Page 72 of The Truths We Find

Her brows furrow. “So, you’re saying no sex unless we’re together. Like, actually together.”

“You don’t agree?”

She exhales, leaning back just enough to look at me fully. “I’m saying… can’t we be in the getting-to-know-you-again phase? Seeing what this could be?” Her hands slide along my shoulders. “And that phase also includes fooling around?”

“We already know each other.”

She shakes her head softly. “No. We used to. We have ten years to catch up on.” Her voice cracks, just a little. “And yeah… there are still trust issues. I’m not saying we can’t get past them. But forcing ourselves to be miserable and horny while we work through it doesn’t exactly sound productive. Or fun.”

I scoff, trying to mask how much that hits. “So, you’re just using me for my body now? Get what you want and leave me crying in the shower?”

She jerks back. “Do I even want to know?”

I grin despite myself. “Next time you talk to Emmett, ask him about Billy.”

She snorts. “How is it that man will sleep with literally anyone and still have the worst luck in love?”

“It’s a gift.” I wince. “Also, can we not discuss my brother’s sex life when I’m hard and you’re sitting on top of me?”

She laughs, the tension breaking just enough. “Fair. So… can we take the no-sex rule off the table?”

I close my eyes for a moment, breathing her in. “I just don’t want to mess this up.”

Her expression softens completely. She leans forward, pressing her forehead to mine, arms wrapping around my neck like she’s anchoring herself to me.

“Total honesty,” she whispers. “No running away this time. That’s how we make it work. Can you promise me that?”

I open my eyes to find hers. There’s no doubt in me now. Not a single ounce.

“I’ll give you anything you want.”

Her smile takes over her whole face. Full of hope and heat all at once.

“Then,” she murmurs, voice dropping low, “I want you to take me into that room right now… and do very bad things to me.”

And just like that, every promise I’ve made to myself becomes worth breaking.

Chapter 22

Dani

It’s been two weeks since Vegas, and to say my life has changed would be a massive understatement. Gavin and I are… well, I’m not sure exactly. Dating? I don’t even know if that’s the right term. What I do know is we’re having sex. A lot of it. Mind-blowingly good sex. And that’s wild, because I’ve never really thought of myself as a sexual person.

With Sam, I could go weeks, sometimes months, without sex and be perfectly fine. I honestly thought something was wrong with me because I didn’t get the appeal. But with Gavin—everything’s different. I want him all the time. Every time. And it wasn’t even like this when we were together in the past. Back then, it was easy and loving, sure. Now, it’s fire and pull and ache and obsession all rolled into one.

No one knows about us, except Alexa of course. Even at work, we’re ghosts. Mainly because there’s nothing official to announce, because we’re still trying to figure out what we are. We’re not a couple yet. But I’d be lying to myself if I didn’t hope that’s exactly where we end up.

I just… need more time. Getting back together after ten years is huge.

Despite everything, there’s still this nagging feeling he’s holding something back. We agreed on total honesty if this is going to work—I trust him, but I also know him. I know the look he gets when he’s keeping a secret, and it stirs something in me I can’t ignore.

And then there’s the little voice in the back of my mind—Sam. We literally just ended things. Isn’t there some unwritten rule about waiting between relationships?

I shake my head, trying to quiet all the thoughts, because the truth is, when I’m with Gavin, all those rules feel irrelevant. The connection. The way my body and mind crave him… it’s undeniable.

For the first time in a long time, I feel like I’m exactly where I’m supposed to be, even if the world might think I’m moving too fast.

Speaking of Sam… he’s been blowing up my phone nonstop these past few weeks. Which is hilarious, if it weren’t so irritating, considering he barely called me when we were actually together. Funny how priorities only become obvious once it’s too late. The whole thing just confirms I made the right call with ending things. He took advantage of me—of us—before I had the sense to walk away.