Page 133 of Even Ground

She grins. “Now maybe you know how I feel when I see you on screen with other women.”

“I’m acting.”

Pania cups my face. “And I’m in love with you. He’s cute, but you’re the cutest.”

“Really?”

“I never thought I’d be reassuring you of how I feel. This is something I thought would be the other way around.”

I frown. “Do you have doubts about me?”

She doesn’t answer me, but drops her hands and tilts her head to the side, taking a deep breath.

“I love that you’re thinking of the future. It’s not us, but the thought of how crazy life will get that’s scary.”

My heart sinks a little. She’s not wrong. This is a situation where we’ll have to work out how to take things in our stride together.

“I’m not saying that to hurt you, Reece. This stands a better chance of working if we’re both honest with each other.”

“I know.”

“Now kiss me and maybe I’ll forget Alex Stone even exists.” Her smile lifts my mood, and I find myself smiling despite my fear I’ll do something to screw this up.

“I’ll do more than kiss you.”

She screeches with laughter as I bend and pick her up, throwing her over my shoulder.

“I’m too heavy for this.”

“No, you’re perfect.”

I carry her into the bedroom, and as gently as I can lower her onto her back on the bed, her eyes are so full of love, and those full lips are just begging to be kissed.

She pulls me down with her, and I’m so lost in my overwhelming emotions for her. It’s not that I’ve never felt anything before, but I never allowed myself to feel. Pania makes it so easy.

This time, we make love long and slow, lying in the afterglow, curled up around each other.

“Do you know what I love about being with you?”

I meet her gaze. “My devastating good looks and charm?”

Pania’s shoulders shake. “That, and we laugh together. We had that from the start.”

“Remember when you asked me if hang out was a euphemism for sex?”

She places her palm flat on my chest before running a finger around one of my nipples. ”Yes?”

“It kind of was.”

Her brow furrows.

“I really liked you back then, even though I didn’t know you that well. And I’m glad we didn’t have sex because I think things wouldn’t have gone well and you’d probably hate me by now.”

She shrugs. “I’m not sure I could ever hate you. I might have found a photo of you and stuck it to a dart board, but I wouldn’t hate you.”

I roll my shoulders. “Does that explain these weird chest pains I’ve been having?” I sigh. “Oh, no, that’s just my heart beating.”

“You’re such a dick.” She laughs against my skin.