Just a Little Crush(87)

Losing my courage to express exactly what I’d been thinking, I said, “I’m happy we worked it all out.”

“Me too, Brin.” He smiled.

With my leg wrapped around his, I urged him forward. He slipped inside me and paused. “Okay, I really missed this too.”

“Mm-hmm.” I rocked my hips forward. “We definitely need to make up for lost time.”

Slowly pulling away, he whispered, “Yeah.” He lowered his mouth to mine and inched his way back in. “We have time. We have as long as you’ll give me.”

My lips answered with a kiss, but my heart answered with forever.

—

I pulled the shirt he’d given me over my head.

“You haven’t even hung around me that long and you’re already turning into a rule-breaker,” Ryder said with a tsk.

I grinned. “I was cold.”

He stared at the shirt, then his gaze dipped down over my legs and back up my body. “Well, if you insist upon wearing clothes, that’s a good choice.”

The bed bounced as I plopped down next to him. With my legs crossed, I leaned against the wall. “So you want to talk about what happened with your mom?”

He folded his arms behind his head, the sheet rumpled around his waist. “I could think of better things to do.”

“Okay, let me rephrase. Will you tell me what happened with her?”

“There’s not much more to tell. I told her everything. She didn’t seem that surprised. Then she said she’s not leaving him.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“Come here.” He guided me down, my head cradled against his chest, and wrapped his arm around my shoulders. “You know, I realized something this afternoon.”

“What’s that?” I asked, tilting my head to see him.

“It’s not my problem.” He shifted on his side to face me. “You and I have been making ourselves miserable carrying the burdens of our parents, but why? We’ve both come clean, said our piece and now it’s time for us to stop worrying about them. Let them make their own decisions, live their own lives, and we should do the same. “He cupped my cheek. “I’m not going to live my life scared to fuck up just because they did. I’m ready to focus on my own life. I’m ready to focus on us. On you. Starting with making up for the stupid shit I did to make you hate me.”

I placed my leg over his hip and shifted to a sitting position, straddling him. He needed to hear the truth, and I was ready to confess it. “The only reason I ever said I hated you was because of something I’d thought you’d done. I was angry and hurt, but only because I love you.”

He looked down and cleared his throat. “You have no idea what hearing you say that does to me.” He looked back up, a glassy sheen coated his green eyes. “I’m still not convinced I deserve you.”

“Of course you do. You’re the most deserving person I know.” With my hands on the mattress beside his head, I leaned forward until our noses touched. “And I love you like crazy.”

He smiled, brushed his lips against mine and whispered, “That’s my line. And it’s ‘I love you like fucking crazy.’ ”

—

“So it’s official.” Mason, who sat across from me, folded his arms over the table. “You two are back together. Everything’s perfect, and you’re happy?” He stared into my eyes, watching for any sign of deception. The problem with my best friend: He thought he knew me better than I knew myself.

Fallon glanced up from her phone and, with a little grunt, said, “Who wouldn’t be happy boarding the Ryder-train.” The chime of a text drew her attention back down but she still managed to pump her fist in the air and murmur, “Choo choo.”

Mason made a sound of disgust.

Suppressing my laughter, I answered Mason, “I’m more than happy.” My gaze drifted to Ryder, who stood at the bar.

He smiled back then turned his attention to the bartender, who prepared his order.

“What about you?” I asked Mason.

He’d returned from the beach yesterday. Other than a few texts, we hadn’t talked much, but when we’d made plans to go out tonight, he told me Leena would probably join us.

“I guess Leena and I are dating.”

Fallon lowered her phone and angled herself toward Mason. “You guess?”

Fallon had returned, this morning, from visiting her family. She’d been quieter than usual. A bit more subdued. Maybe tired, but Mason sure had managed to capture her undivided attention with his comment.

Mason slouched back. “We hooked up. I like her. But it was spring break.”