Page 103 of Together Is Where We Belong

I pushed up on my elbows and turned to my side, using my weight to push her down onto the daybed as I loomed above her.

She looked up at me, a blush on her cheeks, and her chest rose heavily as she waited for my next move.

“You’re beautiful,” I whispered above her as I stared down at her.

“Thank you,” she said in a bashful, unsure voice.

Instead of giving her what she wanted, an answer to my thoughts, I leaned forward and pressed my lips to hers. Since I couldn’t explain how I felt, I needed to show her. I poured every ounce of love I held for her into that kiss.

When I pulled back, I stared down at her before I brushed my nose back and forth across hers.

“Leo,” she whispered as she moved her hand up to the side of my face.

I leaned into her touch as I stared into the chocolate brown eyes I used to happily get lost in.

“Yeah,” I whispered.

“You never answered my question,” she said, her breaths still uneven from our kiss.

“I told you everythin’ you needed in that kiss,” I said as I laid beside her and pulled her into me.

I could feel the smile on her face through the cotton of my shirt as she laid on my chest.

“You technically didn’t say anything,” she countered as she drew circles on my shirt with her finger.

“I know. My mouth did. Now let’s enjoy the stars for a little bit longer,” I suggested with a smirk.

She sighed into my shirt, and we spent the remainder of the night staring up at the stars.

twenty-nine

Carolina

Today I woke up and felt like I could breathe a little better. My anxiety was off the charts yesterday, and nothing I did helped ease it. I didn’t want to let Luke out of my sight, but I was glad Leo had convinced me to let him go. I felt a shift between us, and I wasn’t sure what to do.

I loved Leo Courtright with every ounce of my soul. But whenever I wanted to tell him, I couldn’t convince myself to say the words. I couldn’t be the first one to say them because if he didn’t return the sentiment or only wanted to remain coparents, I didn’t know what I’d do.

Between the kisses and the sweet gestures and him saving my life, I was sure he wanted us to be more, but I couldn’t put myself out there. I held back in fear of breaking both of us all over again.

Leo helped me gather all of Luke’s and my things, albeit reluctantly, and we took them over to the house earlier today.

When we walked through the door, our arms full of bags of clothes and Luke’s toys, I stopped and took a deep breath.

The broken vase was now gone like nothing had ever happened.

The photo albums still sat on the counter in the kitchen.

The only thing different was the faint smell of lemon, the same scent of the cleaner I used to mop the floors.

We set the bags of Luke’s things down and put them away in silence before we did the same thing to mine.

We walked back into the living room, an awkward silence still between us. I felt Leo approach behind me and stilled. His calloused palms caressed my bare shoulders, and a shiver passed through me.

“Carolina,” he whispered behind me, and I instantly hated the sound of my name coming from his lips. What I wanted to hear was the four-letter word he used to call me. I wanted to scream in frustration, but I held it in. I couldn’t tell him I wanted to hear it. He had to say it all on his own. He’d called me firefly several times, and each time my heart skipped several beats. But I just wanted to hear him call me his cara again. Maybe then I could finally admit that I loved him. Once he said the nickname that I held so dear to my heart, I’d know his feelings for me were the same as the ones I never let go of for him.

“Leo,” I finally whispered back.

He wrapped his arms around my middle and pulled my back flush against his chest. His chin rested on my shoulder.