Page 79 of False Start
I catch myself before the words escape, but her eyes snap to mine.
"Because you love me?"
It's no use. I've held back saying it for months, but the words won't stay locked away a second more.
"Yes," I admit. "Because I love you. I have for some time."
I brace myself. This is the moment of truth. If we do this for real, everything has to be out in the open. No more hiding.
"Good." She leans up on her tippy toes and plants a kiss on my lips. "Because I love you too. And I have for some time."
I look into her eyes, searching for any hesitation. There is none; only her love shining through watery eyes. I lift her up by the ass and spin her around, letting out a triumphant whoop.
"Cory Park! Put me down this instant," she chides, though she's laughing the whole time.
"Is it safe to come back?" Maya asks from several feet away. We both turn to her and Denise nods.
"Yes. It's safe," she answers.
"And y'all are done being miserable? You're back together?" Tiffany asks, her hands on her hips.
Denise and I both grin.
"Yes," I reply. "We're back together."
"Thank God!" Noah shouts, clapping me on the back. "Now you can stop moping around. Between you and Damon, I worried both my brothers had lost it."
"Shut up!" Damon hisses between clenched teeth. He looks nervously at Denise's model friend, Kendra, like he's worried she'll get the wrong idea.Hmmm.What's going on there?
The model in question smiles, a gleam in her eye.
"Denise, girl. Is your life always such a soap opera?"
D giggles and blushes, and her happiness warms me to my core. I squeeze her ass again, loving the feel of her in my palms.Don't ever leave me again, love.
"Hardly," Denise says with a rueful smile. "But before we go paint the town red, I wanted to make official introductions." Denise gestures between the group and Kendra. "Everyone, this is Kendra. She'll be joining us for celebrations and libations.
"Kendra, these are my girls, Maya and Tiffany. That's Adam, Maya's husband. Those two are Noah and Damon, Adam's brothers. And this," she moves my hand to circle her waist, "is myboyfriend, Cory. He's another one of Adam's brothers."
Back to boyfriend already? I feel so high, I could fly home. I know I'm grinning like a fool, but I don't care.
"Nice to meet everyone," Kendra replies. "Thanks for letting me crash your after-party."
"Of course!" Damon says, the color rising in his cheeks. "The more the merrier."
Oh yeah. Something's definitely going on there.
As we head out of the near empty venue, Denise leans in close to whisper in my ear.
"Always squeezing from the bottom of the toothpaste tube is something serial killers do."
Epilogue
Denise
"Denise!Denise!Ms.Jeffries!Over here!"
The stranger frantically shouting my name ends up being a reporter, and I'm momentarily stunned.
