Page 69 of The Lies that Bind Us 2

That’s okay. I was sure enough for the both of us.

“I don’t know how I’ll ever afford a nice ring for you, though. That twenty-five cents might just break the bank—”

“Twenty-five cents? What are you talking about?”

“Yeah, you know, for one of those plastic rings in those bubble things outside the grocery store. Or are they fifty cents now?” When her expression morphed into an adorably cute pout, I grinned. “Back in my day, they were twenty-five cents. Inflation these days isinsane.”

Charlie puckered her lips. “I wonder if I’ll complain about everything once I get as old as you.”

“Ouch. I’m not that old, sweetheart.”

That got her to laugh, and I responded by bending my top half over and bringing my lips to hers, swallowing up that sweet laughter with a hot, fiery kiss.

Maybe it was too soon to talk about marrying this girl, but you know what? Fuck waiting. Fuck timelines that everyone else approved of. I knew in my heart this girl was it for me, and I could tell she felt the same by the way she melted into me as I kissed her.

We might still have to lie to the world about us, but when we were alone together, we could be our true selves. Charlie and Brett. Brett and Charlie. The names went well together, didn’t they?

Our embrace turned heated, and within seconds, I was picking her up and carrying her to my bedroom.

Let’s just say she might’ve been a little late to the hospital.