
I started the engine and reached for Stella’s hand, lacing our fingers together on the center console.
“Tell me more about these plans of yours,” I said as we pulled out of the gravel parking lot and onto the main road.
She turned to look at me, and the heat in her eyes made my grip tighten on the steering wheel. “The kind where you fuck me until neither of us can move.”
“Those are really good plans.”
She laughed, squeezing my hand. “Drive faster, Murphy.”
My foot pressed harder on the gas pedal.