Twelve Seconds to Forever #4
Alex swipes it away with a finger and leans closer.
“It killed me to walk away. I was a dumb kid who didn’t handle it well.
I know that. But I’m telling you now: It was never about not wanting you.
I needed to prove myself and become the guy who could give you everything instead of taking away your dreams.”
I stare at his chest as I process his words.
“I’m sorry,” he says again.
My throat burns as I swallow and try to hold back more tears.
He tips my chin up. “Say you forgive me,” he says softly.
“I forgive you,” I whisper, finally looking up into his eyes. “But I’m still mad.”
His lips pull up on one side. “I can work with that.”
His stare bounces from my eyes to my lips and back. Then, finally dropping all hesitation, he brings his mouth down to mine slowly, like he’s giving me time to decide I don’t want this.
I close the last few inches, pressing my lips to his. Alex lets out a soft hum. Both of his big hands frame my face, but the gentleness turns to something more insistent. He walks me back to the couch and sits, pulling me on top of him.
“What about your leg?” I freeze.
“Doesn’t hurt at all.” He kisses me again.
He’s lying, I know it, but as I try to shift my weight off him, he holds me tighter.
Alex pulls back and meets my gaze. “I promise, I’m fine, but if you stop kissing me again, I might die.”
We both laugh, and then his mouth is back on mine.
I still move so that less weight is on his bruised leg, but I don’t stop kissing him.
His hands drop to my waist, leisurely exploring my curves and then finally moving to my bare thighs.
The feel of his calloused hands along my smooth skin has heat coursing through me.
“I missed you so damn much.”
I don’t respond except to kiss him harder. There are so many more things to say, but his touch is laced with apology and desire, and for right now that’s enough.
My body melts into his until I’m nuzzled as close as I can get.
My chest brushes against his, and I revel in his warmth and the hard expanse of him.
My hips rock of their own accord, and Alex lets out a low growl.
He nips at my bottom lip and then drives up into me from below.
Stars dot my vision. I want—no, I need more of him.
“Do you have any condoms?” I ask as I slide my hands under his shirt and let my fingers explore the hard ridges of his muscles.
“Lainey.” His gray eyes search mine. “God, I…” He trails off and his stare moves past me.
I turn to see what has his attention. Headlights stream through the window at the same time a heavy knock sounds on the front door.
And then my best friend yells from the other side. “Alex! Lainey! Open up!”
CHAPTER FOUR ALEX
“Congratulations.” I wrap my sister in a hug. “Brad’s a lucky guy.”
Her head rests against my chest, veil falling down her back, as she circles her arms around me. “Thank you for being here.”
“I wouldn’t have missed it for anything.”
She pulls back and looks at me. “Not even a playoff game?”
I glance up like I’m considering it. “Ehhh…”
She swats at my arm and steps back.
It was the perfect day, and the wedding went exactly as planned, complete with snow on the ground outside. The venue twinkles with fairy lights overhead, tables are decorated with candles and flower displays, and there’s a merriment in the air. Love, happiness, and the countdown to the new year.
My gaze snags on Lainey dancing with one of Brad’s friends in the middle of the dance floor. She’s smiling at him and he’s smiling at her. Something twists in my gut.
As soon as Jess and Brad showed up last night to rescue Lainey, something shifted between us again. She’s no longer pretending I don’t exist, but she’s acting like nothing’s changed, either—like that kiss didn’t happen and we weren’t minutes away from crossing another big line.
“So, you and Lainey?”
I pull my stare away from my sister’s best friend. Jess pins me with a serious look. “Are you going to screw things up again?”
I bark out a surprised laugh. We’ve never really talked about Lainey. Until now I wasn’t even sure how much she knew. I always suspected Lainey had confided in her, but Jess has kept that to herself.
“You’ve been in love with her since high school, and everyone knows it but her,” Jess says.
I shake my head.
“I know you. And I know Lainey,” she continues. “Whatever happened between you two, I know it can be fixed.”
“My baby sister, the eternal optimist.”
“Yes, well, I’m married now, which also makes me wiser than you when it comes to relationships.” She nudges me with an elbow. “Go talk to her.”
“I’m not sure it’ll make a difference.” Last night, I could see how much I hurt Lainey. I can’t change what I did, no matter how badly I wish otherwise.
“Just… go.” She nudges me a little more.
“Easy on the shoving,” I joke as I hobble forward.
Jess grins as she watches me go, shooing me with both hands to keep going.
I take a deep breath as I walk slowly. My leg feels a little better today, but I’m almost regretting leaving my crutches at the cabin.
Lainey glances up when I’m a few feet away. Her hair is swept back from her face, and her lips are painted a red that matches her dress.
“Can I cut in?” I ask, sliding my gaze from her to her partner.
The guy’s smile falls, but he recovers quickly. “Yeah, of course, man.” He gives Lainey one more smile, then backs away.
I step in front of her.
“Are you in any condition to dance?” she asks.
“Probably not,” I admit. “You may have to hold me up.”
She places her hands lightly on my shoulders. Mine glide around her waist, caressing her and the warmth radiating through the smooth satin material.
We sway to the music for several minutes in silence, me staring at her and her pretending not to notice.
“Sooo… about last night,” I start.
Immediately her cheeks flush.
She’s so damn gorgeous. “Too soon? Do we need to wait three years to talk about it?”
She narrows her gaze.
“Just kidding.”
She squares her shoulders. “I thought a lot about it, and thank you,” she says evenly. “I appreciate what you said last night.”
“You appreciate it?” That is not the reaction I expected.
“Yeah. I’ve been holding on to what happened between us, trying to hate you but unable to move on. I think I finally got the closure I needed.”
My leg twinges with pain, but it’s nothing compared to the knife slicing through my chest. “Closure?”
“Well, yeah, I can’t be in love with you forever.” She gives me a small smile.
I stop pretending to dance. “Why not?”
Her brows pull together. “I thought you’d be happy.
Now we can go back to being friends and not avoiding each other when you visit.
I can’t promise that I won’t be a little jealous if or when you bring other women here, though, at least in the beginning.
But it’s about to be a new year, and I think we should start it with a clean slate. ”
I can’t help it, I chuckle. “Brainy Lainey.” I hold her tighter.
“I hate it when you call me that.”
“No, you don’t.”
“No.” She shakes her head. “I don’t.”
“Didn’t you hear anything I said last night?” I bend down to look directly in her eyes. “I am in love with you. I plan on being in love with you for a very long time. So hopefully when I come visit, the only woman I’m hanging out with is you.”
Her red lips part and form an O then close.
In the background, the countdown to the New Year starts up and everyone around us joins in.
I raise my voice so she can hear me over the noise. “Now that the season is over, I was thinking I could stick around or you could come see me in Denver while school is on break. Once the season starts back up, it’ll be a little trickier, but you have the summer free and—”
She cuts me off and kisses me before I can finish telling her my grand plans. I kiss her back and relish this perfect moment. As long as my plans include her, the rest doesn’t matter.