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Josh’s eyes shot around the room at their spectators. He had zero clue what was happening or whether it was good. Still, the word sex on Clara’s lips was enough to make him half-hard.
Naomi sat up straighter in her chair. There goes that secret.
Dana steepled her hands. He could tell from her face that she thought this interview had gotten a whole lot more interesting.
Clara continued. “But our relationship is so much more than that. I came to tell you, and apparently a bunch of strangers listening, that I’m in love with you.”
Josh’s heartbeat slammed in his ears. He bit his tongue, tasting pennies.
“I’m sorry I was too scared to accept it before. I always thought love was supposed to make you itchy. A crawling-out-of-your-skin kind of obsession. I thought love was synonymous with pining and longing. That it had to hurt.”
Josh could read between the lines. She meant, I thought love looked like Everett. Man, he fucking hated that guy.
Clara took a deep breath and tilted his chin until he looked directly at her, instead of at his own balled fists. “But love isn’t like that. At least not for me. Loving you is like sinking into a warm bath after a lifetime of feeling cold down to my bones.”
Josh’s chest rose and fell as he tried to gather enough oxygen to process this revelation.
Clara reached for his hand. “It’s having someone see me, past the artifice and the posturing, and decide I’m more than enough.”
He closed his eyes and ran the tip of his nose against the back of her hand, savoring her words and the petal-softness of her skin.
Clara’s voice gathered strength. “My love for you isn’t an addiction. Being with you doesn’t provide some warped sense of validation for my life. You were never a fling I had to get out of my system. Our love feels like . . . freedom. The kind people give their lives for.”
Josh’s vision went hazy. He couldn’t process this turn of events.
Clara must have misinterpreted his silence because she brought her mouth closer to the mic. “Although I want to be very clear that the sex is unbelievable. Better than it looks on screen. Seriously. You have no idea.”
Naomi cleared her throat.
“Right. Sorry. Josh, the reason Shameless exists is because you encouraged me to stop apologizing for what I want and what I deserve. Checklists, guidelines, terrible driving, and all. You’re everything I never knew I needed, but I can’t imagine my life without you, and frankly, I don’t want to.”
He sat, stupefied at his good fortune. In a thousand lifetimes, he’d never get enough of Clara. Of her optimism and her nerve. Of her desperate kisses and faith that people were worth fighting for.
Naomi narrowed her eyes at him. “Better get a move on. If you don’t kiss her soon, I will.”
Josh shook out of his stupor and stood, pulling Clara out of her chair.
He wanted her at that moment more than he’d ever wanted anything in his life. He held her face in both of his hands. “Great speech.”
“Thanks.” She dipped her thumb into his dimple. “Went a little astray with the sex bit at the end.”
“You found your way back.” He brought his mouth to hers and Clara wrapped her arms around his neck. His world righted on its axis as their lips met in a tender press. He wasn’t sure he deserved her, but he sure as hell wasn’t going to let anyone take her away.
Josh had never imagined he’d get to have this kind of softness with Clara.
Dana clapped her hands. “So does this mean we’ll be seeing the two of you in future tutorials for Shameless?”
Clara froze in his arms, her eyes uncertain. “I suppose we could do like a kissing tutorial? Fully clothed kissing. Ooh, set to R&B slow jams.”
“We’re gonna need a lot more rehearsal time before she’s ready for an audience. In fact, we should go practice. Right now.” His eyes never left Clara’s. “Naomi can take it from here.” Josh’s cheeks hurt from smiling so hard. “Please excuse us.”
He practically dragged Clara out of the studio and into the hallway. “I’m so sorry for the way I acted,” he said as soon as the door closed behind them. “I was a complete asshole. I want you to know I—”
Clara eyed the elevator before grabbing the front of his shirt and dragging him into an out-of-the-way stairwell. As the door slammed behind him, she ran her fingers through his hair and molded her curves against his hollows. “Tell me later,” she whispered in his ear.
Josh needed no further urging. He grabbed her ass and lifted her off the ground so she could wind her legs around his waist before pushing her against the wall and sucking hot kisses into her neck below her ear.
Clara moaned with abandon.
