Total pages in book: 111
Estimated words: 109038 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109038 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 545(@200wpm)___ 436(@250wpm)___ 363(@300wpm)
So many photos are taken of us.
Some people even congratulate us, too, and lots of people wink at Logan about his photoshoot.
After hours of hanging around in the ballroom, Logan steals a moment to bring me outside onto the long balcony at the edge of the building.
String lights are hung along the edges of the balcony, and there’s an outdoor bar here too, where people are schmoozing and chatting.
But we find a quiet spot at the edge, looking out at the city.
“I couldn’t imagine doing this, even a few months ago,” Logan says to me. “I feel like I came out of a cocoon, or something, knowing you.”
I tap the little Luna moth painting on my suit. “I got one tattooed on me for a reason. They symbolize transformation. I think about cocoons all the time, actually. I’ve painted a butterfly emerging from one, too.”
I pull him close against me, and he rests his head on my shoulder for a moment. “I’m…”
He doesn’t finish his sentence.
I turn to press a kiss to his head, giving him a minute. “What’s up? You doing alright, baby?”
He hums, nuzzling a little closer against me for a moment before pulling back.
When he looks at me, I see the reflection of the city lights in his eyes. “I want to say words to you.”
I smile, puffing out a little laugh. “You say words to me all the time.”
“I know.”
“Even really pretty ones in an English accent, earlier.”
“I know, I know.”
I reach out and pull on his belt loop, and he lets out an exhale, his eyes dancing over my face. “I want to say very particular words, and I don’t know if they’re going to be too serious.”
An inkling of something stirs in my heart. “Oh yeah?”
He swallows hard, nodding. “Yeah.”
My skin heats, like something’s warming me from the inside. “Maybe you should just, y’know, give it a try. I like serious things, sometimes. And I really like you.”
“Yeah.”
I bite back a smile. “You already said that.”
He looks down at his feet, then back up at me. “Chase.”
I reach down and grip his hand in mine. “Hi. You know, if you want, you can—”
“I love you,” he says forcefully, gripping my hand harder. And I feel like I’m in freefall. “I love you so much. You don’t have to say it back yet, but fuck, I just have to get it out of me. You’ve fucking changed my life, Chase. I love you so much I can’t stand it.”
I yank him forward against me, crushing my lips to his. “I love you,” I say in a muffled murmur against his lips. “Fuck, Logan, I’ve been thinking it every day like I can’t get it out of my head. I love you so much.”
He puffs out an exhilarated sound, something between an exhale and a laugh. “Oh, God, it’s going to be so much easier to just say it now.”
“Tell me about it, baby. I already fell in love with you a long fucking time ago.”
I kiss him hard, swinging him a little on his feet, and I don’t even care when I hear someone from the other side of the balcony let out a whistle.
He leans back a little, reaching up to smooth my hair with his hand. “I meant it when I said I’m yours, you know.”
I lift my thumb to his chin, gently dragging it over his skin. “I used to think I was obsessed with you. But I don’t care if I sound stupid. I think I’m made for you.”
He nods. “I think I’m made for you, too. There’s nobody else I’d rather have.”
When he kisses me again, I know that ending up here was worth every bit of pain I’ve ever suffered.
It was a hard road that led me to where I am.
Here.
With him.
On my own two feet, making my own way toward a future that I love. It’s all inside me, in vivid, vibrant color, alive with what we’re creating together.
And yeah. I do still feel like I’ve fucking lost my mind, all the goddamn time. That’s just how I roll. I’ll always be alive in the chaos, and I’ll always have a mind that lives in a million different places at once.
But there’s someone who loves me for that.
Who chose me, when he could choose fucking anyone.
A man who knelt for me when he had no reason to, other than the sheer force of whatever this invisible energy there is between us, an energy that pulls me back to him, over and over again.
Forever, I think.
Forever is how long it feels like I’ve known him, and how long I want to spend learning everything about him, loving him with my whole being, and giving him every piece of me.
EPILOGUE
LOGAN, SIX MONTHS LATER
Chase isn’t even two minutes into the first episode of Yard Line before I feel him rutting his cock up against my thigh.