It’s a dance, this kiss.
Ronin pulls his hand from the railing to grip the back of my head, his fingers snaking under the soft beanie to windthemselves into my hair. They tighten in the strands, holding my face in place as he deepens our kiss, his mouth slanted against mine.
I’ve never been kissed like this in my entire life. All of my previous kisses are swept away, erased, absolutely nothing in comparison to a kiss from Ronin Kane. Even our night together years ago pales in comparison to the man currently ravaging my mouth. My heart.
I never want this moment to end.
Kissing Ronin feels like coming home. Like I’ve kissed him this way a hundred times already, and I’ll do it a thousand times more.
Off in the distance, my mind registers the sound of people cheering, a loudwhoopthat can only come from Bree breaking through the haze of desire fogging my brain. I feel Ronin smile against my lips as we slow to a stop.
After placing a soft kiss on my lips—once, twice more—he pulls me against his chest, wrapping his arms around me, holding me tightly. We both turn our heads toward the sounds of our friends, and I can’t stop the wide smile that stretches across my face as I see Bree and Brooklyn, Evan and Cat, and a few random strangers standing about thirty feet away. All of them wear the same happy expressions as they catcall and yell, cheering loud enough to cause other hikers to stop and see what’s going on.
Mortified at the scene my beloved brother and best friend are causing, I turn back to Ronin, hiding my face in his sweatshirt. He chuckles, his breath warm on the top of my head. I look up at him, cheeks flaming.
“I’m sorry that we had an audience, but I’ve been waiting almost twelve years to do that again, and I really don’t give a fuck who saw,” Ronin says, quiet enough that only I can hear. He smiles down at me, and my heart swells. It’s the smile that melts me, the smile that he saves just for me, just for these moments between us when our walls are truly down.
I grin back, soaking in the adoration inhis gaze. “Twelve years, huh?” I tease. “One might think you’ve been pining for me.”
“You know I have, Mel,” he answers roughly. “I’ve only told you a million times. There’s never been anyone else for me.”
I lean up on my toes and kiss him once more, the thrill of being able to do so enveloping me as I place my lips on his.
We’re interrupted as our group finally circles around us, Bree tugging me into a hug that’s more like a body slam from her petite frame. Evan slaps Ronin on the back, the two of them grinning at each other.
“About fucking time, dude,” Evan says, playfully pushing Ronin.
“Yeah, yeah,” Ronin replies, swatting my brother away from him before pulling me close once again, arms wrapped around me like he never intends to let me go.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
RONIN
Tip #5: Always bring an extra pair of pants. Just trust me on this one.
We make our way back to our campsite, ready for an early lunch after a morning of hiking. Mellie and I hold hands on the walk back, and it feels as natural as breathing.
After lunch, we branch off into pairs. Evan and Catalina want to hike up the mountain on a different trail, so the two set off together, promising to be back in a few hours. Bree and Brooklyn retreat into their tent, so Mel and I make the wise choice to give them some privacy. We wander off to explore, backpacks laden with extra water, snacks, and a blanket just in case we find a good spot to picnic.
I lose count of the number of times I catch myself glancing over at Mel as we walk, hand in hand. I still can’t believe I finally fucking kissed her.
Twelve years.
Almost twelve years that I’ve been in love with my best friend,and it feels surreal she may finally feel the same way for me. In truth, I’ve had feelings for Mellie for much longer than that, but the night we slept together was when I knew I was head over heels for this woman.
As soon as she walked into the bar last December, I knew that things were different between us, and I’d been doing my best to take Evan’s advice and not “fuck it up” this time. But it’s hard trying to play it cool when you’ve been in love with your best friend for your entire adult life.
I’m determined to get it right this time.
I find Mellie for the hundredth time, and this time she catches me staring. She smiles, her dimple winking at me in the hazy sunlight that filters through the cloudy sky and bare branches overhead.
God, I am the luckiest son of a bitch on the planet.
We hike around the short, easy trails surrounding our campsite for the next hour or so. Eventually, we find an open area that looks perfect to sit and catch our breath. The view is, well… It's breathtaking. I spread the blanket down on the crunchy grass and sit, patting the spot next to me.
Mellie lowers herself down, dropping her pack at her feet.
“Wow,” she says, gazing out at the vista before us. We’ve got a view of the mountain below, the sprawling trees laid out like a blanket, and the distant peaks of larger mountains off in the distance. “This is a stunning spot.” She leans back on her hands, stretching her legs out in front of her. “I don’t ever want to leave.”
