“Hello.” Even though he sounds a bit upset, I instantly relax at the sound of his voice.
“I love you,” I blurt out before I chicken out. All the baggage I’ve been carrying around suddenly feels so much lighter. “Oh, this is Seth, by the way.”
There’s a pause and then he laughs. It’s the most wonderful sound in the fucking world. Seriously, music to my ears.
“I know who it is,” he says, sounding less tense than when he answered. “You said so on your message. I don’t know why, though. It’s not like I deleted your number from my phone or something.”
“But you thought about it.”
“I did a couple of times, but couldn’t bring myself to do it… To erase you from my life like that.” He pauses again. “Do you really mean it?”
“That I love you…” I bite on my fingernail. “I really fucking do. I mean it more than I’ve ever meant anything.”
“I love you, too.”
“Obviously. I’m me, aren’t I?” I joke, but there’s nothing funny about the situation. Not at all. “I’m sorry I didn’t say it back at your place… I just panicked and I don’t know… I just needed some time to sort through all the bad crap to get to the good.”
“God, I’ve missed you,” he says. “I wish you were here with me so I could kiss you or something.”
I lean against the door and stretch my legs out. “I wish you were here, too. The good news is that we’ll be back home in four days. Then you can kiss me all you want.”
“Oh, I plan on it,” he says matter-of-factly.
My stomach does that ridiculous dance again as I think about being with him. Yes, I’m afraid, but the only way to get past the fear is to face it. And there’s nothing I want more than to be with Greyson.
By the time we’ve finished talking, it’s well after midnight. When I exit the bathroom, brushing my teeth, Callie’s in bed and Luke’s outside smoking.
Callie gives me a strange look. “Something happened.”
I pull the toothbrush out of my mouth, unable to contain my grin. “I called Greyson,” I declare with a mouth full of toothpaste.
“Did you work everything out?” she asks, fluffing her pillow.
Nodding, I head to the bathroom, spitting in the sink and rinsing my toothbrush before returning to the room and climbing into bed with her.
“I told him I loved him,” I say after I pull the covers over me.
“You love him?” Callie pushes up on her elbow and stares down at me. “You never told me that?”
“I know… But I do. Like a lot, a lot.”
“And what did he say?”
“I love you, too,” I grin like a silly nut job.
“Seth, I’m really happy for you.”
“I’m really happy for me, too.”
Still smiling, I roll over and close my eyes. I realize there’s still a lot of stuff I have to deal with, but knowing I have Greyson there to help me makes it easier to face.
Chapter 17
Greyson
I don’t think I’ve ever been so fucking excited to see someone as I am now. Seth and I made plans for him to pick me up at the airport. By the time I walk out of the door, dragging my suitcase behind me, it’s past ten o’clock. The winter air instantaneously stings my lightly sun-kissed skin. Shivering, I search the pick-up area for Seth and spot him leaning against his car just to my right.
A smile spreads across his face as soon as he sees me and it takes all of my effort not to drop my bag and kiss him right here in the midst of hundreds of post-holiday travelers. The only thing stopping me is the caution in his eyes. We’re still not in the same place yet, which is okay. He has a lot of stuff to deal with, but at least he’s working on it instead of running away.
“Hey,” I say, stopping in front of him.
He smiles at me, takes my bag, and tosses it into the backseat. Without saying a word, he rounds the back of the car, opens the driver’s door, and climbs in. I follow his lead and slide into the passenger seat. The moment I get the door shut, he reaches over, cups the back of my neck, and pulls my mouth to his.
“God, I missed you,” I murmur as I taste his lips.
“Me, too,” he agrees, his fingers fumbling as he grips onto my arms. “Just FYI, we’re so spending spring break together.”
“Works for me. I hated being apart.” I lean back and buckle my seatbelt as he drives down the ramp toward the road. “How did everything go on your trip?”
He taps the breaks, bringing the car to a stop at a streetlight. “Well, there was a lot of drama, none of which I caused, surprisingly.”
“With Callie and Kayden, I’m guessing?”
He nods. “But I think,” he holds up his hands with his fingers crossed, “they might finally have worked it out. She even told her parents what Caleb did to her.”
“Wow, that was really brave of her.”
“It really was.” He drives forward when the light turns green. “I think they handled it pretty well, too, which restores my faith a little in parents.”
“Not all parents are bad. And speaking of parents.” I reach into my pocket and dig out a bracelet my mother sent Seth. “My mom wanted me to give this to you.” I hand him the bracelet and he stares at it, his forehead creased. “I know it’s tacky and definitely not your style, but there’s four leaf clovers woven in the shells that are supposed to bring you luck or strength.” I shrug. “I’m not really sure which, because sometimes I zone out when she starts rambling about herbs and karma and auras, but she said something about wanting to give you some of her luck because you deserve it. And that every time you look at it, she wants you to remember how strong you are.”
He grins from ear to ear as he clasps the bracelet in his hand. “I seriously can’t wait to meet your mother.”
“You don’t have to wear it if you don’t want to.”
“No, I want to.” To prove it, he slips it onto his wrist.
We make the rest of the drive holding hands and don’t let go as we walk up the stairs to my apartment. I unlock the door one handed, and the moment I step inside and kick the door shut, Seth’s mouth is devouring mine.
I drop my bag somewhere on the floor, not bothering to turn on the lights as we stumble back to my bedroom. We only break the kiss long enough to pull off our shirts and jeans, reconnecting as we fall onto the bed. The kiss is slow, my tongue inspecting every inch of his mouth as he does the same to mine.