AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No, I do. You’re the most precious part of me too.”
“Kae.”
“I was eight when I was thinking about emptying my mom’s bottle of pain pills. I was…” My nostrils flare as the emotions of that year pile up on me. “I screamed when I saw vans. When I saw black gloves. When I felt scared for no reason. Mom and dad took me to a thousand therapists and I still…” My eyes land on his. “Then I met you. I met you and you just sat with me on those steps. You didn’t say a word, but I felt so much better. I felt whole.”
He takes my hand and tugs me out of the chair. “Come here.”
My chin hits his shoulder.
My arms grip his waist.
My palms press against his back.
He pulls me into himself. Embraces me totally.
His heartbeat melds with mine.
I’m home.
He’s everything I want. He’s everything I can’t lose.
“Kastle,” I lean back and stare up at him, “I like kissing you.”
His eyes widen. Then narrow.
“That’s all for now.” I glance away. “That’s the truth I can offer you. If it’s weird—”
“It’s not weird.” His thumb slides against the bottom of my jaw.
I stare up at him. Forget how to breathe. It’s more than kissing. I love you. I love you so much it hurts.
But I can’t say that.
I won’t.
Swallowing hard, I whisper, “Can I keep a few secrets? Is that okay with you?”
“Do you have to?”’
I nod.
Telling him that I want his touch is pushing it, but it’s not too far gone.
Kissing is physical.
It’s new. Exciting.
Dangerous.
But it’s not so far off the cliff that we’d plummet. We can snap our hands back on the edge and try to pull ourselves up. There are still boundaries and footholds. It’s slippery, but it’s not insane.
Telling him that I love him…
That I’ve been in love with him for decades…
I’m not sure we’re strong enough to take that. It’ll change the very dynamic of our friendship. Shred the fabric of our bond. Put expectations on him that he can’t live up to.
Forget falling off the cliff, at that point we’ll be plummeting into the ocean. Choppy waves. Angry currents.
