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“Life has the best plans.” I bring my face close to hers. “I missed you so damn much.”
“You’re not alone here.” Her words come out strained.
“The girl you saw me with is Emily. She’s the Phantoms’ new PR assistant, and she’s also our GM’s daughter,” I explain. The tingling in my fingers where my skin touches hers grows stronger. “When he found out I’d be here and that I wasn’t bringing a plus-one, he asked if I’d bring her with me. It’s a great opportunity for her to network. I said yes. It benefits our team, and I wasn’t planning to stay long. Keeping things professional is not a problem for me.”
Pupils blown, she gawks at me. “But I…”
“You what? You thought she was my girlfriend?”
“Something like that.” She swallows, the delicate column of her throat twitching.
“I started crushing on you before I knew what the word meant, and those feelings only became stronger after we reconnected in college.” I tip my head. “You really think all that would go away just because we put our relationship on pause?”
“Two years is—”
“Is nothing when you’re in love with someone for as long as I’ve been in love with you. I will always choose you, Isla.” I take her in, my body temperature rising. She’s breathtaking. Her beauty sends my heart into overdrive. My need for her is stronger than anything I’ve ever felt. It’s not only about her body; it’s about her soul. I want her, all of her. Forever.
I take a step back and hold out my hand to her. “Come with me.”
Without hesitation, she accepts the gesture, and instantly, the warmth of her skin sends shivers down my spine. I pull her after me, navigating the main room, heading for the rooftop terrace. With any luck, it’ll be empty. If not, I don’t care.
Outside, the warm night air envelops us. The New York cityscape stretches out below us, lights twinkling and cars zipping by. A few groups of people linger out here, their backs turned to the doors, their conversations hushed.
Without slowing, I guide her past the first group, then the second. I nod once at someone I vaguely recognize, but that’s all. My sole focus is Isla, her small hand in mine, her very presence lighting up all my nerve endings.
The far end of the terrace is empty, and it’s darker here. It’s noisier because of the sounds of the city, but it’ll do. I tug Isla behind a tall planter and finally stop.
Here, there are no cameras. No prying eyes. Just us and the city I’ve called home for close to three years as a witness.
The dim light coming from the main room highlights Isla’s silhouette, illuminating every soft curve of her body. I’ve tried not to think about so many of these features for two years and still dreamed about her every night.
“I missed you too,” she says, stepping into me.
I circle my arms around her waist. “I saw every post on your socials, checking your accounts every night before I fall asleep. I watched every single one of your competitions. Recorded them, rewatched them when I couldn’t sleep. Hearing the commentators say your name felt like the only way I still had you in my life.”
She looks up at me, something fragile in her eyes. “I haven’t been with anyone since you.”
My grip on her tightens. “Me neither.” A thrill shoots through me as I duck my head. “I want you. Only ever you. It’s the same for you—true or not true?”
She cranes her neck, her lips twitching. “True.”
I slip a hand under her soft hair and cuff the back of her neck. Her blue eyes shimmer, full of desire, and I swear, it’s the best view I’ve ever seen.
Head lowered, I cover her lips with mine. The moment we make contact, it’s as if thousands of fireworks go off in my head, emptying my mind of all other thoughts. God, how I missed this. How I missed her.
She kisses me back with fervor, her tongue slipping into my mouth and curling around mine in a dance only the two of us know. With her hand clutching the fabric of my shirt, she hauls herself closer, leaving no space between us. Her body is glued to mine; the way her heat soaks into me only ratchets up my desire.
A burst of laughter nearby has us pulling apart abruptly, but with a deep breath in, I press my forehead against hers.
“I hope this doesn’t scare you,” I say quietly, “but for the first time in a long time, I feel like I can actually breathe again.”
She lets out a soft laugh. “Why would that scare me? I feel the same way.” She sniffs, her eyes fluttering closed. “Letting you go was the hardest decision I’ve ever made. It made sense. But while my head accepted the pause, my heart never did.” Her voice grows quieter. “My life felt empty without you. And now…now, it’s finally full again.”
“Everything is exactly how it should be.” I plant a kiss on her forehead and step back.
The sound of someone tapping on a microphone drifts out through the open doors.
“Looks like it’s time to get back to reality,” she sighs.
