Page 172 of Finance Bros
My heart thuds. I’m so used to reassuring him that when he turns the tables on me, I always feel the need to brace myself for fear of being swept away.
“You probably already know you ground me,” he says. “You’re my history. My heartbeat. My first fucking love. My brother, my partner. My best friend. Somehow you get me—you always have, and I think it’s because you’ve got the best heart of anyone I’ve ever met. I want to deserve you. I want to have the only key to everything you’ve kept locked inside. I want the chance to loveallof you. Because I know I will.”
Is this what it means to feel seen?
I’m much too far away from him. I lean forward and ease hisback to the bed, climbing on top of him before putting my arms around him and positioning us on our sides.
He presses his mouth to mine, and I part my lips to let him in. Our tongues brush lightly, and I take a deep breath. “You scared me today.”
“You scared me, too.” He slots all his limbs into place, finding our familiar tangle with ease.Getting comfy.
“Not talking to you last night was stupid,” I admit.
“Agreed,” he says. “You don’t get to do that again.”
“Did you need me?” I ask.
He nods.
I slide my leg over his to lock us in place. “I’m sorry,” I tell him. “Is Kaylin okay?”
“She will be, I think.”
“And you?” I ask.
He holds me tight. “You make everything better.”
“Be patient with me, okay?” I ask him. “I’m learning as I go. I’ve only ever been in love with you, so I have limited experience expressing myself.”
“I’ve only ever been in love with you, too.”
“It’s not a competition,” I tell him.
“It’s pathetic is what it is,” he says.
I laugh. “Maybe. So, what do you think? Are we on the same page?”
Mal smooths some hair off my forehead and looks into my eyes. “You tell me. Have I done enough? Have I convinced you you’re it for me?”
“Yeah,” I tell him. “You finally did.”
“Finally,” he repeats in a whisper like he loves the sound of that.
Nudging his nose with mine, I align our mouths and kiss him again. His hand moves down my chest, and we sigh against each other. “I’m glad you’re here.”
“Me, too,” he says.
“Don’t go, okay?” I ask.
“Really? You wanna run that by your roommate first?”
“Not particularly.”
“Because I mean, I’m clingy as fuck. I’ll totally overstay my welcome.”
I grab his ass and squeeze. “I’m counting on it.”
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