Chapter 39
Chapter Thirty-Nine
Gabbi
The apartment was quiet.
Not the kind of quiet that came with peace, but the kind that came before something inevitable, something neither of us wanted to fight anymore. The air between us was thick with it, charged with everything we had left unsaid for years.
I stood near the couch, arms wrapped around myself, watching as Bobby leaned against the kitchen counter, his eyes locked onto mine.
He hadn’t moved for what felt like forever, just standing there, watching, his expression unreadable.
But I could feel it—the weight of his stare, the tension humming beneath his skin, the way his fingers flexed against the counter like he was holding himself back.
Maybe before, he would have. Maybe before, we both would have found a reason to step away, to let fear and pain and regret keep us apart.
But not tonight.
Bobby exhaled, rubbing a hand over his jaw, his voice rough when he finally spoke. "I don’t want to fight this anymore."
The words sent a shiver down my spine, not from fear, but from the absolute certainty in them. There was no hesitation, no doubt—just truth.
I took a slow step forward, my heartbeat drumming against my ribs. "Then don’t."
He pushed off the counter, closing the space between us in seconds, his body heat washing over me before his hands even touched my skin. But when they did—it was like coming home.
Bobby cupped my face, his rough palms cradling me like I was something precious, something he had lost and found again. He hesitated for just a second, searching my eyes, making sure. I let out a shaky breath and tilted my chin up, silently giving him my answer.
His lips met mine, soft at first—hesitant, reverent. But then something snapped, something raw and desperate, and suddenly, we weren’t holding back anymore.
The kiss deepened, his hands sliding into my hair, fingers tangling as he tilted my head and claimed me completely. My hands fisted the fabric of his shirt, pulling him closer, pressing against him, needing to feel him, to erase the years of distance with every touch.
He groaned against my mouth, the sound vibrating through my bones, making my knees weak. I barely registered him lifting me, my legs wrapping around his waist on instinct, his arms strong and sure as he carried me toward the bedroom.
We barely made it inside before he pressed me against the wall, his lips trailing down my jaw, his breath hot, his touch everywhere. My head fell back as his mouth found the curve of my neck, his stubble scraping against my skin in the most intoxicating way.
"Bobby," I whispered, my fingers gripping his shoulders, my entire body aching for more.
He pulled back just enough to look at me, his chest rising and falling hard, his dark eyes filled with something almost painful in its intensity.
"You wrecked me, Gabbi," he murmured, his thumb tracing my lower lip. "Every damn day, I told myself I didn’t need you. That I could move on. But it was a lie. It’s always been a lie."
Tears burned behind my eyes, but I refused to let them fall. Instead, I reached for him, my fingers trailing down his chest, feeling the hard lines of his body beneath my touch. "Then stop lying," I whispered.
Something flickered in his gaze—a final wall crumbling.
Then he kissed me again, and this time, there was no hesitation.
Clothes fell to the floor, piece by piece, but it wasn’t rushed. Every touch, every kiss, was deliberate. His hands memorized me, his fingers tracing the places he once knew, learning me all over again.
We tumbled onto the bed, his body hovering over mine, the heat between us unbearable. He kissed me **everywhere—**my lips, my jaw, the curve of my shoulder, his touch slow, reverent, like he was making sure this was real.
I arched beneath him, my breath ragged, my body begging for him. "Bobby," I whispered, my fingers threading through his hair, pulling him back to me.
He exhaled sharply, his forehead pressing against mine, his breath mixing with mine.
"This isn’t just tonight," he said, voice hoarse, filled with something unshakable. "This isn’t just because we lost time. It’s because I love you, Gabbi. I never stopped."
A tear slipped free, sliding down my temple. I swallowed hard, my heart hammering. "I love you too," I whispered. "I always have."
His lips crashed against mine again, stealing my breath, and then he was part of me, filling every empty space I had carried for six years.
It wasn’t just about need. It was about belonging. About finding each other again.
The world blurred, time slipped away, and all that remained was us.