“Karaoke.” Shannon blinked. “I see.”
“Well, I’m going to run up and check on her,” he said, already turning around. “See you in a bit.”
“Sure,” she said with a worried frown. “See you.”
He climbed the stairs at a quick clip and raised his hand to knock but stopped before his knuckles met the door. She might not want to see him. But why would she not want to see him? She was the one who’d suggested they stopped trying. He leaned his forehead against the door. Who was he kidding? He’d all but told her they were doomed from the start. What else could she have said?
He had been so afraid of things not working out that he hadn’t allowed himself to envision really being with her. It still terrified him to let hope take root in his heart, but Lizzy was finally seeing him in a new light and opening herself up to him. This might be his only chance to have her belong to him as he belonged to her. Was he seriously giving that up to hold on to their friendship?
Hell no.
He rapped his knuckles against the door. After a second, he did it again. He was going to knock until his knuckles were raw. He wouldn’t quit until she let him in so he could grovel for another chance.
“Don’t.” The door swung open, and Lizzy held up a finger.
Her hair was damp, and she didn’t have a scrap of makeup on her face. She was so beautiful that it felt like a punch in the gut. He felt himself free-falling again, but he wasn’t going to let fear stop him from fighting for his chance to be with Lizzy. Even if it wasn’t forever—even if it was just for two weeks.
“Cannonball,” he whispered, his eyes imploring her to forgive him.
She gasped and searched his face. With a sound somewhere between a sob and a laugh, she threw herself at him. He had to widen his stance to keep from stumbling into the railing.
“Asshole,” she said, burrowing into his chest.
He tightened his arms around her. “I know, right?”
“You hurt me.” She leaned back to meet his gaze. “Don’t do it again.”
“I’m so sorry.” He traced the back of his fingers down her cheek. “I had no idea I could hurt you. Not like this.”
“You can. So don’t.” She held his hand against her cheek and turned his hand to kiss his palm. “I told you. I cannonballed into this. I’m soaking wet.”
Her eyes grew wide, and her cheeks turned as red as a signal light. His dick knew exactly where her mind had gone and got hard fast enough to leave him dizzy. His brain caught up a beat late, and he smiled wolfishly. “Are you now?”
“I’m metaphorically wet. Meaning I’m committed to this thing…” She frantically waved her hand back and forth between them. “Like I’m all in. Like it’s too late to try to keep my head above water because I’m soaked through.”
She whimpered. How was she this adorable? While his hard-on throbbed a painful rhythm, he wanted to give her a break. “I’m all in, too. No more safety net. No more pulling away.”
The brilliance of her smile almost made his heart stop. “That’s all I want. I want us to have a real chance.”
“A real chance,” he murmured. He was a lucky bastard. How had he stumbled onto this golden chance to win Lizzy’s love? “I like the sound of that.”
“Well?” She arched an eyebrow.
“Uh…” Did he miss something while he was doing cartwheels in his head?
“Do I have to do everything around here?” She pushed onto her toes and pressed her lips against his.
He kissed her back with a heady sense of possession—he had every right to kiss her like this. It was a decadent and leisurely kiss—both of them secure in their newfound commitment. He tugged her flush against him and lifted her off her feet. When they broke apart, they were breathless and laughing.
“Are you ready to head down to the bookstore?” Jack asked, moving his hands up and down her soft arms. He wasn’t ready to stop touching her. “Shannon must be getting worried.”
“Oh no. I didn’t mean to worry her. Let me just grab my keys.”
They walked into Sparrow with their hands linked and were greeted by the now familiar jingle of the shopkeeper’s bell.
“Jack?” Shannon called out from the back. “How’s Lizzy?”
“I’m doing great,” Lizzy yelled out with a quick squeeze of his hand.
