Page 148 of Lose You Twice

“I will.”

She lets me go right as Kai comes over with a hoodie in his hands, but I don’t remember bringing one over.

Harlow looks at him, then at me. “I’m going to go stop Weston from stealing my pizza.”

She quickly disappears into the kitchen.

“Can I at least walk you to your car?” he asks. “I’m pretty sure they won’t care.”

I nod, reaching my hand out for him to take. He does so instantly, intertwining his fingers with mine as we head for the parking lot. We make it to my car, and I reach into my bag to find my keys to unlock the door.

“Did you think it would be cooler out here? What’s with the hoodie?”

He’s silent for a moment, and when I look up at him, he’s blushing. Kai Mercer, captain of the PCU hockey team, blushes—actually blushes.

He clears his throat. “I thought you might want something newer to wear to bed, or really wherever, instead of a fraying T-shirt.”

He brought it for me and is leaving it as a wide-open invitation to wear whenever I feel comfortable.

I don’t really know what to do with the emotions suddenly clogging my throat, so I step closer and rise on my toes, intending to kiss his cheek.

Kai turns his head at the last second, and my mouth lands on his.

His hands come to my waist, and mine curl in the front of his shirt, and the whole week of almosts presses into that single point of contact.

We definitely need to make more time for this.

He kisses me like he’s been wanting to all night, and maybe he has. I know I have.

He deepens the kiss, and when his tongue asks for entrance, I don’t deny him.

When we finally come up for air, I don’t pull back far, his forehead resting on mine.

“You have no idea how badly I’ve wanted to do that this week,” he says, his voice a rough whisper that I can feel clear to my toes. “You also don’t know how badly I want to ask you to stay.”

My heart stumbles.

“But I’m not going to.”

“Why?” I ask, disappointment evident in my tone.

“We aren’t in a rush, Freckles.” He presses a kiss to my forehead before continuing. “I want to do this right, and as much as I want you back in my bed, I don’t want to do things before you’re ready. Before we’re ready. Plus, I know your mom works tomorrow, and you have to be up early to take care of the twins.”

The words hit low and deep.

I love him for that.

I should not be thinking that yet.

But I am absolutely thinking that.

“You’re annoyingly good at this,” I say, voice softer than I mean it to be.

His thumb brushes once over my waist. “Good.”

I place another quick kiss on his lips before he opens my car door for me, leaning down for one more.

He braces one arm on the roof of my car. “Text me when you make it home, okay?”