AllFreeNovel
Share Us
And it hurts my heart that the things I see, the things I crave with everything I am, aren’t necessarily the things that are right.
I heave in a frayed breath, my eyes glazing with unshed tears as I slip out of my shoes and step toward her. June’s smile fades slightly, sensing the heaviness radiating off me. I force a smile, not wanting to worry her—not wanting to be the reason her smile fades. “Hey,” I greet her, my hand extending to clasp hers. “They smell amazing.”
Her joy flickers back to life. “Yeah? I’m a little impressed I didn’t burn them,” she says, ducking her chin to her chest. “I used Grams’s recipe. I always thought they were the best.”
June’s words hardly register. The brownies are forgotten as I lift both hands to cradle her cheeks, moving in to her until our chests kiss. “Are you happy?” I ask softly. There’s a catch in my voice, sounding louder than my words.
Worry claims her pretty features, and she reaches up to hold my wrists. “Of course I’m happy. I’m so happy.”
“Even though you’re not dancing? Even though you’re not in New York?”
She falters.
It’s only for a second, only for the briefest, tiniest moment, but I see it.
I see it.
“Yes,” she nods, squeezing me. “I’d rather be here with you.”
I press our foreheads together. “What if you’re missing out? What if you always regret not chasing your dreams?”
“Brant…I love you. I’ll never regret choosing love.”
“Your dreams have an expiration date, June. Love doesn’t. I’ll always love you,” I murmur, bringing her closer. Breathing her in. “You know that, right?”
She pulls back a little, licking her lips. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m afraid you’re making a mistake.”
“We’re not a mistake,” she insists. Her nails dig into me, carving little crescents into my arms. “We were written in the stars. Stars don’t make mistakes.”
My eyes close tight, my body swaying as if it’s being pulled in two different directions.
Dancing and distance are what’s best for June.
No, I’m what’s best for June.
Fuck.
I don’t know.
I don’t know, so I just kiss her, because nothing is scary or messy or wrong when I’m kissing her.
She arches upward, sinking into the kiss, her hands gliding up my arms and landing on my shoulders. Her lips part, pleading for me to slip inside, and when our tongues touch, I groan, gathering her closer and melting.
The urgency swells between us, as it always does. I lift her up by the thighs, wrapping her legs around my waist. When I pull back from her mouth, I breathe out, “I want to make love to you.”
“Okay.” She nods eagerly, arms linked around my neck. “Bedroom.”
I kiss her again, then start walking the short distance to my room. “I want to make love to you, June. Sweet and slow and soft. The way it should have been that first time.”
“It was perfect,” she rasps out, clinging to me as I carry her into the bedroom and set her on the mattress. “It’s always perfect.”
“It’s always rough. Dirty.” I pull off my T-shirt, then start unfastening my belt and slacks. My eyes heat as I watch June shrug out of her cotton sundress, her hair splaying around her on the white sheets. “It’s like I’m trying to bury us deeper into the dirt, until we sink, until there’s no way out. Because I don’t want to find a way out.”
Crawling on top of her, she immediately coils her legs around my hips and tugs me close, inching up to kiss me. Her hands sift through my hair as she murmurs, “I don’t either.”
“God, June… I don’t want you to be my filthy little secret. You’re better than this.”
