I press a finger to her lips. “Don’t. Don’t ruin this by thinking about all the ways it could go wrong.”
“Someone has to think about it.”
“Let it be tomorrow’s problem.” I pull her back down, tucking her against me. “Right now, in this moment, you’re here. I’m here. And that’s all that matters.”
She’s quiet for a moment. “You make it sound so simple.”
“Because it is. I care about you. You care about me. Everything else is just noise.”
“That noise could cost us everything.”
“Or it could give us everything.” I kiss the top of her head. “I’m willing to take that risk. Are you?”
She doesn’t answer right away. I feel her breath against my skin, steady and warm, and I wonder if I’ve pushed too hard, asked for too much.
Then she says, so quietly I almost miss it, “Yes.”
Relief floods through me. “Yeah?”
“Yeah.” She tilts her head up, and even in the dim light, I can see the determination in her eyes. “I’m terrified. And I don’t know how we make this work. But I’m in, Carter. Completely.”
I kiss her, slow, deep, a promise and a prayer all at once. When we break apart, I rest my forehead against hers.
“We’ll figure it out,” I say. “Together.”
“Together,” she echoes.
And for the first time in days, I believe it might actually be possible.
I wake up to sunlight streaming through the window and Olivia sprawled across my chest, one leg tangled with mine, her hair a wild mess on the pillow.
She’s snoring. Just a little. It’s adorable.
I don’t move, don’t want to wake her. Just lie there, memorizing this moment, the weight of her against me, the sound of her breathing, the way her hand rests over my heart.
This. This is what I want. Not the touchdowns or the headlines or the fame.
Just this.
Her eyes flutter open, bleary and confused. Then she sees me and smiles, soft and unguarded.
“Morning,” she mumbles.
“Morning.” I brush her hair back from her face. “Sleep okay?”
“Mmm. Best I’ve slept in days.” She stretches, catlike, then freezes. “What time is it?”
I glance at the clock. “Seven-thirty.”
“Shit.” She sits up, taking the sheet with her. “I have a meeting at nine. I need to—”
I catch her wrist. “Stay. Just a little longer.”
“Carter—”
“Please. Five more minutes.”
She hesitates, then sighs and settles back down beside me. “Five minutes. That’s it.”
