Noah crawled into the bed, pulling her close. “I feel like I conjured you out of pure hope.”
He felt her smile against his neck as he clutched her like a lifeline. She was real and warm and right there, ready for him to fall into.
“What are you doing home?” she whispered.
Home.Goose bumps trailed over his skin and not from cool air. “I came back early.” He kissed a trail down her neck. Just being near her shifted his mood.
She arched into him, so giving and sweet. “How was it?”
His hands snaked down over her soft skin. “Terrible. My father said if I want the warehouses, I’ll need to sue him.”
She stiffened under his touch. “Seriously? That lousy son of a—”
He smiled against her mouth. Helovedwhen she got all fired up on his behalf.Loved. Holy shit.All these feelings… helovedGrace. As his fingers danced under her T-shirt, his mouth pressing kisses to hers, he went with complete honesty. “All I wanted was to see you tonight. I didn’t want to wake you, though, so I came home, but the truth is, it only feels like a home when you’re in it with me.”
His throat felt thick with the admission.
Grace’s arms wrapped around his neck. Her gaze found his in the darkness, her breath hitching.
“I feel the same about my place,” she whispered.
Energy coursed through him, and with those simple words, she pushed away all of the darkness. With Grace, he had perpetual sunshine in her touch, her gaze, her heart. It was, as he’d told her, all he could see. All he wanted.
Their foreheads touched, their uneven breaths echoing in thequiet. Her lips twitched, making his do the same. They stared at each other, which wasn’t easy given how close they were.
“What are you thinking?” Her whisper was accompanied by the brush of her fingertips over his cheeks.
“The same thing you are, Grace. Say it.”
“Gracie,” she whispered. “I decided I like when you call me that.”
He smiled, his heart pressing against his ribs. “Say it, Gracie.”
She bit her lip, her fingers stilling against his face. “You first.”
“Same time,” he said, his heart stuttering.
She gave the slightest of nods, which he felt more than saw; then they both spoke.
“I love you.” Their words overlapped. It was perfect. He couldn’t get close enough as he kissed her, yanking her onto his lap, burying his hands in her hair.
As he laid her back on the bed, she pulled away from their kiss. “I have a visitor.” Her tone was sad.
It took him a second. “Oh. That’s okay. We don’t have to have sex. I just want to hold you and be close to you.”
“What?” He saw her confusion in the slivers of light shining through the blinds.
“You have your period?”
She snickered. “No.”
He hoped she couldn’t see his cheeks heat up. “Oh. I thought that’s what you meant.”
“No. My visitor is worse than my period. It’s my mother. She just showed up.”
Noah couldn’t help but grin. “I thought I disliked my father more than you did your mother but we might be even.”
“Ahh. Nothing like two adults bonding through their mutual dysfunction caused by their parents.”
