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Leaving my lips parted, I give her a kiss right on her sweet spot right by her collarbone.
“Wes,” she groans, letting her head fall back. I know she feels it too. This ever-present pull toward each other. It’s getting harder and harder to resist.
But I can’t let the past repeat itself again.
I can’t have her for one night just for her to wake up tomorrow morning and regret it. I refuse to go back to years of no contact between us.
So I pull back and ask her the one question we need to address before we can move forward.
“Thea, I want you so bad, but this time… I want you for more than one night. We need to address the elephant in the room.”
She swallows hard, waiting for me to continue.
“Do you know that Maddie has never brought up that night or her feelings for me… even all these years later?”
From time to time, I would get together with Eli when we were all in New York and a bunch of our old friends, including Maddie, would come too. She had random boyfriends with her sometimes, but even when she didn’t, she never tried to hit on me or discuss her feelings for me. Granted, after her confession to Lo, I was extra careful to not give her that vibe.
She tentatively shakes her head. “No, I always wondered, but didn’t want to ask because I feared her answer.”
“Baby, I can’t do this anymore. It’s been well over ten years since I was with your sister and it was one time. I love her as a friend, but I don’t want her.I want you. And I am pretty fucking positive you want me to.” Lacing my fingers through hers I continue, “Maddie can’t expect us to be miserable. She’s living her life… she even brought her new boyfriend today. Why can’t we live ours… the way we want to—together?”
“I agree.”
“You do?” I say, shocked that she admitted it so quickly.
“Yes, I know if the roles were reversed, I would never want her to feel an ounce of the pain I’ve felt over the years not being with you.” Lo pauses like she’s trying to gather all her thoughts and emotions. “I’m just so tired of fighting something that I know would make me so incredibly happy. Life and love aren’t supposed to be like this. You aren’t supposed to push away the person that was made for you.” Relief washes over me as I let her words soak in.
“Are you saying I was made for you, Sloan Barton?”
Nodding, she says, “I’m pretty sure I’ve known that since I was about ten years old… it just took you some time to catch up.”
“As much as I want to take you right here on this couch. I refuse to rush anything after waiting so long to have you.” Lifting her hand to my mouth, I kiss the inside of her wrist. “Plus, I want to tie you up and make you beg for it. Then we can cover both of our kinks.” I wink at her.
“I can’t handle that visual right now, Wes.” She groans.
“I do have one request for the night.” I say, holding up my finger.
“What?”
“Can I hold you, Thea? It’s been way too long.”
She looks up at me with unshed tears in her eyes. “Please.”
Making us a bed in front of the fire, she pushes her leg in between mine to keep her feet warm, just like she used to do all those years ago. Except back then we were always worried someone would find us wrapped up in each other—always setting alarms on our phones to make sure we got up before everyone else. I’m loving that she doesn’t care if any of her family walks in on us like this. It makes me think she’s truly ready to let the past stay in the past this time.
We talk about anything and everything until the early hours of the morning. Just like we used to… I’ve never been able to talk to anyone the way I can her.
No matter how tired she gets, her blue eyes shine brighter than the lights strung up on the Christmas tree, and I can’t take my eyes off hers. Hours later I fall asleep, so content with my arm draped over Sloan and her head buried into my chest. There is no better feeling than holding her knowing we are finally going to get our “someday.”
* * *
“Yeah,I think she must be in here. I stayed with a friend last night, so I’m not sure.” I hear Eli’s voice. Seeing the sunshine peeking through the drapes, I realize it’s way past dawn. Sloan burrows back into me so I take that as my sign she’s okay with Eli finding us like this and I sure as shit don’t care.
“She must have fallen asleep on the couch.”Who the hell is Eli talking to?
“Is this a surprise? She didn’t mention you were coming?”Eli’s voice sounds weary…I don’t recognize the voice that responds, and I can’t make out what they’re saying.
“Sloa—” I hear Eli, who is cut off by another male voice.
